Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon's 'marvelous' history of rap
Lightning strikes twice, with the duo's entertaining sequel to last year's infectiously amusing hip-hop medley

The video: Yep, they did it again. The last time Justin Timberlake stopped by Jimmy Fallon's late-night talk show, in September 2010, the duo delighted audiences and launched a viral sensation with their performance of "The History of Rap," a winking medley of hip-hop's greatest hits, from the Sugarhill Gang to Soulja Boy. "It was perhaps one of the greatest late-night clips of the decade," says Linda Holmes at NPR. On Tuesday, while Timberlake was on Fallon's show plugging his new film Friends With Benefits, the two unleashed a 5-minute sequel, "The History of Rap, Part 2." (Watch the video below.) The "marvelous medley" featured nearly two dozen hip-hop standards, including Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise," Salt n' Pepa's "Push It," and a "particularly charming" sing-a-long finale of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend."
The reaction: "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves to be wowed once again," says Mike Hess at Celebuzz. The duo impressively tackled tricky tracks like "Insane in the Brain," "Hey Ya," and "It Takes Two," says Gil Kaufman at MTV. "The music just flows seamlessly." If anything, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the clip proves that the two performers have serious chops. There's no doubt that Fallon is more than "just a lucky comedian," and Timberlake has solidified his status as "an all-around entertainer," one with "charisma, talent, and a complete absence of fear." Check it out for yourself:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Donald Trump takes a cognitive test | May 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday's editorial cartoons feature a 'Bribe Force 1' 747 from Qatar, the concepts of a trade deal, ICE agents surrounding the Statue of Liberty, and cuts to Medicaid.
-
Why are white South Africans emigrating?
The Explainer As the US welcomes Afrikaner refugees, the general exodus of South Africa's white population continues to grow
-
Why the weather keeps getting 'stuck'
In the Spotlight Record hot and dry spring caused by 'blocked' area of high pressure above the UK