Justin Timberlake apologized to both his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, with whom he performed at Super Bowl break show in 2004.
“I’ve seen messages, labels, comments and concerns and I want to respond,” Timberlake wrote on Instagram. “I am deeply sorry for the moments in my life when my actions contributed to the problem, when I spoke for myself or I did not speak for what is right.”
“I understand that I have fallen short in these moments and in many others and I have benefited from a system that tolerates misogyny and racism,” he added. “I especially want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, individually, because I respect and respect these women and I know I failed.”
Timberlake has been criticized for treating Spears following the release of a documentary in the New York Times following her rise to fame, and legal struggles. Spears and Timberlake dated from 1999 to 2002. The film says Timberlake portrayed her as unfaithful to the press and his 2002 video “Cry Me a River,” after the couple broke up.
For many years, Timberlake was criticized for not initially defending Jackson, who was widely blamed for the infamous wardrobe flaw that exposed her breasts during the 2004 Super Bowl break. The incident paralyzed his career. Jackson and Timberlake took a few years to come to Jackson’s defense in public.
“I haven’t been perfect at navigating all of these things throughout my career,” Timberlake said Friday. “I know this excuse is a first step and does not absolve the past. I want to take responsibility for my own mistakes in all of this, as well as be a part of a world that raises and supports.”