A Humorous Look Back at a Musical Phase
It seems Justin Timberlake is just as baffled by his past beatboxing adventures as his audience. The 45-year-old singer recently took a humorous look at his vocal percussion phase, which became a signature, albeit curious, trademark during his time with the boy band 'NSync in the early 2000s.
The conversation began on Instagram when pop culture commentator Hannah Young shared a video highlighting Timberlake’s frequent beatboxing interludes. In response to the post, which was captioned, "We don’t talk about Justin Timberlake beatboxing enough," the "Cry Me a River" artist chimed in with a self-deprecating comment:
"I often look back on that time as well. I still haven’t come up with any answers. I don’t know how to apologize enough for whatever those ambitions were. Too many boots. Too many cats. I hope you can forgive me."
The Cultural Impact of 'Boots and Cats'
In her viral video, Young pointed out the strange reality of the era, noting how audiences at the time simply accepted the spectacle. "We were watching that man make drum noises with his mouth," Young remarked. "Like, 'oh my God, what can’t he do?' I think about it sometimes."
Timberlake famously showcased these skills on the 2001 'NSync hit "Pop" and later incorporated similar techniques into his solo work, most notably on his 2002 debut solo single, "Cry Me a River."
Fan Reactions
The comment section became a hub of nostalgia and humor as fans debated the legacy of his beatboxing. Some users expressed genuine affection for the quirk, with one writing, "We are so here for it @justintimberlake we want all the boots and all the cats." Others questioned the collective mindset of the early 2000s, with one user asking, "Why did we think it was normal?"
Despite his mock apology, the singer did not completely rule out the possibility of bringing back his old habit in the future.