"It wasn't a diss track aimed at Britney Spears," Justin Timberlake clarifies 20-year-old rumor

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American pop star Justin Timberlake (45) directly addressed the "Britney diss track" rumor that has followed him for nearly 20 years. His answer was, "It is not my story."

In an appearance on the U.S. media outlet Complex's YouTube series 'Re-Rank' on the 6th, Timberlake clarified the rumors surrounding his 2006 hit single 'What Goes Around... Comes Around,' released 20 years ago. 'Re-Rank' is a program in which singers personally re-rank their own songs and share the stories behind them.

Timberlake said, "At this point, I really need to clear up one rumor that has been circulating for a long time," adding, "This song is not my personal story." He further revealed, "In fact, it is a friend's personal story, and I asked for permission to write about it." He also stated that he completed the track in 20 minutes.

Since its release, interpretations have persisted that the song was aimed at Britney Spears (44). This was due to lyrics warning an unfaithful partner that "what goes around comes around." Timberlake and Spears met through their shared activities on the U.S. Disney Channel's 'The Mickey Mouse Club' in the 1990s, dated for about three years, and broke up in 2002. The two were known as the top couple in the pop world in the early 2000s.

'What Goes Around... Comes Around' is a track from Timberlake's second album 'FutureSex/LoveSounds,' which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard singles chart. It is also famous for its music video, styled as a short film featuring Hollywood top actress Scarlett Johansson as the unfaithful partner.

What fueled the rumors was 'Cry Me a River,' released shortly after their breakup. The music video for this song features a woman who looks exactly like Spears, depicting the story of a betrayed man. As a result, 'Cry Me a River' is still widely considered to be a song aimed at Spears. Consequently, 'What Goes Around... Comes Around,' released afterward, was naturally accepted as a sequel to 'Cry Me a River.'

This clarification pertains specifically to 'What Goes Around... Comes Around.' Timberlake has not stated the same position regarding 'Cry Me a River.'

The couple's breakup was revisited after many years had passed. In her 2023 memoir, 'The Woman in Me,' Spears opened up about her relationship and breakup with Timberlake, as well as the public opinion surrounding her at the time, sparking significant attention.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original