Timbaland has issued an apology for calling for Justin Timberlake to “muzzle” Britney Spears.
The music producer’s comments came in the wake of the release of Spears’ autobiography The Woman In Me, which detailed her much publicized relationship with Timberlake in the early ’00s.
Timbaland made the comments over a week ago during a discussion with 9th Wonder at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C., but they only began gaining traction online in recent days.
After a fan in attendance mentioned Spears’ memoir, Timbaland commented: “She’s going crazy, right? I wanted to call and say, ‘JT, man, you gotta put a muzzle on that girl.’”
The comments received fierce backlash online from Spears’ fans, with some threatening to boycott Timbaland’s music which includes several Timberlake songs.
The hitmaker apologized to Britney Spears and her fans on TikTok Live on Tuesday (November 7), admitting that his remarks were out of line.
“To all the Britney fans: you right, I’m wrong,” he said. “Muzzle? You know, it’s just certain words that don’t — like, she’s not no dog. What the frig am I saying? […] That’s kinda fucked up.”
The Virginia native clarified that he meant it as a “joke” and said he’s sensitive to language that may “trigger” people who suffer from mental health issues.
“I was wrong. You know how you get too comfortable and just ramble out the mouth, don’t know what you talking about?” he added. “But at the end of the day, it’s none of my business.
“I hate when I get caught slipping, too. Nobody’s perfect, but I don’t like to be in the blogs like that.”
Some Spears fans did not accept the sincerity of the apology, with one commenting: “This [is] like when you get in trouble as a kid and your parent forces you to apologize so you say ‘I’m sorry’ with an attitude and don’t mean it at all but think it’s enough to get you off the hook.”
Another referenced Timbaland’s own hit collaboration with OneRepublic: “Dear Timbaland I speak for all the Britney Army when I say ‘it’s too late to apologize.’”
Britney Spears’ memoir made a number of claims about Justin Timberlake, including that he was unhappy about her becoming pregnant and that he once adopted a Black accent when bumping into Ginuwine.
She also claimed that the video for Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” (which was produced by Timbaland) cast her as a “harlot” for cheating on the former *NSYNC member.
The book revealed that Timberlake had ended their relationship over text message and that they had both cheated on each other.
Timberlake has yet to comment on the revelations from The Woman In Me or Timbaland’s remarks.
Timbaland and Justin Timberlake have had a long and successful creative relationship, starting in 2002 with “Cry Me a River” and three other songs from Timberlake’s Justified album.
They have worked with each other on every one of Timberlake’s five solo albums and also on Timbaland’s solo projects.
White woman really think theyre uncheckable..thats what happens when youhave extreme privilege.. they think theyre gods gifts and thy get to talk shit while you have to sit back and praise.. brittney looks like a washed up meth head now
I agree 100% with u about her appearance but what is the white privilege? It’s her stans that are freaking just like The Barbz & The Cardi Gang(?) do when they feel their queens are being attacked. Same thing.
What we really need right now is to cancel cancel culture. He said it, he damn sure meant it. But he gotta apologize out of fear that he will loose contracts because a small group of rabid fans and the politicians they voted for will get their feelings hurt. And I bet if someone told a female celeb they should have put a muzzle on their boyfriend, there would be no backlash. It woild be cheered.
Dumb phat F, Timbo. Stay off the roids. They melt your brain (see for: Busta)
Fuck Britney. Ten toes down, Timbo!
If he said it deep down inside he meant it and probably said it multiple times before hand. He walked it back because he had no choice. Either stand up for what you say or say nothing at all. Carry on!!!
I think most of her fans need muzzles. First it was the Free Britney movement which succeeded. But now they are calling the cops 2 do welfare checks. Imo i think she may end up fucking up because between her not taking care of her mental illness and the fans calling cops 2 check on her it’s a disaster waiting 2 happen.