One of music's biggest nights happened this week when the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards took over Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center.
Several of music's biggest stars were there, but for a moment it seemed like the most memorable show might have been the backstage fireworks going off between rapper Megan Thee Stallion and pop star Justin Timberlake.
While getting a hair and makeup touch-up behind the scenes, Megan appeared to be taking Timberlake to task for a moment, pointing her finger at him and seeming to yell at him in anger.
Wtf did he say to her??? #VMAs— ja\u24c2\ufe0fes (@ja\u24c2\ufe0fes) 1694563871
Timberlake seemed to laugh the moment off, but it would be easy to interpret his laugh as derisive. Immediately, X, aka Twitter, lit up with music fans trying to suss out what had gone down.
@RobLives4Love @BartierJames A source said it wasn\u2019t an argument. JT said it was nice to meet her and she replied that this isn\u2019t a proper meeting and shouldn\u2019t be done here— Mr Skeng (@Mr Skeng) 1694571744
A theory took hold that Timberlake had said hello to Megan, and she replied that in the midst of her hair and makeup touch-up was not the time or place for chit-chat. Yikes.
Megan fans were ready to come at Timberlake in their girl's defense.
Did Justin Timberlake say something to piss off Megan Thee Stallion? We still haven\u2019t forgiven you for what you did to Janet Jackson.. Do we have a problem? #VMAs— Jerome Trammel (she/her he/him) (@Jerome Trammel (she/her he/him)) 1694564290
@BartierJames oh i need this to come out by tmrw cuz those ancient milk mutants can GO if need be don\u2019t speak on mother\u2026— Marcus\ud83d\udcabCEO of Teen Titans (@Marcus\ud83d\udcabCEO of Teen Titans) 1694566051
Justin don\u2019t you ever step to Megan again btch are you crazy??— \ud835\udcd9 (@\ud835\udcd9) 1694565893
First Britney then Janet now Megan!!! JUSTIN IS THE PROBLEM— \ud83d\udcab (@\ud83d\udcab) 1694565719
Pullin up on Justin to see what he said to Megan Thee Stallion like...— Big Girl Slay \ud83d\udc8b (@Big Girl Slay \ud83d\udc8b) 1694567806
Megan to Justin— Gabriel The Queen (@Gabriel The Queen) 1694572790
But it was later confirmed by Megan that nothing went down between the two—well, nothing besides mutual admiration, anyway. Megan told Entertainment Tonight that Timberlake told her it was nice to meet her as he walked past.
Megan, thrilled to see him, replied that they need to meet properly, and that "this does not count, this does not count!" The two did get to meet properly later that night, and Megan posted a clip of the encounter to TikTok with a caption confirming the two are now besties.
@theestallion I just talk with my hands lol 💁🏽♀️see ya next time @Justin Timberlake
Megan wrote:
"I just talk with my hands lol."
Naturally, people online loved the moment between the two once the air was cleared.
@PopBase And people was already making up rumors and gossip that they was beefing backstage, but they was really liming and making tiktoks \ud83d\ude2d— steven \u2740 (@steven \u2740) 1694610732
@PopBase they had to end all the rumors— aaden (@aaden) 1694610719
@PopBase I knew that video was taken out of context and they\u2019d be besties \ud83d\ude2d— KarAYNA \ud83d\ude10 (@KarAYNA \ud83d\ude10) 1694610847
Phew! Things are hard enough without our music icons feuding!
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram