Justin Timberlake Seemingly Addressed Ex Britney Spears Before Performing "Cry Me a River"

Justin Timberlake is well aware of how Britney Spears — and all of her fans — feel about his 2002 song Cry Me a River (which was written about their messy breakup). So, the singer subtly addressed the elephant in the room before performing the track during his Fontainebleau grand opening celebration performance earlier this week.

According to People, Timberlake appeared to give his ex a quick and subtle shoutout before he and his band played the song. "No disrespect," he said to the audience, which also included Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel.

Spears addressed the track, which accuses her of cheating on Timberlake, in her memoir The Woman In Me. "I felt there was no way at the time to tell my side of the story," Spears wrote. "I couldn't explain, because I knew no one would take my side once Justin had convinced the world of his version. I don't think Justin realized the power he had in shaming me. I don't think he understands to this day."

The book dropped other bombshell truths about their romance, including that she had an abortion while they were together. The revelation was initially reported by People who received an advanced excerpt of the book. “But Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young,” Spears revealed, adding that if it had been her decision she "never would have done it" but that "Justin was so sure that he didn't want to be a father."

In Timberlake's 2018 book Hindsight, Timberlake said his "strong" feelings towards the breakup compelled him to write the song in two hours. "I've been scorned. I've been pissed off," he wrote. "That feeling inspired me to write 'Cry Me a River.'" 

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