On Monday morning (August 14), R&B artist, and member of Maryland R&B group Dru Hill, Digital Black announced via Instagram that Virginia rapper Magoo, whose real name was Melvin Barcliff, had passed away at the age of 50. “Man can’t believe this RIH Magoo damn big bro wasn’t ready for this at all,” Black wrote. At the moment, his cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Magoo, who grew up in Virginia Beach, derived his stage name world-famous cartoon character Mr. Magoo. In his teen years, he grew close to iconic artists from his area like Pharrell Williams and Timbaland, as the three of them along with Larry Live formed the rap group Surrounded By Idiots.
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Eventually, he and Timbaland would join Swing Mob, a collective/imprint formed by Devanté Swing of beloved 1990s R&B posse Jodeci. Consisting of stars like Missy Elliott, Playa, Ginuwine, and more, Swing Mob would help Magoo participate in some dynamic collaborations, such as Jodeci’s “What About Us” remix (1994) and Ginuwine’s “G Thing” (1996).
“I will mis you maganooo that’s what we called him,” Ginuwine wrote on Instagram Monday after hearing the news of Magoo. “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…”
Once Timbaland began gaining star power in the mid-1990s, he and Magoo would join forces as a duo and signed a deal with Blackground Records. Together, they would connect with Elliott and rising R&B darling Aaliyah for their debut single “Up Jumps Da Boogie” in 1997. Around this same time, Magoo would land a feature on Elliott’s single “Beep Me 911,” which would land on her classic debut album Supa Dupa Fly.
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A few months later in November, Magoo and Timbaland would put out their first album as a group titled Welcome to Our World, peaking at No. 33 on the Billboard 200. They would follow this up with two more albums in 2001 and 2003 before Timbaland would go on to pursue more solo endeavors.
In multiple Instagram posts Monday, including a video of them performing “Up Jumps Da Boogie,” Timbaland would honor his fallen friend. “This one hits different,” he wrote. “Long live Melvin aka magoo !!! Tim and Magoo forever rest easy my king.”
Check out Timbaland’s posts below.
(Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)