Naturally, the Super Bowl came and went with plenty of both long-awaited moments and surprises.
Among one of the long-awaited moments was Kendrick Lamar's Halftime Show, while one of the surprises was the one and only Serena Williams' guest appearance during the performance.
The performance had many layers to it — in addition to plenty of political innuendos, it of course was an unbelievable climax to his headline-making beef with fellow rapper Drake, as he capped off the coveted gig with a performance of his Grammy-winning diss track "Not Like Us," which features lyrics like "Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young," and "Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles," as well as, "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor."
Plus the show also carried plenty of meaning for the 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion, who herself also has a contentious history with the "Hotline Bling" singer.
Here's what to know.
© GettySerena and Drake dated
Back in 2011, Serena and Drake reportedly dated. Though they never confirmed they were romantically involved, Drake was often seen attending Serena's tennis matches at the time.
In 2015, they again were rumored to be dating when they were spotted cozying up to each other, and later photos surfaced of the two sharing a kiss.
© GettyWhat they've said about each other
Though they never confirmed their romance, Drake has made plenty of references to Serena in his songs. In his 2013 song "Worst Behavior" he sings: "I'm with my whole set, tennis matches at the crib. I swear I could beat Serena when she playin' with her left."
Then in 2022, five years after Serena married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, with whom she shares two daughters, Drake released "Middle of the Ocean," which includes the lyrics: "Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie."
© GettyAnd though Serena never publicly engaged with Drake's remarks, while hosting last year's ESPY Awards, she was quick to bring up Kendrick, teasing: "If I've learned anything this year, it's that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar," before dancing to "Not Like Us," and later adding: "He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they're going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken."
Like Kendrick, Serena is also from Compton, California, famous for its ties to hip-hop and rap music.
© GettySerena's crip walk
While not associated with the beef with Drake, Serena doing a crip walk during her cameo also held significant meaning. Over ten years ago, when she beat Maria Sharapova for the gold at the 2012 Olympics, she faced an onslaught of what most considered racist criticism for doing a similar celebratory dance.
She briefly addressed the nod to the Wimbledon moment in a video shared on X, in which she said: "Man I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon," and noted: "I would have been fined."
