Serena Williams crowns Kendrick Lamar’s 'Not Like Us' the hit of the summer

Tennis legend Williams praises Kendrick Lamar’s 'Not Like Us' at ESSENCE Festival, calling it the jam of the summer.

Serena Williams plans to keep dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” all summer long. 

At the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans this past weekend, the tennis icon declared “Not Like Us” the “hit of the summer,” describing it as a “jam.”

“I love that song. It’s like the hit of the summer,” Williams said. 

“When they play that jam, I’m jamming. That jam is jamming.”

Complex reported that Serena also mentioned doing her “Crip walk” to the Mustard-produced banger. 

“You definitely Crip walking in that song. It’s so cool what he did though. Bringing everyone to the stage? That was incredible. I couldn’t believe it,” she added. 

On the track, Kendrick Lamar name-drops Serena, rapping, “From Alondra down to Central, n—a better not speak on Serena,” seemingly challenging Drake to avoid mentioning her.

Rumors swirled about Drake and Serena Williams dating in the early 2010s.

In June, Common hinted that “wars happen over women” when N.O.R.E. mentioned both he and Drake dated Serena at different times. (Common dated Serena from about 2007 to 2010).

“You know, wars happen over women,” Common said about his feud with Drake on Drink Champs. 

“That’s just what it is. But I ain’t going to get at you if you with somebody I was with. But if you start throwing me a couple little, you know, you trying to throw some jabs, you know, and I’m like, ‘Come on man, OK.’”

In 2015, Williams and Drake were seen kissing, and he attended her US Open tennis match that same year, sparking rumors about their relationship. 

However, her rep told People in October that year that they were just longtime friends.

Serena married Alexis Ohanian in 2017, and they share two daughters. 

In 2022, Drake took a jab at the Reddit co-founder in the song “Middle of the Ocean” from his album Her Loss. 

“Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie/ He claim we don’t got a problem but/ No, boo, it is like you coming for sushi,” he raps.

Ohanian seemed to respond to Drake on X, writing: “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 & daughter.”

“Not Like Us” has topped the Billboard Hot 100 and is currently holding the No. 3 spot on this week’s chart. 

The track may climb higher following the release of the Dave Free and Lamar-directed music video on July 4.