The artist, born Melvin Barcliffe, was 50 years old. Along with being one of the most famous producers in the world, he released three albums between the late nineties and early 2000s: the first contained the highly successful single “Up Jumps da Boogie” feat. Missy Elliott and Aaliyah. In one of his few interviews with YouKnowIGotSoul in 2020, he explained the challenges of achieving success: “I was lucky to have it, but I didn’t like it.”
The music world says goodbye to Magoo, rapper of the duo Timbaland & Magoo. The artist, born Melvin Barcliffe, was 50 years old. The causes of death have not been disclosed. This news was confirmed by Timbaland himself, who published several posts on Instagram in memory of his friend with videos of their joint performances.
Duet Timbaland and Magoo
Melvin Barcliffe “Magu” and Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley met as teenagers in Norfolk, Virginia, and formed a duo in 1989. Magoo has previously covered artists such as Ralph Tresvant and New Edition, with whom he has also won several talent shows. The duo joins the collective of rappers, singers and instrumentalists Swing Mob/Da Bassment Cru and signs a contract with the label of the same name. In the early ’90s, Timbaland and Magoo were also part of the band Surrounded by Idiots (SBI), which included Pharrell Williams. In 1995, Swing Mob disbanded and the duo signed a contract with the Blackground of Barry Hankerson, the uncle of singer, actress and model Aaliyah, who, along with Missy Elliott and Ginuwine, participated in the recording of the first album. The duo Timbaland & Magoo debuted in 1997 with Welcome to our world from which the single is taken Jumping up from a boogie (featuring Missy Elliott and Aaliyah). The album was certified platinum in the US and Up Jumping and boogie reaches number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Second album Indecent proposal, released in 2001 and has collaborated with artists such as Jay-Z, Ludacris and Tweet. Two years later, in 2003, it was the turn of the third and final album. Under construction, part IIintended as a follow-up to Missy Elliott’s fourth album. In developing. Magoo has no continuation: the rapper decides to leave the spotlight.
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“I never had the opportunity to enjoy success”
In one of the very rare interviews given in 2020 You Know I Am a SoulMagoo said he was struck by Timbaland’s seriousness about music in the early days: “He was selling mixtapes back then. We’re not talking about New York, Atlanta or Miami here. We’re talking about Virginia. It wasn’t hip-hop.” Then, speaking about the years of his first album, the rapper said that he “never had the opportunity to be successful because there was a price to pay for it.” I was lucky to have it, but I didn’t like it. I never felt like Tim and I had a chance to enjoy our early years, and I never felt like we were a million-selling band. Not only from a financial point of view, but above all because you are always working. One album comes out and then they want another one and there are people trying to tear you apart. I liked it better when it ended and I still didn’t like it. That’s why I left.”
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