Magoo, the Virginia rapper known for his work with Timbaland & Magoo and his hit songs “Up Jumps da Boogie” and “Luv 2 Luv U,” has tragically passed away at the age of 50. The news of Magoo’s death was confirmed by Timbaland on Instagram, who expressed his sorrow and paid tribute to his longtime friend. However, no further details or cause of death were provided.
Magoo was an integral part of a collective of Virginia rappers and producers that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. This group included notable artists such as Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Shay Haley of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D., the rap group Clipse, and producer Danja. Magoo achieved mainstream success by collaborating with Timbaland under the duo Timbaland & Magoo. Their debut album, “Welcome to Our World,” became a platinum-selling classic and marked the beginning of Timbaland’s signature sound dominating the charts.
Born Melvin Barcliff in Norfolk, Virginia in July 1973, Magoo attended high school in Chesapeake. Contrary to popular belief, his rap name was not inspired by the cartoon character Mr. Magoo but derived from his aunt’s surname, which was later shortened to Magoo.
Magoo’s journey in music began during his high school years when he discovered his passion for hip-hop through break dancing. He co-founded the group S.B.I. (Surrounded by Idiots) alongside Larry “Live” Lyons and a young Timothy Mosley (known as DJ Timmy Tim at the time) and Pharrell Williams. While S.B.I. recorded demos and performed shows, they didn’t release any major recordings and quickly disbanded.
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Magoo’s talent was recognized by Jodeci member and producer DeVante Swing, leading to him signing with Swing’s label Swing Mob. Magoo became a member of the creative collective called Da Basement Cru, which included Missy Elliott and her group Sista, Timbaland, Ginuwine, Tweet, and Playa. Da Basement Cru collaborated on Jodeci’s third album and worked on their own projects. After the disbanding of Swing Mob in 1995, Magoo continued to collaborate with Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, Tweet, and Timbaland & Magoo under the name Superfriends, which also included rising R&B star Aaliyah.
Reflecting on their friendship and subsequent success, Magoo once mentioned in an interview, “Who can say in their lifetime that they are friends with one of the greatest female artists of all time in Missy Elliott, three of the greatest producers of all time with Pharrell, Chad, and Timbaland, and some of the greatest groups of all time like N.E.R.D. and Clipse? All of us rode in the same circle, and we would see each other at different events, and this was before the fame. We all ended up making it because we were serious.”
Magoo’s breakthrough as a rapper came with Timbaland & Magoo’s debut album, “Welcome to Our World,” released in November 1997. The album attained crossover success, peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard 200, and achieved platinum status. It featured hit singles like “Up Jumps da Boogie” and “Luv 2 Luv U,” which became hip-hop classics. Timbaland’s production sound on this album paved the way for more success with albums from Ginuwine, Aaliyah, and Missy Elliott.
Magoo’s voice often drew comparisons to Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest due to their similar-sounding voices. However, Magoo expressed his frustration with these comparisons in an interview, stating, “I hate the Q-Tip comparisons because I’m a big Tribe Called Quest fan, but there was nothing I could do about my voice.”
After the success of their debut album, Timbaland & Magoo released their second studio album, “Indecent Proposal,” in 2001. Although it didn’t match the commercial success of their debut, it still peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard album chart. Their third and final studio album, “Under Construction, Part II,” was released in 2003 and featured the radio hit “Cop That Shit” with Missy Elliott.
Despite his success as a rapper, Magoo didn’t enjoy the fame that came along with it. In later interviews, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the non-studio aspects of being an artist and how it affected his personal life. Ultimately, Magoo decided to step away from being a performer after his record contract expired in 2010. He made sporadic appearances on songs by his friends Timbaland and Missy Elliott but largely retired from music. Magoo chose to work behind the scenes in the music industry instead.
The passing of Magoo is a significant loss for the music industry, particularly for those who appreciate the contributions he made to the hip-hop genre. His unique voice and collaboration with Timbaland played a crucial role in shaping the sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Though he may not have enjoyed the fame that accompanied his success, Magoo’s talent and impact will always be remembered. Rest in peace, Melvin aka Magoo.
