Magoo, rapper who collaborated with Timbaland, reportedly dead at ...

Rapper Magoo, best known as one-half of the hip-hop group Timbaland & Magoo, is reportedly dead at age 50.

Magoo, whose real name was Melvin Barcliff, reportedly died on Sunday. His death was announced on social media by fellow musicians Digital Black and Ginuwine, but a cause of death has not been named.

“Man can’t believe this RIH Magoo damn big bro wasnt ready for this at all #superfriends,” wrote Digital Black, a music artist, producer and songwriter best known for his work with R&B groups Dru Hill and Playa. He included a photo of Timbaland and Magoo’s first album, 1997′s “Welcome to Our World,” which featured multiple collaborations with Playa including the hit “Luv 2 Luv Ya.”

Ginuwine, the “Pony” singer who was also featured on Timbland and Magoo’s album, shared his condolences on Instagram: “I don’t even know how to say anything at this point , I have lost 3 friends now within a month to LIFE and it’s due date ….this dude , always pushed me …I will mis you maganooo that’s what we called him ….. totally one of the best ever in my eyes always pressing forward I know we didn’t talk alot but the love was and will be always there my brotha , I will see you soon bro we all have our date and I’m expecting the bro hug when I get there I’m truly efd up right now foreal life is crazy… I hate going through this and losing people we love sometimes it makes you feel like you dont wanna feel the pain so you wanna be gone also …pain hurts ..man oh man blessings to the family all of my condolences.”

Timbaland and Missy Elliott, who reportedly got her nickname “Misdemeanor” from Magoo, have not commented on his death. All three were frequent collaborators who were also part of the music collective known as Da Bassment Cru, named after the Rochester, N.Y., basement where they met with DeVante Swing of Jodeci; the crew was also known as the “Swing Mob” or “Superfriends.”

“When I first got around all those cats, they were the most talented group of people I’d ever been around. When you’re in the moment, you don’t appreciate it as much but all those people pushed me,” Magoo said in a 2020 interview. “You learned from each person. Static and his group Playa introduced me to Rap from the South. My city was strictly East Coast rap or that DC Go-go music. Playa introduced me to 8Ball & MJG and UGK. Those rappers would have a different flow on every song and sometimes they would have a flow on each verse. I ended up concentrating more on flow than words because that gave you the rhythm of the music more than anything. I owe Black, Static and Smokey for the influence that they gave me when they introduced me to that type of rap.”

Magoo is best known for his Timbaland & Magoo songs like “Up Jumps Da Boogie” (feat. Missy Elliott and Aaliyah), “Clock Strikes” (feat. Mad Skillz), “Luv 2 Luv Ya (Remix)” (feat. Shaunta and Playa), and “All Y’all” (feat. Tweet and Sebastian). Magoo also notably appeared on Missy Elliott’s “Beep Me 911,” Ginuwine’s “G Thang,” and a remix of Jodeci’s “What About Us.”

Besides his work with Magoo, Timbaland produced some of the biggest hits of the ‘90s and 2000s, including work with Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Ludacris, Nelly Furtado, Nas, Keri Hilson and Madonna. Timbaland, whose real name is Tim Mosley, also created the popular webcast series “Verzuz” with fellow producer Swizz Beatz.