DJ Akademiks went off on Serena Williams following her recent interview with Time, in which she reflected on appearing on stage during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show as he performed "Not Like Us." During a livestream on Wednesday night, Akademiks explained why he wasn't a fan of the tennis legend downplaying her issues with Drake.
In one clip circulating on social media, Ak said that the idea Williams was on the stage in honor of Compton was “ludicrous,” pointing out that the lyrics on the song referencing her are a direct shot at Drake. “From Alondra down to Central, n***a better not speak on Serena,” Lamar raps on the song. “And your homeboy need subpoena, that predator move in flocks.”
DJ Akademiks then went on to suggest that Serena Williams has a valid reason to dislike Drake, but called her “weak” for not standing on it. “I would’ve called Drake a p*ssy in that interview,” he said. “He dissed your husband, calling him a ‘groupie.’ How can you say you’ve been cool with him at all?"
He added that a lot of Drake's enemies are "backpedaling" from their stance on the Toronto rapper during the height of Kendrick Lamar feuding with him. He theorized that this is because Drake is proving that Lamar didn't successfully end his career after the success of "Nokia."
Serena Williams' "Not Like Us" Dance
Kendrick Lamar brought Serena Williams out to dance as he performed his diss track, "Not Like Us." Speaking with Time for interview in honor of the publication's list of the most influential people in 2025, Willimas admitted she wasn't sure if she regretted doing so. “I don't know if I regret it or not,” she told the outlet. “I don't know the answer to that.”
As for whether she intended her dance to be a dig at Drake, she clarified that she "absolutely" didn't intend it as such. She explained: “I would never do that. And that was sad, that anyone would ever think that. I respect how they could. Obviously, I can see how someone would think that. But absolutely not. I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years.”
