Justin Timberlake

Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA,) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning American singer and aspiring actor. He came to fame as the front man of the pop band 'N Sync. In 2002, he released his debut solo album, Justified, which went on to sell over seven million copies worldwide. Timberlake's second solo release, FutureSex/LoveSounds, will be released in September of 2006.

Biography

Early life

Timberlake was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Randall Timberlake and Lynn Bomar; his paternal grandfather, Charles L. Timberlake, was a Baptist minister, but Timberlake considers himself more "spiritual than religious". His parents are now divorced and both have re-married; his mother, who now runs an entertainment company called JustinTime Entertainment, has re-married to Paul Harless, a banker, while his father, a choir director at a Baptist church, has two children, Jonathan and Stephen, from his second marriage.

Timberlake grew up in Millington, Tennessee, a small town.

Music career

Timberlake was a member of the popular 1990s boy band, 'N Sync, and was considered a teen idol. The group formed in 1996 and went on hiatus in 2002. At that point, Timberlake decided to launch a solo career.

Timberlake performed his debut single, Like I Love You, at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, gaining a large number of fans. In November of that year, he released his debut solo album, Justified, which received critical acclaim and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, selling 439,000 copies in its first week of release, and eventually selling over 3.5 million copies in the US alone, and over 7 million copies worldwide. The album had a heavy R&B influence, and was produced by hip-hop stalwarts The Neptunes and Timbaland. Timberlake supported the album by touring with Christina Aguilera on her Stripped tour, which ran throughout 2003.

Timberlake has made an effort to trade the squeaky-clean image of his teenage years for a more edgy, sexualized persona. He has added numerous tattoos, and also performed at SARSTOCK, a concert staged in Toronto following the 2003 SARS scare to revive the city's tourism industry. At this concert, Timberlake was booed throughout his set and had many water bottles thrown at him. He was the first act of the day right before the Toronto-based band, Rush.

Between 2003 and 2005, Timberlake collaborated with several artists on songs. He is featured in the track "My Style" on the Black Eyed Peas album Monkey Business. He also appeared in the group's hit single "Where Is The Love?", from their previous album, Elephunk. Because his own album had just been released at the time, Timberlake's record company requested that his contribution to "Where Is The Love?" be officially unacknowledged on the track. However, Timberlake often appeared with the Black Eyed Peas to perform the track live, including during the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards. Additionally, Timberlake was featured on a version of rapper Nelly's song, "Work It". When recording the 2005 single "Signs" with Snoop Dogg, Timberlake discovered a throat condition. Nodules were subsequently removed from his throat in an operation that took place on 5 May, 2005. He was advised not to sing or speak loudly for at least a few months.

In the summer of 2005, Timberlake started his own record company, JayTee records. He will release his second solo album, which will be entitled FutureSex/LoveSounds, on September 12, 2006; the album is produced by Timbaland, Will.i.am, Rick Rubin, and Timberlake himself, and will feature guest vocals by Snoop Dogg and Nelly Furtado. A studio representative described the album as being "all about sexiness" and aiming for "an adult feel". A new single, "SexyBack", began receiving radio and Internet play on July 7, 2006. A promotional tour of Europe and Japan is set for July, with an American tour launching in August.

Controversy

In February 2004, during the halftime show of the Super Bowl XXXVIII, Timberlake performed with Janet Jackson before a television audience of over 140 million viewers. At the end of the performance, Timberlake tore off a part of Jackson's black leather costume in a "costume reveal" meant to accompany a portion of the song lyrics, "better have you naked by the end of this song". More of the costume became detached than intended, and Jackson's right breast and nipple were briefly exposed. Timberlake apologized for the incident by saying that he was "sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl... It was not intentional and is regrettable". The phrase "wardrobe malfunction" has since been used by the media to refer to the incident and has entered pop culture.

As a result of the controversy, Timberlake and Jackson were both banned from the 2004 Grammy Awards unless they agreed to apologize on screen at the event. Jackson declined to apologize. Timberlake attended and issued a scripted apology while accepting the first of two Grammy Awards he received that night (a Best Pop Vocal Album for Justified and a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for Cry Me a River).

Justin admitted to Observer Magazine (UK) that he does drugs, and references to heroin. "The drugs that I do have been done in my own private time. I've never been arrested... though that's not to say I won't". "I've done way too many drugs already."http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1818048,00.html

Acting career

Timberlake has had a few minor acting roles during his early music career, including a bit part as a model in the 2000 made-for-television film, Model Behavior, and a cameo in the film On the Line (2001). More recently, he has branched out into a full film career, playing a journalist in the thriller, Edison Force, which was filmed in 2004 and will receive a direct-to-video release on July 18, 2006. He will also appear in the films Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan, Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, and voice a young King Arthur in the animated film, Shrek 3, which will be released in 2007.

