Christina and Justin get down and Dirrty in Tampa

Whether you love them or hate them, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake are two of the most popular musical icons in the world today.

From their days as Mouseketeers on The Mickey Mouse Club, Aguilera and Timberlake have skyrocketed their way into superstardom.

The “Justified and Stripped” tour, aptly named after Timberlake’s and Aguilera’s most recent full-length releases, respectively, will hit the St. Pete Times Forum on July 14. The two, who have been good friends since their Disney days, will also be performing with the hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas.

Timberlake — fresh off his debut release, Justified — originally showcased his musical talent on The Mickey Mouse Club, but his first real claim to fame came with the success of the boy-band N ‘Sync. He was considered the unofficial front man of the popular musical group, whose album sales exceeded 30 million worldwide.

Aguilera first stepped into the musical spotlight at the age of eight, performing on Star Search. Though she didn’t win, a 10-year-old Christina went on to sing that national anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Two years later, Aguilera was cast on The Mickey Mouse Club, where she first met Timberlake. Stripped is Aguilera’s second full-length album.

Both Aguilera and Timberlake are constant targets of criticism in the entertainment media. Aguilera’s most recent music video, “Can’t Keep Us Down,” was censored by MTV. Executives at MTV cited a scene in the video where Aguilera plays suggestively with a water hose, asking her to make cuts to the video, which she reluctantly did.

Timberlake was the target of much media exposure in the past because of his rocky relationship with pop-superstar Britney Spears.

Many people are reluctant to praise these pop stars’ success. They have been stereotyped as “teeny-bopper icons” and have been criticized in the media. Though many entertainment outlets have voiced negative opinions of Timberlake and Aguilera, the singers’ records are continuing to sell gaudy numbers.

Even if you are one of the countless people who think that Aguilera and Timberlake were put on the planet simply to annoy, you may find that there are some other things to look forward to regarding the concert.

The show will no doubt be packed with spectacular lighting and special effects. Whether the show will be worth nearly $40 for the low-end seats is something only a fan can decide.

USF students made various comments regarding the pop stars that might reflect the opinions of the general public.

Juniors Matt Pippin and Karan Nayee mirrored the consensus of many adolescent males on the subject of Aguilera. Pippin said he liked her because, “She’s a hottie-boom-body who makes you feel naughty.” Nayee added, “That girl can move. There’s no doubt about that.”

Keith Willmann, another fellow junior, had clouded remarks about her touring buddy. “That video where he dances crazy is nice,” he said. “I like Prince, that song ‘Little Red Corvette’ is sick, he has lots of hot girls in his videos … wait, who were we talking about again? Have you heard that new Radiohead album?”

Tasha Townsel, a senior, said she nearly maxed out her credit card on tickets to the show. “I love ’em,” she said. “I’m not ashamed of it.”