The week couldn’t end without a little rap.
Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon added a fourth installment to their “History of Rap” series on Friday’s episode of “Late Night,” with the duo performing snippets of Notorious B.I.G., Beastie Boys, Eminem and Jay Z’s music.
Prior to the performance, the pair reflected on the segment’s popularity – one of the show’s biggest viral hits for its eclectic inspirations and frenetic energy.
Would Jimmy and Justin rap again? The question hovered during Timberlake’s week-long stay on Fallon’s show, a lead-up to next week’s release of his album “20/20 Experience.”
“We can’t,” Fallon said.
“We couldn’t,” Timberlake responded.
“We shouldn’t.”
“We wouldn’t.”
But of course they would – so they grabbed microphones and walked onstage, ready to spit some classic rhymes.
“OK,” Timberlake said, “but this is the last time.”
“Until the next time we do this,” Fallon said, and the beat for Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache” began.
The performers blasted through a series of iconic songs – including “Shoop” by Salt-n-Pepa and 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny,” dancing and strutting together and sharing the camera’s lens for close-ups.
The segment ended, as it always has, with Timberlake and Fallon running up the studio’s steps to high-five audience members.
The classics continued later in the show when JT performed a medley of his past hits – including “My Love,” “Cry Me a River” and “Señorita.”
In the middle of the mini-concert, he even busted out a few lines from one of Kanye West’s singles, fanning the flames of the superstars’ friendly rivalry.