Britney Spears

Justin Timberlake “Everything I Thought I Was” Album Review

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When a legacy pop act continues to churn out music decades after they debut, mainstream success begins to wane. However, there are exceptions. Justin Timberlake belongs in a unique class of artists who continue to enjoy popularity well past their musical breakthrough. On his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought I Was, he toes the line between nostalgic pop, breezy R&B, and funk. But while the album has a few impressive moments worth noting, JT’s latest offering isn’t quite sticking the landing. 

From the intro alone, it’s evident that Justin Timberlake’s signature swag is on thin ice. However, it’s quite difficult to pinpoint when this decline began. At 18 songs long, Everything I Thought It Was is quite the hefty project but JT is already used to long-form storytelling. After all, 2018’s Man Of The Woods clocked at 16 songs. Moreover, the crooner split 2013’s The 20/20 Experience into two parts. 

So while the length of the project isn’t the problem, it contributes to the overall quality. Sure, Justin Timberlake might sound confident and sexy, but a few things are missing: memorable tracks, and the sound his fans have come to know and appreciate. 

Read More: What Is Justin Timberlake’s Best-Selling Album?

JT Attempts To Resurrect Nostalgia

Just one listen into “Drown,” and we’re transported to 2002 again. As expected, his first album since the release of Britney Spears’ memoir, Pieces Of Me, appeared to shed light on the bombshell allegations made surrounding their relationship, ultimately leading to plenty of backlash. “Drown” almost serves as a follow-up to “Cry Me A River”; the songs are eerily similar. It will probably remain uncertain whether “Drown” serves as a sequel, but fans won’t be reaching if they come to that conclusion. All things considered though, it is one of the few standout tracks on Everything I Thought It Was. 

Saving Grace Features

Each featured artist on Justin Timberlake’s sixth album contrasts the next. Thankfully, it plays to the album’s strengths since their distinct styles help boost Everything I Thought It Was’ mass appeal. The first of three featured artists on the album is Nigeria’s Fireboy DML. The Afro-pop star, who has collaborated with Ed Sheeran, D Smoke, and Chris Brown, delivers some of the most infectious moments on the project. On “Liar,” Timberlake slightly adopts Afrobeats and proves slightly comfortable in unfamiliar terrain.

“Sanctified,” which features Tobe Nwigwe, is another stellar moment for Justin Timberlake. A smooth blend of gospel, R&B, rock, and funk, JT sounds quite at home during one of the most daring moments on the album. If only more tracks on the album attempted to achieve this audacious level of experimentalism. Perhaps, the singer might have achieved a new musical high. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of ambition on many other tracks. 

Though the other two features on Everything I Thought I Was are first-time collaborators in JT’s circle, the singer’s latest album brought a much-anticipated dose of nostalgia. Despite the tumultuous year that 2023 was for him, one of the highs was the NSYNC reunion at the VMAs where they confirmed new music was on the way. While the grandiose expectations were blown up by Britney Spears’ revelations, the all-star boy band produced “Paradise.” The penultimate track on the album is pop perfection, and offers a healthy dose of some much-needed nostalgia. Vocally, Justin Timberlake and his comrades are very impressive, with piercing harmonies, reminiscent of their 90s days. Maybe, if the dust settles enough, there’ll be some more NSYNC in store for us. 

Read More: A Look Back At Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake’s Popstar Romance

Conclusion

Justin Timberlake offers just enough of the qualities that make an album worth giving a try. However, this is the same star that delivered “Rock Your Body” and “Suit And Tie” a decade apart. That’s why it’s a bit disappointing that there are no standouts of such magnitude in his latest body of work. Timberlake has never been one to rush an album. However, Everything I Thought It Was feels that way. At just over an hour and seventeen minutes long, the album isn’t choked by any means. Regardless, Justin Timberlake is definitely capable of producing some more refined music. 

