Justin Timberlake Talks *NSYNC Reunion, One Direction, & Jay Z with 'The Breakfast Club'

“The Breakfast Club” welcomed one of their biggest guests when Justin Timberlake stopped by the show this week. Straight off his VMA performance, the Video Vanguard recipient spoke about reuniting with *NSYNC at the VMAs, his new album The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, his bond with Timbaland, and how he avoided the pitfalls of being a child star. Plus, find out which hit record of his Jay Z passed on.

On the *NSYNC reunion: “It was kinda like old times, but we were moving a lot slower.”

On One Direction: “I have not seen them on stage, but I’d be willing to say that we’re better than them. But I don’t feel like I’m laying down any gauntlet. … I’ve seen them a couple times and I like those guys. It’s interesting to see this whole wave of that come back around.”

On working with Jay Z: “I wanted to do a record with him on FutureSex/LoveSounds and he at that time had done [‘Deja Vu’] with Beyoncé. He was working on his own record as well so he didn’t want to do too many things. But the record was ‘My Love.’ It ended up being an interesting blessing in disguise ’cause I think Tip’s verse was phenomenal.”

On The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2: “I don’t look at this as a second album. I look at this as the second half of a double album. … This half is probably like the older, more experienced sister.”

On how he stays grounded: “I guess my mother… Growing up in the South, you’re taught that you’re just as much like the guy who lives next door to you as you are an individual, so you get a sense of community. You’re kinda taught that you are just like your neighbor. I got lucky ’cause I got great parents.”