Timberlake Explains Inspiration for 'What Goes Around' on Complex Podcast

During a session on the Complex Re‑Rank podcast, Justin Timberlake addressed the lingering rumor that Britney Spears helped write his 2006 single “What Goes Around, Comes Around.” He stated, “There’s a story that’s been floating around forever, and it isn’t my personal story—it’s a friend’s.” Timberlake recounted that his companion was going through a breakup and asked if Timberlake could turn the narrative into a song. With explicit consent, the pair created the track, which was later recorded in the “Dam Near 20 Minutes” studio and accompanied by a ten‑minute video that turned the record into a massive hit. Timberlake and Spears originally met as children on the All‑New Mickey Mouse Club and began dating in 1999.