During a Sound Architects: A Producer Conversation with Timbaland event at the Kennedy Center in WashingtonD.C. on October 29, the renowned producer made a jest about the Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears saga, referencing Timberlake’s hit, Cry Me a River. A subsequent viral clip ignited a wave of controversy as Timbaland seemed to downplay Spears’ revelations in her new memoir, The Woman In Me.
In the memoir, Spears candidly discusses her past with Timberlake, shedding light on uncomfortable details such as Timberlake using a
“blaccent,”
urging her to undergo an abortion, and ending their relationship via text message more than two decades ago.
Timbaland’s comments, particularly his suggestion to
“put a muzzle”
on Spears, stirred backlash against the producer causing controversy on social media. Many criticized the remarks as misogynistic, prompting Timbaland to address the situation on TikTok, where he apologized to Britney’s fans and to her directly.
Recognizing the impact of his words, Timbaland took to TikTok, addressing his 1 million followers and extending an apology to Britney fans and her directly. The producer said:
“I apologize to the Britney fans and her,”
he said as he read a comment asking about his feelings toward women.
“Yes, ‘you know about respecting women?’ Hell yeah.”
