97.1 AMP RADIO, Carson Daly Mornings: "The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2"

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Justin Timberlake Talks *NSYNC Reunion, Defends Miley Cyrus To Booker

Justin Timberlake first graced the MTV VMA stage with his *NSYNC crew 14 years ago, but he's only just beginning to reach his prime.

With one of the year's best-selling albums, two sold-out tours, and a critically-acclaimed acting career, it's never been more clear that it's JT's world and we're all just living in it.

Still riding the high off his incredible Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award performance, the newly-dubbed President of Pop found a spare moment this morning to catch up with Booker and Producer Angie:
Justin Timberlake Interview 8.27.13

"I haven't really performed like that in a while, so I think was nervous just to see if I could physically make it through it because up until that point, I hadn't really rehearsed the whole performance full out", Timberlake admitted to Booker Tuesday morning. "I was gassed".

His nearly 16-minute set paid homage to both his past and present, and culminated with a greatly-anticipated *NSYNC reunion.

"In the back of my mind, there's always been this thing, 'I wonder if there's ever an opportunity just to send up that era and what we were able to accomplish because I think when we were in the middle of it, none of us realized how big we were".

Justin personally reached out to all of his former band mates to put together the short-lived, but unforgettable moment.

"It felt like the 10-year high school reunion", he said. "I called them up each individually and said, 'Hey, what do you guys think about this? If we can pull it off?' And you know, my pitch was, it's either going to be really good or really funny, because it wouldn't be good!"

"I called Chris [Kirkpatrick] first and he's like, 'Yeah, man! Let me know what the other guys say!' He was in, but…no one wanted to do it if one person was out and I think that speaks to, you know, the relationship that we have and how we think of the time that we did spend together".

And as for that other infamous VMA performance? JT urged everyone to chill out and give Miley Cyrus a break.

"Y'all go easy on Miley. Man, you know? She's declaring her womanhood. Let her do her thing, man!"

Timberlake pointed out the VMAs have always been a hotbed for controversy.

"Listen, this was not the GRAMMYs. This was not the Oscars. This is the VMAs. This is where Madonna came out in a wedding dress and humped the stage. This is like, you know, Britney did the strip tease. This is where you do it! What did you guys expect?"

In fact, Timberlake joked that he's taking a page out of Miley's book for the second edition of The 20/20 Experience.

"It's the fall version of The 20/20 Experience. It's a little darker. It's got a little more experience. It's less virginal, if you know what I mean!"

"There's a couple features on this half", he revealed, likely referring to rumors that both JAY Z and Drake will join him on two separate 20/20 collaborations.

The album is currently available for pre-orders and will be released in full September 30.

Next up for JT? A solo tour to promote both volumes of The 20/20 Experience. 2013 has been the year of the hustle for the 32-year-old, who recently wrapped up his Legends of the Summer tour with JAY Z.

"There's a reason he's the greatest rapper alive, you know what I mean? He knows what he's doing and to his credit, he gave me a lot of artistic license to kind of put the setlist together", he said.

"I never thought I'd be on a tour like that, so it's kind of one of the more special things I think I'll look back on and say, 'That was unbelievable.'"