Justin Timberlake is arguably the biggest pop star on the planet (though I don’t know who’s doing the arguing). For those who have been hibernating deep underground, the former N*SYNC frontman made his highly anticipated return to music earlier this year with his Timbaland-produced, James Fauntleroy-co-written third studio album, The 20/20 Experience, and the project moved a whopping 900K in its first week on its way to the top of the Billboard charts. Justin wasn’t done though, and a few months ago he revealed the album would have a second volume packed with 11 brand spanking new (bajillion minute long) tracks that he himself said would be a bit darker than the cuts on the original. “It’s got a darker energy to it,” he’s said to anyone holding a microphone in front of his face. Well, consider “Cabaret” your first taste of the dark side.
I assure you, all of the assumptions you drew from the songs title are true. “Cabaret” is about strip teases… and everything they lead to. Timberlake calls on the biggest name in hip-hop right now, Drake, to assist him in addressing the ladies, and together the two make what is sure to be a late-night playlist favorite for couples across the world. The song has the added benefit of sounding like vintage Timbaland without feeling dated. There is a freshness brought to the record by his renewed sense of purpose. Everything just works. By the way, if you bet someone there would never be a Lil Boosie namedrop on a Justin Timberlake album, you lost. There is a great synergy present here, and it feels a lot less forced than Justin’s collaborations with tour buddy Jay Z. Don’t take my word for it, though. You be the judge.
Stream “Cabaret” below, and be on the lookout for Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience (Part 2 of 2), which is due out next Tuesday.
