Justin Timberlake recently addressed a viral Instagram video by creator Hannah Young that mocked his frequent use of beatboxing during his early solo and *NSYNC years. The pop star admitted to an era of "too many boots and too many cats," reflecting on a period where vocal percussion often took center stage.
The "Boots and Cats" trend in early 2000s pop
The trend of using vocal percussion as a primary rhythmic driver was a hallmark of Justin Timberlake's early career, patricularly during his time with *NSYNC and his transition to a solo artist. As Hannah Young pointed out in a viral video, Timberlake often integrated "boots and cats" rhythms into tracks like the 2001 *NSYNC song "Pop." This stylistic choice became a point of comedic contention when Young suggested that professional recording studios offered far better instrumental options than simple mouth sounds.
Timbaland’s beatboxed foundation for "Cry Me a River"
Beatboxing served as a legitimate building block for some of Timberlake's most successful productions,rather than just being a performance gimmick.. According to the report, the singer revealed in a 2006 MTV interview that producer Timbaland actually beatboxed the rhythmic foundation of the hit "Cry Me a River" before any studio instruments were utilized. Timberlake recalled arriving at the studio in a poor mood, only to watch Timbaland begin beatboxing,which led to the song being written and recorded in just four hours.
A legacy of 39 Billboard Hot 100 entries
Timberlake's musical output during this era yielded massive commercial success despite the modern mockery of his rhythmic habits. As reported in the source, the singer has amassed 39 Billboard Hot 100 entries throughout his career, including 19 top 10 hits and five number-one singles... His ability to blend unconventional rhythmic elements with pop sensibilities helped define the era of albums like FutureSex/LoveSounds, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in September.
Why professional drums were bypassed for vocal percussion
While Timberlake has offered a lighthearted apology, several questions remain regarding the creative decisions made during those high-budget sessions. It remains unclear whether the heavy reliance on beatboxing was a deliberate artistic direction from Timberlake himself or a result of the specific production styles favored by collaborators like Timbaland. Additionally, the source only presents the perspective of the creator Hannah Young and Timberlake's response, leaving it unverified whether other studio professionals felt the same way about the lack of instrumental use.
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