He may have started off the boy band N'Sync, but Justin Timberlake has managed to integrate himself into the hip-hop community with a fair bit of success, having collaborated with Clipse, Jay-Z, T.I., Timbaland, and more. In fact, Timbaland and Timberlake found a hell of a chemistry, culminating in some of Justin's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music. Despite his bubblegum beginnings, JT has become a massive name in music, even with an infrequent album release schedule. However, it would appear that's about to change, as Timberlake has officially announced his upcoming Man Of The Woods album, which drops on February 2nd.
Timberlake shared a video trailer on Instagram, which teases the album's folkloric, nature-heavy vibe; it almost looks like something a more pop-inclined Yelawolf might drop. With music comparable to the "wild west," the clip finds Timberlake in the wild, surrounded by American folk staples - cornfields, campfires, forests, even some suggestive baptism imagery. Based off that alone, it seems as if Man Of The Woods will be a sonic departure from Timberlake, a fact confirmed by the artist himself. ""This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but more so than any other album I've ever written, where I'm from," says Justin, in the trailer. "And it's personal."
While there's no official confirmation whether or not Timbaland will once again be lending his hand, Pharrell does make an appearance in the trailer, all but confirming his involvement. Check it out below, and stay tuned for Man Of The Woods, coming February 2nd. If you're impatient, the project's first single is set to drop this Friday, January 5th.