Justin Timberlake is confirmed to headline the Super Bowl LII Pepsi Halftime Show on February 4 in Minneapolis. The "SexyBack" artist personally delivered the news to his fans through a video with his close pal Jimmy Fallon. The announcement came several weeks after it was reported that the singer-songwriter was in final talks with NFL regarding his performance at the music event.
His selection has earned mixed reactions from the online community with some people criticizing the decision and others supporting the announcement. More of the critics pointed out Justin Timberlake's controversial Super Bowl performance, wherein he ripped Janet Jackson's costume and exposed her breast on live broadcast.
Controversial Super Bowl performance in 2004
Many believed the NSYNC member did the act on purpose although he has denied these accusations. Some fans questioned why Justin Timberlake was allowed to perform again after the incident when Janet Jackson is still banned from Super Bowl.
Why is Justin Timberlake being invited to perform again when Janet Jackson is banned for life for something that was entirely his fault🙄 pic.twitter.com/5btOvDZDKq
— Oak•LAD•GSW (@legendary_hoe) October 23, 2017
As somebody who’s been a @jtimberlake fan for a long time, I hope he plays his top request in Minneapolis: An apology to @JanetJackson.
— Anil Dash (@anildash) October 23, 2017
Rumors of a potential reunion between Justin and Janet at the Super Bowl
Amid backlash, there are fans asking if Justin Timberlake will share the stage with Janet Jackson for the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
A source told Entertainment Tonight that the "Rhythm Nation" singer is not ruling out the idea of reuniting with the male artist for the most-watched music event.
“If Justin or his team did reach out, Janet would perform with him again in a minute," the source claimed.
A spokesperson of NFL also clarified that "there's no ban" amid claims that Janet Jackson is no longer allowed to perform at the annual event after the "Nipplegate" incident.
The league, however, refused to make a comment on the potential guests of the Halftime Show. "We are not going to comment on any speculation regarding potential guests. There may be no guests," it added.
Contrary to these claims, a separate source told E! News that a reunion between the "Rock Your Body" singers is not happening.
Another insider claimed Janet Jackson has no plan on performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show due to her packed schedule.
The "All For You" singer, however, is happy for Justin Timberlake and even promised to cheer for him. "She wishes him a great performance. They had some great memories," the source said.
Meanwhile, the former NSYNC member is reportedly planning to perform some of his classic songs for the upcoming music event. He also reassured that the 2004 incident will not be happening this time around.
