It’s been over 20 years since the Janet Jackson-headlined Super Bowl Halftime Show changed the course of TV forever, but the controversial showing remains a hot topic in great part due to the obstacles the Pop royal had to overcome in the time since to reclaim her throne.

What many don’t remember, however, is that the 2004 performance was loaded with other performers including Diddy, Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock, and Nelly – the latter of whom used time during the recent episode of the ‘Drink Champs’ podcast to reflect on the game-changing incident.

 

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Amid giving Kendrick Lamar a glowing review for his headlining performance at the 2025 Super Bowl, Nelly reflected on his own halftime show performances at the big game (2001 and 2004 respectively).

While looking back on the latter, the rapper (born Cornell Haynes Jr.) laid into Justin Timberlake for “going unscathed” during the seismic backlash Jackson endured for her exposed nipple.

“Your boy [Timberlake] threw [Janet] out there,” Nelly told the podcast’s host N.O.R.E. “I don’t know why people don’t trip about that…he knew what was going to happen.”

Later, Haynes elaborated on how angry he was at the blowback Janet received in the years that followed as Justin distanced himself from the hoopla – even suggesting at one time he was unaware the nipple exposure was in the routine.

“He was in on it; he knew it was going to happen. If he didn’t, he [would’ve acted shocked],” Nelly said before re-enacting Timberlake’s response when the incident first happened. “She got no slack, [but] he went off to a have a hell of a career and Jan’s sh-t got paused and forever stained. He’s out here two-stepping and doing sh-t with JAY-Z. I was hot [very upset]. Janet was my sister, and I was hot!”

Beyond being a fellow headliner at the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show, the GRAMMY-winning rapper says his closeness with Jackson was personal given that she was the girlfriend of his good friend Jermaine Dupri at the time.

“We did records…again, this is family. When you watch unfair sh-t happen to motherf-ckers you give a f-ck about, you’re like wait a minute…whoa,” Haynes relayed.

See the full interview here.

[photo source: Getty Images / AP Photos]

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