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Jack Black Is Ready To Work With Britney Spears Right Freaking Now: ‘I’m Waiting By The Phone’

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Jack Black and Kyle Gass (a.k.a. the melodious duo known as Tenacious D) dropped a cover of Britney Spears‘ debut hit “… Baby One More Time” on social media last week, which naturally, melted the faces of anyone who watched it. The cover was a match made in heaven, and Black is definitely ready to take things to the next level.

While walking the red carpet for Kung Panda 4, Black made it abundantly clear that the D is ready to collaborate with Britney at the drop of a hat. Just say the word, and they’re there.

“Britney, if you’re watching, I love you. I love the song,” Black told Entertainment Tonight. “I’m here! I’m ready when you are. I’m waiting by the phone. I got kicks! I don’t quite have Britney kicks, but you know, I got some moves.”

Black also hopes Britney saw the cover and liked what she saw.

“We’re very proud of it, [and] I hope you like it, too,” Black said.

The Tenacious D cover has already racked up over 3 million likes thanks to Black absolutely going for it. You can watch his madcap performance below complete with Gass pulling off his best dance moves in the background and the words “Baby” written across Black’s knuckle in this hilariously badass cover of a stone-cold classic:

Kung Fu Panda 4 opens in theaters on March 8.

(Via Entertainment Tonight, Jack Black on Instagram)

Benzino Shades Eminem Again By Dissing His Britney Spears Cosplay

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Looks like the Eminem and Benzino’s feud will never, ever slow down, even if the former gets emotional over it every once in a while. Moreover, for those unaware, this beef reignited after Em’s diss against The Source‘s former executive on “Doomsday Pt. 2,” leading to some lyrical back-and-forths. On Friday (February 23), Benzino took yet another shot by posting Marshall Mathers in his full Britney Spears cosplay get-up for his “The Real Slim Shady” music video from 2000. Of course, this is a pretty old image and decision to make fun of in 2024, and also follows bizarre moments in which he seems to regret the whole thing and emotionally crumble because of it.

“This is your rap God huh?” Benzino captioned his latest takedown of Eminem. “Y’all can have him, he even got the white stockings pulled up to thighs. SMH s**t is ridiculous, and no this ain’t Ai.” Furthermore, this comes after he went on Drink Champs to talk about the whole situation and its current status. During the talk, the 58-year-old broke down amid overwhelmed feelings about the beef.

Read More: Eminem Fans React To The Rapper Still Using A Blackberry

Benzino Drags Eminem’s Britney Spears Fit

“I don’t have nothing against Eminem,” Benzino tearfully expressed. “He can rap, but I care about us more. I don’t want to talk about it no more. My daughter came into the industry figuring, ‘I gotta be cool with Eminem because everybody is against my dad’… I don’t hate Eminem, I don’t know him to hate him. I don’t hate white people. I’m tired of this s**t, man. It’s just too much. I don’t want to be the bad guy.”

Some fans clowned this statement, especially when he doubled down on his “victory” in the feud in a The Art Of Dialogue interview that released a couple of days after this vulnerable moment. “I already killed him with ‘Rap Elvis.’ Where’s he at? Where’s the response? I want to battle him face-to-face, I think he’s overrated. I think he sucks as a rapper. I’m going to go down in history as the Eminem slayer.” What do you think about all these retaliations and shots? Let us know in the comments and log back into HNHH for the latest on Eminem and Benzino.

Read More: Benzino Details Wild 14-Woman Weekend Days After Eminem Breakdown

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Kid Cudi Hints That His 2024 Plans Include A ‘Cudi’ Memoir And Global Book Tour, In Addition To His Upcoming Music

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“At The Party” rapper Kid Cudi loves to announce his grandiose plans for the following years with fans online. While many things on his goal board for 2023 came true. Other pursuits, such as his Moon Man’s Landing Festival and Insano album, were delayed. Cudi is notorious for considering things (i.e., his interest in stand-up comedy), but it seems his next set of creative ideas is on track for 2024.

