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Justin Timberlake sparked a backlash from Britney Spears fans after he seemingly threw shade at his ex-girlfriend before performing their infamous breakup song Cry Me A River in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
The pop star, who dated Spears from 1999 to 2002, was headlining the opening night of the Fontainebleau, a new luxury resort and casino in Sin City, when he paused to address the crowd.
'No disrespect,' he said, before launching into the hit song that many believe was inspired by his split from the Toxic singer.
The remark did not go unnoticed by Spears' loyal supporters, who took to social media to slam Timberlake for being insensitive and disrespectful to his former flame, who recently opened up about their tumultuous relationship in her memoir The Woman In Me.
'Justin Timberlake is trash. He's still using Britney for clout and attention. He needs to grow up and leave her alone,' one Twitter user wrote.
'How dare he say "no disrespect" before singing Cry Me A River? He disrespected her for years with that song and that video. He owes her a huge apology,' another added.
'Justin Timberlake is still bitter about Britney Spears after 20 years. He can't let go of the past and move on. He's pathetic and insecure,' a third commented.
Spears, who is currently engaged to her longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari, revealed in her memoir that she felt silenced and betrayed by Timberlake after he released Cry Me A River in 2002, which featured an actress who looked eerily similar to her and implied that she cheated on him.
'I felt there was no way at the time to tell my side of the story without being labeled a liar or a cheater,' she wrote. 'I was hurt and angry, but I also felt powerless and voiceless. He had the platform and the influence to shape the public perception of what happened, and I had nothing.'
She also accused him of using their breakup to boost his solo career and gain sympathy from the media and the fans.
'He exploited our relationship for his own gain, and he didn't care about the consequences for me,' she continued. 'He made me out to be the villain, and he played the victim. He was the one who broke my heart, but he acted like I broke his.'
Timberlake, who is married to actress Jessica Biel and has two sons with her, issued a public apology to Spears in February, following the release of the documentary Framing Britney Spears, which highlighted the misogyny and abuse she faced throughout her career.
He admitted that he 'benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism' and that he 'failed' to speak up for Spears and Janet Jackson, whom he infamously exposed during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.
'I care for and respect these women and I know I failed,' he wrote on Instagram. 'I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from.'
However, his apology was met with skepticism and criticism from many people, who accused him of being insincere and opportunistic.
'Justin Timberlake's apology is too little, too late. He only said sorry because he was pressured by the public and he wanted to save his image. He doesn't really care about Britney or Janet. He's a hypocrite and a coward,' one Twitter user wrote.
'Justin Timberlake's apology is not enough. He needs to do more than just say sorry. He needs to acknowledge his role in the sexism and racism that harmed Britney and Janet. He needs to make amends and use his privilege and platform to support and uplift them,' another added.
'Justin Timberlake's apology is meaningless. He's still profiting from the songs and the performances that hurt Britney and Janet. He's still playing Cry Me A River in his concerts and making jokes about it. He's not sorry. He's sorry he got caught,' a third commented.
