Justin Timberlake Tells Crowd ‘No Disrespect’ Earlier than Singing ‘Cry Me a River’ After Britney Spears Memoir Launch

Throughout an hour-long set on the Fontainebleau Las Vegas opening, the pop star appeared to trace on the drama surrounding his 2002 breakup single

Justin Timberlake is seemingly attempting to maneuver on from any drama.

Whereas performing an hour-long set to a star-studded viewers on the opening of the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening, the pop star, 42, provided a quick disclaimer earlier than singing his 2002 breakup ballad “Cry Me a River.”

“No disrespect,” he advised the group — which included his wife Jessica Biel, 41 — as he launched into the observe, which was slammed by his ex Britney Spears in her bombshell memoir The Girl in Me.

Launched because the second single off his debut solo album Justified, “Cry Me a River” contains lyrics about infidelity, and an accompanying music video launched the identical yr encompasses a girl bearing a placing resemblance to Spears.

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“I felt there was no means on the time to inform my side of the story,” Spears wrote in her memoir. “I could not clarify, as a result of I knew nobody would take my aspect as soon as Justin had satisfied the world of his model. I do not assume Justin realized the ability he had in shaming me. I do not assume he understands to at the present time.”

Spears and Timberlake dated for a number of years earlier than calling it quits in March 2002. In his 2018 book Hindsight, Timberlake wrote that his “sturdy” emotions on the time pushed him to put in writing the track in two hours.

“I have been scorned. I have been pissed off. That feeling impressed me to put in writing ‘Cry Me a River,'” he wrote on the time.

In February 2021, Timberlake publicly apologized for his remedy of Spears after facing backlash from followers.

“I perceive that I fell brief in these moments and in lots of others … I particularly need to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson each individually, as a result of I look after and respect these girls and I do know I failed,” he wrote in a prolonged Instagram put up after the discharge of Framing Britney Spears, an unauthorized New York Occasions documentary that included, partially, a piece exploring his former relationship with Spears and the fall-out from Timberlake and Jackson’s 2004 Tremendous Bowl set.

Associated: Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s Relationship: A Look Back

Throughout his headlining set on the invite-only opening, Timberlake sang his greatest hits, together with “SexyBack,” “Like I Love You,” “Go well with and Tie” and extra.

He ended the present with “Mirrors,” a love track he has beforehand stated was inspired by Biel, who was on her ft all through the night singing and dancing alongside, together with to “Cry Me a River.”

Afterwards, Timberlake joined different celebrities — together with Tom Brady, Cher and extra — to roll the primary cube because the property opened doorways to the general public at midnight.

Timberlake and Biel then continued the celebrations at LIV nightclub, the place they held court docket behind the DJ sales space mingling with pals.

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