Other work

Timberlake has opened several U.S. restaurants. He also began the William Rast clothing line with close friend Trace Ayala. Timberlake describes the line as being "A little bit of Hollywood, a little bit of Tennessee" (Timberlake's home state). In 2004, ABC hired Timberlake to write a song for its NBA coverage.

In October of 2005, the Grammy Association awarded Timberlake for his humanitarian efforts in Tennessee, alongside writer/director Craig Brewer, also a Memphis native.

Near the end of 2002, Timberlake was the first celebrity to get Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher. Also, he became the first celebrity and the first victim to appear on the show more than twice. During his first appearance, Ashton Kutcher's crew members, disguised as IRS authorities seized his properties in Los Angeles, California, Orlando, Florida, and Memphis, Tennessee, because Timberlake did not pay more than $900,000 in back taxes. (Due to Homestead Clause in Florida, Kutcher's crew members failed to seize his home in Orlando, Florida but seized his belongings inside his Orlando, Florida home.) Three episodes later, he set up singer Kelly Osbourne, as revenge for being laughed at by her during the 2003 American Music Awards (substituted for Kutcher during his second appearance). Timberlake has also appeared on Saturday Night Live, where he spoofed Ashton Kutcher and Punk'd by tricking rapper 50 Cent played by Finness Mitchell.

His I'm lovin it single is currently the main slogan of McDonald's commercials all around the world. After the big success of the publicity campaign it is said that the fast food chain will get more Hip Hop and Rn'B artist involved on their future strategies.

Personal life

Timberlake dated fellow pop singer Britney Spears for several years. The two appeared on the New Mickey Mouse Club together and broke up in 2002, amid rumors of Spears' infidelity. Timberlake has since dated singer Janet Jackson (during the summer of 2002), actresses Alyssa Milano (between August and September of 2002) and Tatyana Ali, as well as his former 'N Sync backup dancer, Jenna Dewan.

Timberlake is currently dating actress Cameron Díaz. In June 2006, several tabloids reported that the couple had broken up, citing the age difference between them and Timberlake's desire to pursue other relationships; according to People magazine, these claims are not true. A representative for the couple says that the two are still together.

Discography

Albums

2002 Justified — #2 US, #1 UK, US
- Certification: 3x Platinum (Worldwide sales: 7 Million)

2006 FutureSex/LoveSounds — currently scheduled for a September 12, 2006 release by Jive Records

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions				Album
Year	Title	US Hot 100	US R&B/Hip-Hop	UK Singles	AUS Singles	Album
2002	"Like I Love You" (featuring Clipse)	11	53	2	8	Justified
2002	"Cry Me a River" (featuring Timbaland)	3	11	2	2	Justified
2003	"Work It" (featuring Nelly)	68	-	7	7	Nellyville
2003	"Rock Your Body"	5	45	2	1	Justified
2003	"Señorita"	27	-	13	6	Justified
2003	"Still On My Brain"	-	75	-	-	Justified
2003	"I'm Lovin' It"	-	-		-	Non-Album
2006	"SexyBack"	90	-	-	-	FutureSex/LoveSounds

Guest vocals

2001: "My Kind of Girl" (with Brian McKnight, from Superhero)
2001: "What It's Like To Be Me" (with Britney Spears, from Britney)
2002: "Work It" (with Nelly, from Nellyville) #7 UK, #68 US #14 AUS
2003: "Where Is The Love?" (with The Black Eyed Peas, from Elephunk) #8 US, #1 UK, #1 Latvia, #1 AUS
2004: "Good Foot" (with Timbaland from Shark Tale OST)
2004: "Headsprung (Remix)" (with Keri Hilson)
2005: "Signs" (with Snoop Dogg & Charlie Wilson, from R&G: Rhythm And Gangsta The Masterpiece) #46 US, #2 UK, #34 Latvia, #1AUS
2005: "My Style" (with Black Eyed Peas, from Monkey Business)
2005: "Floatin'" (with Charlie Wilson & Will.i.am, from Charlie Last Name Wilson)
2006: "Loose Ends" (with Sergio Mendes, Will.i.am & Pharoahe Monch, from Timeless)
2006: "My Style (DJ Premier Remix)" (with The Black Eyed Peas, from Renegotiations: The Remixes)

Grammy Award history

Career Nominations: 7
Career Wins: 2

Year	Category	Genre	Title	Result
2002	Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals	Pop	"My Kind Of Girl"	Nominated
2003	Best Rap/Song Collaboration	Rap	"Like I Love You"	Nominated
2004	Album of the Year	General	"Justified"	Nominated
2004	Record of the Year	General	"Where Is The Love?"	Nominated
2004	Best Rap/Sung Collaboration	Rap	"Where Is The Love?"	Nominated
2004	Best Pop Vocal Album	Pop	"Justified"	Won
2004	Best Pop Male Vocal Performance	Pop	"Cry Me A River"	Won

References

External links

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