Justin Timberlake is revisiting a beatboxing era he once called “slightly regrettable.” A viral video resurfaced the singer’s habit of breaking into vocal percussion during performances, and Timberlake couldn’t resist responding. However, his tongue-in-cheek apology came with a warning: The beatboxing may not be gone for good.
Justin Timberlake addresses the strange era when he beatboxed everywhere
According to TMZ, pop culture creator Hannah Young recently revisited Justin Timberlake’s beatboxing era in an Instagram Reel. Young, who posts as @uhhuhhannah, joked about how often the former *NSYNC star seemed to beatbox whenever he was handed a microphone.
She also pointed out that fans enthusiastically went along with it. In particular, Young joked about Timberlake repeatedly using the familiar “boots and cats” rhythm during performances.
The Reel quickly gained attention online. Eventually, Justin Timberlake saw the video and joined the conversation.
“I don’t know how to apologize enough for whatever those ambitions were,” Timberlake wrote. He then summed up the era with: “Too many boots. Too many cats.”
Still, Timberlake did not promise fans that his beatboxing days were over. Instead, he joked that he could not guarantee he would never do it again.
The viral moment has plenty of history behind it. Timberlake famously incorporated beatboxing into *NSYNC’s 2001 song “Pop.” He also incorporated the skill into live beatboxing battles during the group’s tours.
Timberlake had already acknowledged his complicated feelings about the habit. During a 2023 Hot Ones appearance with *NSYNC, he described one old beatboxing battle as “slightly regrettable.” Meanwhile, Lance Bass defended the moment as “iconic.”
Young’s video also sparked plenty of reactions from fans. Some laughed at the throwback, while others praised Timberlake’s beatboxing skills.
Ultimately, Justin Timberlake’s beatboxing era may have returned to haunt him, but he seems happy to laugh about it. And based on his warning, another round of “boots and cats” could still happen.
