walked in front of the camera, posed and walked right off. >> the show, the house of boateng. >> as soon as i saw him, it was like this is the answer to everything that i want in life. >> at the time poku works came to the united states from ghana with his family in 2000, was in school studying to be an electrical engineer, a career his parents hand picked for him. his experience with the sewing machine was limited to watching his mother sew african clothes and tail oregon department store clothes to fit his 29-inch waist. making a living creating clothes was something poku said he never considered possible until watching ozwald boateng. he skipped his first class that day to immediately get started on a career in fashion. >> i grabbed my best sheet and cut my first pants. let's just say both legs went in. >> poku dropped out of college

much to his parent's chagrin and immediately started looking for an apprenticeship and never found the right one so like a mechanic who deconstructs engines poku taught himself. >> i learned construction by taking clothes apart, trial and error. >> it wasn't until later he realized he had quite a lot in common of the man in the orange suit, the one who allowed him to think a career in fashion was possible. >> everything was like he was in school, and then he just went and -- >> though poku never wanted to be just a tailor, it's that attention to detail and fit that helped him win the emerging design award and win both the people's choice and emerging designer award as charleston's fashion week. that reaffirms the decision he made to follow his own dream, regardless of where it leads.

>> this is my way of life, my calling. i was put on earth to do this. >> want to learn more about poku, cnn.com under the living tab. i'm don lemon at the cnn world headquarters in atlanta. thank you so much for joining us. have a great night and a fantastic week. see you back here next weekend. look, i've only done two albums in ten years. >> he must somehow flip on a switch and say music time. >> that's the way i really look at it. what does the next decade mean for me? >> he always has an eye and an ear for what's next. >> i don't want to put anything out that i feel like is something i don't love. >> he's the ultimate showman and he's a star. >> you just don't get that every day. you have to wait for it.

i'm ready. ♪ justin timberlake was ready. for one of the biggest years of his career. which is really saying something for a mouseketeer. days ago he dropped his first album in seven year. ♪ let me show you a few things backed by a slew of promotion and carefully planned performances. on jimmy fallon's show, it was the history of rap. ♪ ♪ i got you on the check on the highest rated "saturday night live" he was at times savvy. ♪ i show you how to do this ♪ c'mon, y'all. and silly.

♪ veg out ♪ veg out the music, the moves, the money. that's the justin timberlake experience. >> hello, everybody. my name is justin timberlake. >> long before the millions of fans and megastardom, there was 9-year-old justin timberlake, a small-town boy with big-time dreams. ♪ please don't go girl ♪ it would ruin the whole world ♪ people in the music industry always talk about this thing or that thing, but he definitely always had that thing. always. >> best friend trey grew up with justin in tennessee, just

outside of memphis. >> memphis is a very, very very musical town. ♪ >> everything revolves around music. from the time we were little kids, you go to dinner and the bar next door has a live band playing, so i feel like memphis brings it out in you. >> whether it was singing a gospel duet in this rare early video. ♪ ♪ since my baby left me or during a charity event channeling one of memphis' own, the king of rock and roll. ♪ i've been so lonely baby the grandson of a preacher and son of a choir director never passed up a chance to perform.

♪ >> oh, look at that. pinches bob westbrook gave justin his first singing lessons when he was 8. >> reporter: what did he have? that star quality? >> the mannerism, his charisma, the natural stage field. you see what he's got now? it was there. when justin was just 11, his talents landed him on "star search" the nationally televised talent show. back then justin only went by his first and middle name. welcome justin randall. ♪ ♪ called my doctor on the telephone ♪ ♪ tell me doctor ♪ something's wrong the young singer with the ten-gloss hat seemed comfortable in the spotlight. ♪ i can't eat ♪ i can't sleep ♪ it's turning me every which

way but loose ♪ but in the end -- >> justin randall receives 3 1/4. >> his performance failed to wince over the "star search" judges. speaking to larry king live in 2001, justin made light of his early loss. >> did you win? >> no, lost 6 first round. if. >> if you lose on "star search" you never make it. >> there you go. with his mother's unwavering support, justin continued chasing his dream. >> lynn was very much a loving mother and wanted justin to have every opportunity that he could and to take his talent wherever he wanted to take it. ♪ shortly after losing "star search" heard about the casting call for the mickey mouse club.

