Timbaland apologizes to Britney Spears for ‘muzzle’ remark after misogyny accusations

It’s never too late to apologize — even if you’re Timbaland. The Grammy-winning producer told Britney Spears that he was sorry for suggesting that her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake should have put “a muzzle” on her for speaking out about their relationship in her new memoir, “The Woman in Me.” The comment, which Timbaland made in October at a live event, had drawn backlash from fans who called the remarks misogynistic. I got my own triggers.” He later said that the comment was meant to be a joke but acknowledged, “I could look outside myself and say that wasn’t a joke, that wasn’t a nice thing to say.” Also in the TikTok, Timbaland said he disagreed with Spears’ decision to “spread” her issues “out to the world” but pointed out, “That might be her freedom of speech, her way to heal,” and called her “the queen.” “Some of Britney’s fans are my fans,” he said, implying that he didn’t want to lose their support. The producer and Timberlake frequently collaborated in the 2000s, producing hits such as “SexyBack” and “Cry Me a River.” When an audience member asked Timbaland what he thought about “Cry Me a River” receiving renewed attention due to its mention in Spears’ memoir, he said, “Man, she going crazy, right? “Timbaland saying that Justin Timberlake should have put a ‘muzzle’ on Britney is actually INSANE considering Britney has been treated like a caged animal for the past 13 years,” the KingSpears fan account wrote in a tweet.