According to a series of posts shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) page, next year, the entertainer plans on releasing a memoir with a global promotional book tour to support it in addition to his previous musical obligations. “My memoir is called CUDI By Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi. My hope is to drop it next year around September. Going through my life and the journey it has, so far, bringing me so much peace,” wrote the rapper.

“I know this book will inspire you to live your life to the fullest every chance you get, reach for your dreams, and work hard to bring them to reality and keep God close. Because through all the ups and downs, He’s the one that’s never left you alone. My hope is that after you read this, you’ll have the confidence to bet on yourself and strive to live life as a better human on this planet and spread love,” he continued.

Cudi has not released an official date, but he’s sure about the September 2024 time frame based on his interaction with a curious fan.

Cudi made it clear that he wants to fully embrace the published work once it is released with a full-on book tour. “I’ll be doing a little tour to bookstores around the globe doing signings. So, be on the lookout,” urged the songwriter.

This year was huge for memoirs; ask Britney Spears and Jada Pinkett Smith. Cher also hinted at starting her memoir soon.

Justin Timberlake Hints At Britney Spears Memoir Backlash During Recent Performance

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Back in October, Britney Spears put the cap on a turbulent era of her life and career when she shared her long-awaited memoir The Women In Me with fans. The book gave her die-hards a peek behind the curtain into her personal life while at the height of her fame. While some were hoping for more scathing details in regards to her conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement, the memoir certainly isn’t lacking for drama.

In The Woman In Me, Britney makes some major revelations about her relationship with Justin Timberlake. Some are more light-hearted like the fact that he switched up his accent around different people to try and sound cool. But others were more serious, in particular those revolving around their relationship. Timberlake’s reported infidelity and breaking up with Spears via text didn’t sit well with fans. Neither did the fact that Timberlake got her pregnant which led to a secret abortion. Britney describes it as an excruciating process. In the wake of the memoir’s release, hate from Britney fans was so intense that Timberlake had to disable comments on his Instagram. But now for the first time, the singer has made any kind of acknowledgement of the memoir.

Read More: What Is Justin Timberlake’s Best-Selling Album?

Justin Timberlake Prefaces “Cry Me A River”

According to TMZ, Justin Timberlake made a subtle nod to the controversy during a recent performance in Las Vegas. He was gearing up to perform his massive hit song “Cry Me A River” which is famously about the alleged infidelity that brought down his relationship with Spears. He very briefly mentioned that the song came with “no disrespect” before starting his performance. While the crowd doesn’t seem to have any massive reaction to his specific comments, fans online did.

Unsurprisingly, Timberlake isn’t out of the woods yet with Britney fans. “The whole song and video is disrespect” one fan points out in the comments of a repost on twitter. What do you think of Justin Timberlake’s subtle acknowledgement of Britney’s memoir in a recent performance? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, & Nelly Furtado Reunite In The Studio

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Timbaland Walks Back “Muzzle” Statement About Britney Spears

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A few months ago, producing extraordinaire, Timbaland made some controversial comments during a recent interview. The misogynistic-like statement was given during a live interview with 9th Wonder at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. It took place right before the end of October. What led to putting himself into hot water was that someone asked about the revived buzz around “Cry Me a River.” This is according to Billboard.

This popular song, of course, was produced by Timbaland and landed on Justin Timberlake’s 2002 album, Justified. The renewed talk is due in part because of Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me. It came out before the interview happened. Timberlake’s album is widely viewed as a response to his splitting with the pop star after dating from 1999-2002. That is when Timbaland made the comment, “She going crazy, right? I wanted to call and say, ‘JT, you gotta put a muzzle on that girl.’” It went viral on social media and after all the backlash, Timbaland decided to issue an apology.