>> i remember if i would have won on "star search" i never would have seen that audition, so it's funny how stuff works out, huh? >> i can imagine that would to have been a huge deal when he landed that. >> it was a huge deal. >> a huge deal, because now justin would be singing, dancing and acting as part of a who's who of teenage heartthrobs, including christina aguilera, ryan gosling, jaycee jarzay and one sparkling mouseketeer that caught his eye -- britney spears. chuck yeager tutored him and the other stars. >> these are your kids. >> yes. >> show some who's who. >> we start here with christina aguilera, always showing a bare midriff, brit my spears, justin

timberlake. ♪ now it's time to say good-bye ♪ but just two years after joining the show, the spotlight suddenly vanished when the mickey mouse club was canceled. and justin had to return to his sleepy hometown in tennessee. >> you know, for him, it was tough. he would step out and go and experience new culture, and the new fashion trends, you know, new hairstyles. where we grew up, people are not open to change, you know, they don't like change. >> i can't imagine people picking on justin, kids picking on him. >> you know, when you're a boy and you live in the south, it's tough. it's tough to be a boy in the south. but it also i think prepared him for what was to come in the future with having tough skin.

coming up, justin lives his hometown after receiving a phone call that would change his life forever. >> when i heard him sing, i mean, you know, it was just unbelievable. e new griddle-melts to your usual breakfast sandwich. a lot more flavor. [ anouncer ] ihop's new griddle melts... made fresh and hot! hand crafted just for you. it's like a sexy sandwich. [ anouncer ] compare new griddle melts yourself. just $4.99. it's an epic breakfast sandwich. wow. these are really good. you act surprised. aah!

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♪ ♪ i wouldn't lie to you baby ♪ because i ♪ this feeling i've got for you baby ♪ a short time after 14-year-old justin timberlake hung up his mouse ears, he got a phone call that would propel him back into the spotlight. chris kirkpatrick had been tapped by lou pearlman, the successful found are of the back street boys to put together another boy band, an agent sent

chris a tape. >> started listening. i was like, wow, this kid can sing, and i looked at the head shot, justin timberlake, why does that sound familiar? this guy would want to be in my band? >> was there any kind of, well, he is young. was there in thought about that? ♪ i've been so lonely, baby >> there was, but when i heard him sing, it was unbelievable. his voice was just -- especially at that age, it was so mature. he had so control over it. this kid's so unbelievable. i'm going to at least try. i'm going to make an awkward phone call and see if i can get this to work. it did work. the group, which would include ex-mouseketeer j.c. chasez, and, called themselves 'n sync. >> the first time we sang together, she said you sound

really in sync. ding ding ding. they moved into a house in orlando. they recorded their music in a secret hideaway nearby. >> it's almost like we're in the fun house. >> right? that's kind of what it was. it's got like every lux luxury you can't imagine. >> life for justin in the house. >> he had already done the mickey mouse club. the difference was during the daytime if we didn't have anything to do, justin would have to be in the dining room with his tutor, you know, taking classes, doing school. >> six hours a day? >> yeah. he would outwork anybody. >> driven, driven, driven, but he's the hardest-working person i know. >> the hard work would eventually pay off. after two years of relentless touring overseas, they hit it big in the u.s. with a disney concert special, filling in as a last-minute replacement for the back street boys.

♪ how can it be it just so happened the guys were in orlando and ready. when that called was made to disney to say, hey, we can fill that spot, they rose to the occasion and went and did it. that was a big moment for us. ♪ when i look into your eyes 'n sync became the new teenage heartthrobs. ♪ ♪ a little more time with you >> we had a good time. but behind the success, distrust was brewing. between 'n sync and lou pearlman. >> when you're getting up at 5:00 in the morning going on the radio and spending 24 hours on the job and someone else is at home going to the steakhouses and making 75% of the money, all of a sudden it's like, wait, something's got to change.

>> we were generating so much revenue and the stuff. where is all that money? >> he had taken 'n sync to the top of the charts. in 1999, when the group wanted to search record labels, pearlman sued, threatening to tame the name and block them from performing. >> 'n sync countersued. >> it was scare request, if we separated from lou, we would lose johnny wright and all of our connections, the record label, we would lose all these things and back at square one singing, you know, at the downtown high school. in the end, lawsuits were settled out of court. >> right now it's basically about the fans and our music, and we're so proud that all our fans came out to support us. >> signed to a new record label, they turned their attention to the release of their second album, aptly titled "no strings attached." ♪ baby bye-bye bye ♪

