Magoo, the rapper who was one half of duo Timbaland & Magoo, has died at age 50. No cause of death was shared. Timbaland confirmed the news, writing on Instagram, “This one hits different 🥲🥲🥲 long live Melvin aka magoo !!!💔💔💔. Tim and Magoo forever 🕊️🕊️🕊️ rest easy my king ❤️❤️❤️.”
Born Melvin Barcliff, Magoo grew up with Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley in Norfolk, VA in the ’80s, forming Surrounded by Idiots with Timbaland’s cousin Pharrell Williams; Timbaland and Magoo were also part of Da Bassment Cru with DeVante Swing. Magoo introduced Timbaland to Missy Elliott who, along with Aaliyah, appeared on Timbaland & Magoo’s debut single, ‘”Up Jumps da Boogie,” which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. That song featured on the duo’s debut album, Welcome to Our World, which came out the same year.
Timbaland and Magoo would go on to make two more albums — 2001’s Indecent Proposal and 2003’s Under Construction, Pt II (which was a sequel to Missy’s 2002 album) — before calling it quits. By that point Timbaland was one of the most sought-after producers, but Magoo didn’t continue making music after the split.
Ginuwine, who appeared on Welcome to My World song “Joy,” paid tribute to Magoo, calling him “one of the best ever in my eyes always pressing forward.”
