The energy at the MTV “Video Music Awards” reached a new height when the briefly-reunited ‘NSYNC broke in to “Bye Bye Bye.” Justin Timberlake exchanged pleasantries with his former band mates and strutted back to center stage as the notes of “Suit and Tie” blared through the sound system. With the VMA set in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, could this be Jay Z’s moment to grace the audience with his presence?

It would not be. Justin explained why to 95.5 PLJ.

“We talked about it, maybe, but also I just thought that this would be a nice moment to share with the guys from ‘NSYNC,” Timberlake told “The Ralphie Show.” “You can’t give me this award without saying, ‘Look at what the group accomplished.’”

The superstar reiterated over the phone a fact that he cited Sunday evening: around half of his Moonmen were won with the quartet. Jay Z would not make an appearance at all during the show, but he and Timberlake linked up later in the evening at an after party.

Timberlake’s full interview with “The Ralphie Show” will air Thursday, September 5.