>> it's really cool! [ screaming ] in the first week alone, no strings attached sold 2.4 million copies, making it the fastest-selling album of all time. ♪ much better ♪ once you're gone despite the growing frenzy, the growing bank account, and the growing adoration of fans -- >> reporter: how much do you like 'n sync? >> a lot. a lot. a lot. those close to justin saying his feet never left the ground. >> you know, when people get this big in this business, sometimes they get a big head, and their entourages start to grow. they become in a situation where

they're unattainable and you can't talk to them anymore. he's the guy that's still approachable. >> justin's apparent humility seemed only matched by his talent and drive. >> i also felt like i was mozart's older brother. he's so good at what he does. he's so -- he hits on every cylinder all the time. >> it's like you're describing a savant. >> that's exactly what he is. he's a savant. >> it wasn't only justin's talent in the spotlight. so was his love life. >> britney spears and you. this is "larry king live" we don't fool around. >> we are dating. >> from the moment they confirmed the relationship to the moment it ended, they were a tabloid dream. despite it all, justin remained focused on the music, taking the lead in crafting the group's third album "celebrity." ♪ ever wonder why ♪ this take us on a ride which included a lead single that seemed to take aim at 'n

sync's detractors who derisively labeled their music pop. ♪ ♪ what's the deal with this pop life ♪ ♪ and when is it going to fade out ♪ >> as a member of 'n sync, he had done the unthinkable, he made liking a boy band cool. coming up, from boy to man, justin sets out on a solo career and finds himself at the center of controversy. >> it was definitely a big emotional roller coaster. ♪ it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

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♪ it was 2002, 'n sync had sold millions of albums.

justin timberlake was a bona fide heartthrob. but bandmate chris kirkpatrick said, life for the band was all business. >> this is a compound. >> this is a compound. we everybody just worked to the goal. >> it juan a crazy house, it was a focused house. >> it wasn't crazy at all. it wasn't like you would think there's girls over all the time, there's this -- this was work -- >> no girls? no -- well -- >> maybe a couple? >> honestly as crazy as it sounds, it wasn't that type of vibe. >> with his fans, justin had a vibe all his own. >> i think there's an appeal in him, he's been perceived as a relationship guy. his female fans are wearing t-shirts that say i want to be mrs. timberlake.

they're not saying i want to be a one-night stand. >> if he was smooth on stage. >> this is triple platinum. he seemed even smoother in the studio. >> is it fair to say that justin is a perfectionist. >> he is a perfectionist, but there's no work involved for it. it's really just boom, boom, done. >> one tame? >> like 16 hours in the garage, way, one-take timberlake. >> he got together with one of his friends and they created the song "gone." ♪ you're gone ♪ you're gone his writing skills were getting noticed by the biggest names in the industry, like michael jackson. >> michael's people came and they said, hey, i think michael wants to record that record. i looked at justin and i was like, you're not giving that record away. i knew how important that was to him and what it meant for him as a writer to finally get some

respect, making a statement to say i'm a writing too. >> we're very, very excited to be here. >> in 2002, he laujed the solo career that would define his next decade. ♪ >> everybody was kind of figuring out what will we do for the next six months? and justin tapped me and he said i've had this music inside me for quite a while. i'm going to take this time and make a record. ♪ you were my sun that album "justified" was hod enough to land his solo act at the super bowl halftime show. but when a, quote, wardrobe malfunction bared janet jackson's -- >> he apparently committed the crime of the century. that was coming off the thrill of performing at the super bowl. you have airplanes with banners saying convict them.

>> it was completely, completely regrettable. >> a swift apology put justin back on track, and his star continued to rise. his career would expand from music to movies, including. >> i'm sean parker. >> "the social network." >> you know what's cool? a billion dollars. >> two business ventures. for starters -- a clothing like called william rast with trace ayala. >> we build this brand. >> was he hands on? >> yeah. too hands-on. >> you're like, step back, bro. >> yeah, but he's hands on, rivets buttons, stitching, very, very hands on. >> add to the business ventures two grammys for the man who brought sexy back. ♪ i'm bringing sexy back ♪ the other boys don't know how to act ♪

even an emmy for this guy on snl. but best of all. >> i'm ready. justin would likely say finding the real mrs. timberlake. >> he was also into jessica. trace was the best man when justin and jessica biehl were married in october. >> it was a celebrity crush. >> you would hear him order something for her, and like in the milled of of a discussion of a city tour, he felt the need he had to do something special. a new wife, and a new album, with his old friend timba. >> he'll be playing something, and justin is sitting there in the corner, he starts picking up on it and go do this, do this, it's crazy watching them work. >> they had basically four weeks. the thought pattern was we'll make if for the record, put it

up for the summer, and in to days, they made 20 songs. 20 songs released in two parts, and feature a notable collaboration between justin and jay-z. >> ♪ no papers >> there was obviously a chemistry that happened to make "suit and tie quest the leadoff record. >> show you how to do this. ♪ as long assite my suit and tie ♪ ♪ i'm going to leave it on the floor tonight ♪ by working with jay-z, he's getting an artist as well formed as him, and in a way it's a grown gyp approach to singing and rapping on the same song. >> he makes what folks around my way called grown folks music. >> exactly. ♪ and he's doing a great job at reinventing himself.