Although Drake wasn’t in attendance for Super Bowl 59 between the Chiefs and Eagles, he was a hot topic of conversation thanks to Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show.
As expected, Lamar performed his hit “Not Like Us,” which was released as one of his diss tracks targeted at Drake in early 2024. But Lamar took the jabs toward Drake a step further in New Orleans, including a star athlete the Canadian rapper used to date: Serena Williams.
Many were surprised to learn that Williams has a dating history with Drake, one likely reason Lamar invited her on stage for his halftime performance.
Here’s what to know about the brief relationship between Williams and Drake.
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Did Serena Williams date Drake?
Williams and Drake did date, although briefly, in 2011. Drake has previously said that his song “Too Good” was written for the tennis star.
“I get heavy on a couple joints, but this is more about me and Serena,” he said in a video of him in the studio. “It’s funny because when I make songs about women, I also make songs for them. So, I know what kind of song to make. If I’m gonna talk about them, I’ll at least do them the justice of making them a song that they like. So, I know Serena very well, and I know that she’ll hear it loud and clear, but she’ll also not hate me for it because it’s lighthearted.”
footage of Drake making his song with Rihanna “Too Good” off Views, he reveals to his mom that it’s about Serena Williams
she responds “I gathered that” 😂
– via 100gigs pic.twitter.com/SUMZlcU4Vl
— SOUND | Victor Baez (@itsavibe) August 7, 2024
When did Serena Williams and Drake break up?
There isn’t full clarity on the length of the relationship between Williams and Drake, as plenty of outlets have said they dated on-and-off between 2011-15.
However, PageSix reported in 2015 that the two were not dating despite being “seen looking very close at dinner” after Drake watched Williams at the Women’s Tennis Association tournament. A source also told PageSix at the time that “Serena briefly dated Drake around 2011 and even though it didn’t end that well, they have remained friends since.”
Later in 2015, Williams began dating her now-husband.
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Who is Serena Williams’ husband?
Williams is married to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, and the couple has two daughters.
Williams and Ohanian announced their engagement in December 2016 and got married in November 2017.
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Serena Williams-Drake dating timeline
2011: Williams and Drake begin dating
Williams and Drake were rumored to be dating in 2011. According to Capital Xtra, Drake tweeted at Williams in 2011, adding fuel to those rumors.
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2015: Drake attends Williams’ tennis matches
Per E! News, the tennis star and rapper were spotted in a Cincinnati restaurant in 2015. Before then, Drake was often seen supporting Williams at her tennis matches in various locations.
Here’s a timeline of Drake and Serena Williams’ dating history through the years: https://t.co/r3y1uKMFqn pic.twitter.com/A9lwGJofKK
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) September 8, 2015
Late 2015: Williams begins dating Ohanian
As previously mentioned, there was no clear date on when Williams and Drake stopped dating. But by late 2015, Williams was with Ohanian.
In December 2016, they got engaged, and in November 2017, they were married.
2022: Drake mentions Williams’ husband on ‘Middle of the Ocean’
Drake has mentioned Williams in his music before, but he took it a step further with his 2022 song “Middle of the Ocean,” with some lines about her husband, Ohanian:
“Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie / He claim we don’t got a problem but / No, boo, it is like you coming for sushi.”
Ohanian responded, tweeting: “The reason I stay winning is because I’m relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do — including being the best groupie for my wife [and] daughter.”
2025: Williams dances during ‘Not Like Us’ in Super Bowl halftime show
In a likely nod to her history with Drake, Williams joined Lamar, SZA and Samuel L. Jackson on stage Sunday for the Super Bowl 59 halftime show.
Her dancing appearance was brief during Lamar’s Drake diss “Not Like Us,” but she did steal the spotlight for a moment:
From Compton to NOLA. @SerenaWilliams @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/mnzuP7fJ1N
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
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