Read More: Concert Review: Travis Scott Turned So-Fi Stadium Into “Utopia” For A Night

Timbaland Takes It Back

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Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake during Super Bowl XXXVI – Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake Host Super Bowl Fundraiser at Planet Hollywood Times Square at Planet Hollywood Times Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

According to Fader, this was his apology. He says, “I’m sorry to all the Britney fans, even to her. I’m sorry because muzzle was—no, you have a voice. You speak what you want to speak. Who am I to tell you what not to speak?” Timbaland continues, “And I was wrong for saying that. I was looking at it from a different lens and what I am is a reconcile person. I’m not a person who takes sides… I apologize to the Britney fans and her.” The reason for him using “muzzle” is because of some serious and personal issues that Britney wanted to reveal to the readers. That includes going through an abortion and more.

What are your initial thoughts on Timbaland apologizing for his comments about Britney Spears? Do you think it will be a situation where he moves on fairly unscathed? Will Britney Spears respond to the producer’s comment, or move on from it? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Timbaland and Britney Spears, as well as everything else going on in the pop culture world.

Read More: When Does Keefe D’s Trial Start? New Details Emerge Around Tupac’s Alleged Killer

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Timbaland Apologized To Britney Spears And Fans After Being Called Out For His ‘Muzzle’ Comment

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Shortly after Timbaland started getting criticism for saying he thought that Justin Timberlake should’ve put a “muzzle” on Britney Spears, it seems he offered an apology.

“I apologize to the Britney fans,” he said in a TikTok video. “And her. Yeah, so you know, about respecting women? Hell yeah.”

The comment was originally made during Timbaland’s appearance at the Afrotech Conference in Austin, Texas, but quickly picked up steam online. Given that he had collaborated with Timberlake in the past, especially on songs like “Cry Me A River,” someone in the audience asked what he had thought about the headlines surrounding Spears’ recently-released memoir.

“I wanted to call JT and say, ‘Man! You gotta put a muzzle on that girl,’” Timbaland responded.

Many online were quick to call out his misogyny, his history with the late Aaliyah, and the fact that Spears reportedly didn’t want to work with him several years ago.

As for her memoir, Spears didn’t hold back on Timberlake. She revealed that she had an abortion during their relationship, claimed that he cheated on her, and gave her thoughts about how she seemed to have been portrayed using a lookalike in the “Cry Me A River” video.

Check out Timbaland’s apology about his Britney Spears comment above.

Timbaland Trends After Controversial Britney Spears And Justin Timberlake Comments

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A lot of people have been talking about Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in the wake of Britney’s new memoir. She released The Woman In Me last month which drew quite a bit of attention for her honesty in regard to how the music industry at large treated her. One of the people who came out looking the worst as a result of the memoir was Justin Timberlake. Britney revealed all kinds of details about their relationship which left fans pretty upset with Timberlake.

The first big reveal came in the form of the bombshell that Timberlake got Spears pregnant while the two were dating in the early 2000s. They reportedly both agreed that it wasn’t the right time to have a child though. In the memoir itself, Britney discusses the “excruciating” process of ending the pregnancy in secret. Even more disrespectful for fans was that Timberlake reportedly broke up with Spears by text. The backlash from her fans got so bad that Timberlake was forced to turn off all the comments on his Instagram.

Read More: Britney Spears & Janet Jackson Feel “Bonded” By Justin Timberlake Drama: Report

Timbaland Weighs In On Justin Timberlake And Britney Spears

Now, one of Justin Timberlake’s collaborators is drawing controversy for his thoughts on the situation. Timbaland says that Timberlake should have put “a muzzle” on Britney in the wake of her memoir. The comments are so obviously disrespectful that backlash erupted online pretty much immediately. Timbaland even found himself trending on Twitter from how many people were expressing their dissatisfaction with his comments.

“It’s crazy how it takes one stupid comment for me to look at someone completely differently…” one comment on the situation reads. “A MUZZLE!? on a woman who is speaking her truth and after being traumatized her whole life? I’m genuinely shocked and disappointed timbaland said this,” another comment reads. While some have tried to come up with justifications for the comments, most are calling him out for the disrespect. What do you think of Timbaland’s controversial comments about Britney Spears? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: What Is Britney Spears’ Best-Selling Album?

