Justin Timberlake Reportedly Finalizing Deal For Super Bowl Performance

Justin Timberlake's performance comes thirteen years after the "nipplegate" incident.

BYAron A.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Justin Timberlake is no stranger to the Super Bowl. In fact, his appearance alongside Janet Jackson at the halftime show in 2004 is considered the most controversial  moment at the Super Bowl. However, in a new report from Us Weekly, they're saying that JT is slated to headline the half time show.

US Weekly is reporting that Justin Timberlake was offered to perform at the upcoming Super Bowl's half time show in Minneapolis. The reports say that he's currently in the midst of finalizing a deal to perform during the half time show. It was previously rumored that Jay-Z may join him during his performance. However, an insider has apparently said that "as of right now, it will just be Justin — no surprise performers." These rumors began to surface about Jay-Z's involvement in the Super Bowl half time show a few weeks back.

The fact that the Super Bowl is seeking Justin Timberlake as a performer is pretty surprising. His performance in 2004 alongside Janet Jackson stirred up quite the controversy. Justin Timberlake performed alongside Jackson before ripping off part of her shirt which left her breast exposed with merely a nipple tassle covering it. While the two of them had to issue an apology, the blame was predominantly left on Jackson throughout the controversy. However, Timberlake has since said that he regrets not standing by Jackson throughout that time. The incident not only created backlash for both Jackson and Timberlake but sparked new regulations for live television. After the performance, the Federal Communications Commission created a new regulation that demanded a five-second broadcast delay during live performances. The performance left an everlasting impression on America and pop culture and even sparked the term "nipplegate."

It's pretty clear that Justin Timberlake won't be pulling any sort of wild moves at the Super Bowl next year if he indeed is performing. The singer is reportedly working on his fifth studio album right now as well, so we're sure that his set will be filled with music from both his old catalog as well as the new. Hopefully, he brings out some special guests with him.


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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.