20+ Facts About Justin Timberlake And Janet Jackson's Prior History

Prior to the Super Bowl incident 10 years ago, Janet Jackson notably had an essential role in Justin Timberlake's personal life, career, and rise to fame. In chronological order, here are the top 20 factoids.

1. Justin and Britney shared a kiss listening to Janet

Via youtube.com

Janet not only influenced Justin but his [future] ex-girlfriend Britney as well. Spears describes her first kiss with Justin during the Mickey Mouse Club on the Oprah Winfrey show.

"Yes he was my first kiss. We were playing truth or dare and we were listening to Janet Jackson. [Okay and you were how old?] I think 12. So his friend dared him to kiss me so that was my first kiss."

Via youtube.com

Speaking of ...here they are, dancing to Janet's "Funky Big Band" in 1993.

2.

vine.co / Via vine.co

In the documentary 'We Are NSYNC' the group give a tour of their respective rooms. During Justin's segment, he immediately points to the poster of Janet Jackson by his bed.

The poster of Janet on Justin's wall

3. 'N Sync Describes Hooking Up With Janet Jackson

Via mtv.com

From a 1998 radio interview (above):

"Man let me tell you just how excited I am. This is Justin and I just wanna say I've been a big fan of Janet's for a long, long time. Actually that's, she's one of the ones that, I mean I started watching her videos and that's how I started getting into like singing and dancing and stuff."

From MTV.com

The group is about to find out what it's like to play in front of a large American audience, even if most of them paid to see someone else. On October 14, 'N Sync begins its stint as the opening act on Janet Jackson's tour [the Velvet Rope]. To hear them tell it, the boys are pretty excited about the whole thing.

"Dude, okay I just want to say about two to three years ago I had her poster on my wall so I'm psyched. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to say about that." Justin Timberlake said.

NSYNC and Janet Duet at The Velvet Rope tour

Brief audio footage of an acapella duet performance between Janet and NSYNC of Stevie Wonder's 'Overjoyed'.

4. Teen Beat - "Justin's Famous Firsts" (1998)

shivermejtimbers.tumblr.com / Via tumblr

First Singer He'd Pick To Take On A Date: Janet Jackson

7. NSYNC on the Howie Mandel show

Via youtube.com

The group discusses touring with Janet Jackson. Discussing what it was like to work with her, Justin describes her as a superb artist and great entertainer. When asked if the group is friendly with Janet, Chris [Kirkpatrick] jokes 'Yeah we talk to her every other day' and Justin chimes in 'Yeah, yeah I got her digits!'

8. Memphis's Timberlake In Sync with new 'crazy status'

Via gomemphis.com

Asked when and how did they learn to dance, Justin mentions watching Janet Jackson's music video Rhythm Nation 1814 "a hundred gazillion times".

As for dancing, Timberlake credits Janet Jackson's 1990 "Rhythm Nation" tour as a big influence. "I went and saw her at the Mid-South Coliseum. And that's what started me off learning to dance because I was so intrigued with how she worked the stage. It was a show. She just didn't stand there and sing her songs. She came and performed."

9.

Via youtube.com

When NSYNC is accused of stealing their chair dance from their boyband rival Backstreet Boys, Justin gives proper due credit to Janet Jackson and promptly sings the chorus of 'Miss You Much' afterward.

10. NSYNC dances to the breakdown of 'If'

Via youtube.com

They also incorporate the famous intro dance move in the choreography for 'I Want You Back' (x)

11. MTV Top 40 Video Countdown

NSYNC put Janet Jackson's 'Every Time' as their number 34 video.

During some candid commentary during the unedited making of the MTV special, an assistant tells the group which video they will be introducing next. Justin mentions he could "watch that video every morning" (Jackson appearing fully nude could be a reason). Later through the day Justin is seen quietly humming the melody of the song to himself.

12. No Strings Attached - Thank You liner notes

13. 'N Sync backstage at the No Strings Attached tour (2000)

16. Unknown German magazine

German translation: At 13 I was the fan of…

17. NSYNC's mtvICON Janet Jackson tribute

youtube.com / Via youtube.com

NSYNC covers 'That's The Way Love Goes' at in 2001. Justin along with Chris [Kirkpatrick] speak on touring with Janet and what they learned from her before introducing their tribute cover on the video screen. Timberlake interjects and humorously repeats that Janet is 'fine'.

Backstage he describes Jackson as 'fearless' and 'never looks back'. During the ending credits where several male celebrities gush over Janet, Justin mentions that he hugged her and she smells like roses. (x)

18. Justified - Thank You liner notes

youtube.com / Via incredible.nu

"To all the artists that worked with me on this album, thanks for being a part of my first project. Janet Jackson - You are a beautiful person inside and out. I can't wait to work with you again. Thank you for being my friend." During press for Justified, Justin said the following "I had a blast with her in the studio. She's a beautiful person. She exudes sexual energy, so that's why I saw it fit for her to sing the chorus of this song. Great friend, I'll always be friends with her. That's the other beauty of music, you get to meet people and make friendships that will last a lifetime."

19. 'And She Said (Take Me Now)' off Justified

youtube.com / Via mtv.com

"I wrote the chorus [And She Said Take Me Now] from a girl's perspective and I just thought we should get a female on the part. Her [Janet Jackson] name was the first that popped up in my head just because I love her voice. It sounds like feathers. I mean, she sounds like an angel. So I asked her, and she listened to the track and loved it. So we went in the studio, just me and her, and I produced the vocals."

20. Making of "And She Said Take Me Now"

youtube.com

Timbaland teases Justin that the "J" in the song stands for Janet. The lyrics were later changed to "boy" in the final version. Justin also has "Nasty" as his phone's ringtone.

21. FHM UK (December 2002)

A single Justin addresses rumors that he was dating Jackson. Not only does he coyly refuses to answer, but we see a little ironic foreshadowing in the last question.

Q: So you didn't suck face with Janet Jackson in a LA nightclub for two hours?

JUSTIN: I didn't say that. I didn't say that I didn't. I didn't say that I did. She's a beautiful lady. She's the sexiest female I think I've ever seen.

Q: You haven't seen any of her piercings, then?

JUSTIN: [sits politely in silence, smiling.]

(For the record, neither Timberlake or Jackson, who was dating Jermaine Dupri, actually attended the Missy Elliott party they were rumored to be kissing at).

Entertainment Weekly (September 2002)

Recent reports have linked the ex-Mouseketeer with Janet Jackson, 36, with whom he recorded a song "Take Me Now," for Justified. Aside from adding an interesting dimension to his apparent Jackson family obsession, the Janet/Justin rumors are particularly tabloid-friendly given the age difference between them.

But if Timberlake has converted to the older-women-make-better-lovers school of thinking, he won't cop to it. "I love Janet to death," he says. "I know her very well. She's a sweetheart. 'N Sync opened for her when she did the Velvet Rope Tour. I've been linked [romantically] to so many different people, and it's retarded. I know Janet, she knows me. We're friends, and there's nothing in the world that would change our friendship."

Via tumblr.com

"Growing up, he thought Janet was so hot. He had posters of her in his room. So I can see that happening." - Danielle Ditto, Timberlake's first girlfriend, on the rumors that he may be dating Janet Jackson in a interview from 2004.

His next teen-hood girlfriend Veronica Finn, Britney's replacement for the group Innosense, also commented. "He was always into Janet."