Janet Jackson has revealed that she told Justin Timberlake not to say anything after the 'Nipplegate' scandal, adding that they are still ‘very good friends’.
Timberlake came under scrutiny last November when the infamous Super Bowl Incident was explored in a new documentary, Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson. You can watch the trailer here:
The doc focuses on the 2004 incident, where Timberlake spontaneously ripped away part of Jackson's costume, exposing her breast.
It's believed by some that the scandal stunted Janet's career, and although both artists apologised, Timberlake became one of the biggest stars in the world while Jackson was banned from the Grammys that year.
But now Jackson has spoken about the backlash in a new two-part docu-series simply titled Janet, and she said there are no hard feelings between the pair.
As per People, the 55-year-old singer told viewers: "Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion.
“And, of course, it was an accident that should not have happened, but everyone is looking for someone to blame and that's got to stop.”
She continued: "Justin and I are very good friends, and we will always be very good friends. We spoke just a few days ago.
“He and I have moved on, and it's time for everyone else to do the same."
Speaking to her brother Randy Jackson, Janet went on to discuss the moment the ‘Cry Me a River’ singer asked for her advice on whether or not to speak publicly about the event.
"We talked once and [Justin] said, 'I don't know if I should come out and make a statement,'" she explained.
"And I said, 'Listen, I don't want any drama for you. They're aiming all of this at me.' So I said, 'If I were you, I wouldn't say anything.'"
However, fans and critics alike were scathing of the treatment of Jackson, while others slammed Timberlake’s actions after the documentary came out.
That includes an article from Slate, which compared Jackson's incident to that of Britney Spears.
"Between Britney and Janet, Justin once skated through controversies that had grievous PR effects on the women around him,” said writer Maria Sherman.
In an apology on Instagram, Timberlake wrote at the time: "I've seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond.
"I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right.
"I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.
"The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. It's designed this way. As a man in a privileged position, I have to be vocal about this.
"Because of my ignorance, I didn't recognise it for all that it was while it was happening in my own life but I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again.
"I specifically want to apologise to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect those women and I know I failed."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Justin Timberlake, Music, Documentaries
Daisy Phillipson