Justin Timberlake has apologized to fellow pop superstars Britney Spears and Janet Jackson for his actions from two decades ago that put the two women, including his ex-girfriend Spears, in a bad light.
The former NSYNC frontman said sorry after a new documentary on how the music industry mistreated Spears trended on social media and sparked the #FreeBritney movement. Spears' fans have called out Timberlake for insinuating the pop princess' infidelity in his 2002 song, "Cry Me a River."
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Timberlake infamously tore off too much of Jackson's dress during the 2004 Superbowl Halftime Show, exposing her nipple. Since then, "wardrobe malfunction" and "nipplegate" became part of the pop lexicon.
On Intagram, Timberlake he was rsponding to messages, comments and tags on social media.
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"I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right," Timberlake said, adding he "fell short" and "benefitted from a system that condones misogyny and racism."
"I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed," he said.
Timberlake said his response is part of a "larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part and grow from."
His Instagram post got 800,000 likes six hours after it was posted.
