Who was Magoo (50), rapper who succumbed to heart attack
Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff, an integral member of the renowned rap duo Timbaland & Magoo, passed away on Sunday (local time). He was 50. Magoo's untimely demise is suspected to be a result of a heart attack, as reported by Kossy Derrick Ent. While the news of his passing has been confirmed by R&B artist Digital Black, specific details about Magoo's death remain currently undisclosed.
Magoo's demise elicited profound grief among fans, music industry
Playa's member Digital Black was the first to pay tribute to the later rapper on his Instagram page. "Man, can't believe this. RIP Magoo. Damn, big bro, wasn't ready for this at all," he wrote in the caption. Meanwhile, a Twitter (X) user shared a heartfelt video along with the caption, "One of the most unique flows and voices in Hip Hop. RIP brother."
Take a look at Digital Black's Instagram post
Early life and beginnings
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Barcliff—professionally known as Magoo, embarked on his musical journey as a teenager. The rapper who played a crucial role in shaping the hip-hop landscape in the US, emerged as a collaborator alongside Timbaland, particularly within their dynamic duo Timbaland & Magoo. Their creative collaboration was initiated in their hometown of Norfolk, back in 1989, blossoming into an extraordinary musical journey.
Did you know Magoo's first group was Surrounded by Idiots?
In an interview with You Know I Got Soul, Magoo revealed how he and his collaborator Tim Mosley, aka Timbaland, were introduced to Pharrell Williams through a mutual friend, and how they briefly collaborated as SBI (Surrounded by Idiots). Notably, Magoo and Timbaland initially made their mark in the music scene as part of DeVante Swing's R&B and hip-hop collective, Swing Mob.
The journey of Timbaland & Magoo began and reached heights
After leaving Swing Mob, Barcliff and Mosley embarked on their musical journey as a duo—adopting Timbaland & Magoo—in 1995. They inked a deal with Blackground Records and debuted with the album—Welcome to Our World—in 1997, which went on to sell over 1.6M records. Their second album, Indecent Proposal, hit the shelves in 2001, followed by their third release Under Construction Part II in 2003.
Timbaland & Magoo's albums were re-released in 2021
Beyond his legendary status in the hip-hop realm, Magoo gained immense fame for his distinctive one-liners in his songs, such as Bird is the Word. It is worth highlighting that in August 2021, Background Records, who launched the sensational duo, established a distribution partnership with Empire Distribution to re-release Timbaland & Magoo's albums in various formats including CDs, cassettes, vinyl, and digital platforms.