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Timbaland Wanted Justin Timberlake To Put A ‘Muzzle’ On Britney Spears, But Fans Think He’s The One Who Needs It

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Hip-hop has had a misogyny problem almost as long as it has been around. And yes, it’s a reflection of the larger society around it, but it’s easier to see it when everyone in the genre has a microphone and a platform from which to blast some of their most wrongheaded ideas.

In recent years, plenty has improved. More women than ever are charting and making their voices heard, and many more overt examples of sexism are being called out. That’s what happened when Timbaland, the veteran super producer responsible for some of pop music’s biggest hits, overstepped his bounds as he addressed Britney Spears’ recent tell-all memoir.

During an onstage discussion at the Afrotech Conference in Austin, Texas this past weekend, Timbaland was asked by an attendee if he’d seen the headlines coming out about the book, especially in reference to his “Cry Me A River” collaborator Justin Timberlake. In response, Tim joked, “I wanted to call JT and say, ‘Man! You gotta put a muzzle on that girl.’”

While the crowd in attendance laughed — because, again, the society around us is still rooted in sexism — fans online didn’t appreciate his comment, calling him out in replies to viral reposts of the video of the response.

“Timbaland is the one who needs a muzzle,” wrote one fan. “We didn’t forget about his gross Aaliyah comments. He’s still upset Britney didn’t want to work with him. A nasty man.”

“why do men feel like they can silence women,” another wondered. “he’s a weirdo.”

Check out more responses to Timbaland’s ill-advised joke below.

J Balvin Praises Britney Spears’ Memoir Success

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International music sensation J Balvin is joining the chorus of praise for Britney Spears. He’s celebrating her newfound success following the release of her highly-anticipated memoir, The Woman In Me. The book has skyrocketed in popularity and is receiving overwhelming acclaim. Balvin believes Britney wholeheartedly deserves the recognition and adoration she’s currently receiving. During a recent encounter in Tarzana, a TMZ correspondent caught up with the reggaeton and Latin pop superstar. When asked about his thoughts on Britney’s memoir, J Balvin didn’t hold back his admiration.

In the brief exchange, Balvin expressed his profound pride for Britney Spears. “I’m really proud of her, I think she’s amazing and I think she’s deserve the best,” he said. “She inspired the whole world at her peak.” He emphasized her significance as a global pop culture icon. He commended her for inspiring countless people around the world with her journey, resilience, and artistry. J Balvin went on to express his happiness in witnessing her triumphant return to the limelight. The memoir encompasses personal reflections and stories from the pop icon’s tumultuous, frequently scrutinized, yet honestly misunderstood life.

Read More: Britney Spears Chose This Drug During Her Party Days In The 2000s

J Balvin Supports Britney

Britney’s memoir, The Woman In Me, has struck a chord with fans and readers alike. The book offers an intimate and honest glimpse into the life of the beloved pop star, shedding light on her struggles and triumphs. Britney’s openness in discussing her experiences, both in and out of the entertainment industry, has garnered immense support from her followers. J Balvin’s heartfelt praise for Britney Spears adds to the outpouring of love and support she has received from fans, fellow artists, and celebrities worldwide. As the “Toxic” and “Gimme More” singer continues to bask in the success of her memoir, it’s evident that her impact on the entertainment industry and her enduring influence on her fans remain as strong as ever.

In this time of Britney’s resurgence, it’s clear that her story has touched many lives, and she has earned the admiration and respect of those who appreciate her contribution to the world of music and her unwavering spirit. J Balvin’s words are a testament to Britney Spears’ enduring legacy, and her memoir serves as a powerful testament to the strength and resilience that defines her remarkable journey. Will you be copping Britney’s memoir?

Read More: PETA Slams Britney Spears For Buying New Puppy

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