Know the meaning of It’s Gonna be May explained and its roots as the meme goes viral
Despite the trolling, Justin Timberlake is not a spoilsport and loves the famous meme inspired by his song.
As the month of April draws to a close each year, social media platforms become flooded with a particular meme featuring young Justin Timberlake and altered lyrics of a famous song from his boy band.
Justin Timberlake It’s Gonna be May meme meaning explained as it goes viral on Twitter
It haven’t seen it yet this year but I absolutely LOATHE that stupid it’s gonna be May JT meme (and I don’t even know why!). So this cracked me up today. Jimber Timber!! pic.twitter.com/CWFajuMxm8
— Paulette Erato – Childfree Latina (@PauletteErato) April 25, 2023
This meme, known as the ‘It’s Gonna be May’ meme, has become an annual ritual for many and has sparked curiosity among those who are unfamiliar with its origins.
It’s Gonna be May meme origin
The ‘It’s gonna be May’ meme finds its origins in the song “It’s Gonna Be Me,” which was released by the boy band NSYNC in 2000 as part of their album No Strings Attached. In the song, Justin Timberlake, who was the lead vocalist of the band, sings the line “It’s gonna be me,” but the way he pronounces “me” sounds a lot like “May”.
This slight mispronunciation of the word ‘me’ by Timberlake gave birth to the now-famous meme “It’s gonna be May.”
How does the meme work?
Every year, in the days leading up to May, social media platforms are filled with GIFs, memes, and videos featuring a young Justin Timberlake alongside the altered lyrics of the song “It’s Gonna Be Me.” The meme has become a yearly tradition that internet trolls bring back every year as we usher in the new month, to poke fun at the singer for a song he sang more than 20 years ago.
A typical ‘It’s gonna be May’ meme consists of an old clip or picture of Justin from the original song, coupled with the famous line.
Justin Timberlake’s reaction
During a 2016 interview, Justin Timberlake revealed that one of the co-writers of the song directed him to sing the line in a specific way so that the word “me” would sound like “May.”
He went on to say that he believes the co-writer wanted him to sound like he was from Tennessee. In 2020, Justin shared the meme on Twitter with the caption “Spring Summer 2020. Thanks for this, Internet.” His reaction to the meme has made it even more popular among his fans.