Timbaland & Magoo were an American hip hop duo, composed of Virginia natives Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley (born March 10, 1972) and Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff (July 12, 1973 – August 13, 2023).[1][2][3] Formed in 1989, the duo signed with Blackground Records, an imprint of Atlantic Records to release three studio albums: Welcome to Our World (1997), Indecent Proposal (2001), and Under Construction, Part II (2003). The latter's lukewarm commercial reception led Timbaland to focus on his solo career and production work, while Magoo failed to release any solo material. Magoo died of a heart attack in 2023.[4]
Timbaland & Magoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1989–2007 |
| Labels | |
| Spinoff of | Swing Mob |
| Past members | Timbaland Magoo |
Background
editHailing from Norfolk, Virginia, the duo first met when they were teenagers back in 1989 through their friend Larry Live. In 1990 Timbaland, Larry Live, and Magoo formed a group called Surrounded By Idiots. Later that year they recruited friend and future fellow group member Pharrell Williams. The group only lasted three years, due to Pharrell Williams leaving the group to pursue a career with his own group the Neptunes in the summer of 1991, and Larry Live left the group after they signed Swing Mob in 1993. In late 1992, the group was recruited by Fayze group members Radiah Covington, Chonita Coleman, and Missy Elliott to be part DeVante Swing's collective, Da Bassment Crew, which also included Playa, Tweet, Baazar Royale, Ginuwine, and Stevie J–who were each signed with Swing Mob.
During the early days of Da Bassment Crew, after group member Larry Live had left S.B.I. After DeVante Swing had sent them for a while to quit their jobs in 1993, After Larry's departure Magoo suggested to Tim to form the duo Timbaland & Magoo. After guest appearing on fellow Swing Mob artists' releases, the duo decided left the label, following after Elliott, who did so due to low pay cuts and chaotic working conditions. Timbaland & Magoo signed with Blackground Records in 1996, an imprint of Atlantic Records to release their debut album, Welcome to Our World in November 1997. It spawned the single "Up Jumps da Boogie", which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains their highest-charting song.[5] They released two further studio albums as a group, Indecent Proposal in 2001 and Under Construction, Part II in 2003. The latter was meant as a sequel to Missy Elliott's fourth album Under Construction.
In August 2021, Blackground Records, the label who launched R&B/Pop singer Aaliyah, signed a distribution deal with Empire Distribution to re-release Timbaland & Magoo's catalog on CD, cassette and vinyl, onto digital download sites and, for the first time ever, streaming services. As a result, Timbaland's 1998 LP Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment and Timbaland & Magoo albums Welcome to Our World, Indecent Proposal and Under Construction, Part II were re-released August 27, 2021.[6][7][8][9]
Magoo died on August 13, 2023, at the age of 50, and his death was confirmed by his former wife, Meco Barcliff.[2][10][11] His funeral service took place on September 6, 2023, in Portsmouth, Virginia.[11]
Discography
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
Albums
edit| Year | Album | Chart positions | Sales and certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | GER | |||
| 1997 | Welcome to Our World | 33
|
–
|
RIAA certification: Platinum[12] |
| 2001 | Indecent Proposal
|
29
|
–
|
|
| 2003 | Under Construction, Part II
|
50
|
75
|
|
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions[13] | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [14] |
US R&B [15] |
AUS | IRL | UK [16] | |||
| 1997 | "Up Jumps da Boogie" (featuring Missy Elliott and Aaliyah) |
12 | 4 | — | — | — | Welcome to Our World |
| 1998 | "Luv 2 Luv Ya (Remix)" (featuring Shaunta and Playa) |
— | — | — | — | — | |
| "Clock Strikes" (featuring Mad Skillz) |
37 | 24 | — | — | — | ||
| 2000 | "We At It Again" (featuring Sebastian and Static) |
— | 79 | — | — | — | Romeo Must Die |
| 2001 | "Drop" (featuring Fatman Scoop) |
— | 105 | — | — | — | Indecent Proposal |
| "All Y'all" (featuring Tweet and Sebastian) |
— | 58 | — | — | — | ||
| 2003 | "Cop That Shit" (featuring Missy Elliott) |
95 | 49 | 34 | 39 | 22 | Under Construction, Part II |
| "Indian Flute" (featuring Sebastian and Raje Shwari) |
— | 73 | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||
Guest appearances
edit- S.B.I. - UH UH AH (1990)
- S.B.I. - It's Like That Yaw (1991)
- S.B.I. - SkullCaps (1991)
- S.B.I. - If Ur Freaky (1991)
- S.B.I. - Can U Get Wit It (1993)
- Jodeci - In The Meanwhile (1994)
- Jodeci – "What About Us (Swing Mob Mix)" (1994)
- Swing Mob - Plenty Of Styles 1994
- Swing Mob - "Ain't Nothing But A B Party " 1994
- Swing Mob - " Dat Funk" (1995)
- Swing Mob - " Nothing But A B-Party Remix " (1995)
- DeVante Swing - Gin & Juice (Remix) featuring Da Boogie Man, Mr. Brendal, Timbaland & Magoo, Black, Static & C-Dub (1995)
- S.B.I - Big White Spaceship (1995)
- Ginuwine – "G. Thang" (1996)
- Missy Elliott – "Beep Me 911" (1997)
- Missy Elliott – "Beep Me 911 (Timbaland Remix)" (1998)
- Timbaland – "Here We Come" (1998)
- Timbaland – "What 'Cha Talkin' About" (1998)
- Playa - "Intro (Interlude)" (1998)
- Playa – "Derby City (Interlude)" (1998)
- The Black Russians – "Back Up Out My Way" (2003)
- Timbaland – "Boardmeeting" (2007)
- Timbaland – "Magoo Verse (Timbaland Thursday)" (2011)
- Missy Elliott – "Warped" (2013)
References
edit- ^ Pedersen, Erik (August 14, 2023). "Magoo Dies: Rapper Who Teamed With Timbaland & Worked With Missy Elliott Was 50". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Holpuch, Amanda (August 14, 2023). "Magoo, Rapper and Former Timbaland Collaborator, Dies at 50". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Timbaland - Up Jumps Da' Boogie Lyrics". Lyricsmania.com. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Remember When Timbaland And Pharrell Were In A Music Group?". The Urban Daily. March 10, 2015.
- ^ Timbaland & Magoo at AllMusic
- ^ "Aaliyah's Blackground Records Music Heads to Streaming Beginning August 20". August 5, 2021.
- ^ "Aaliyah albums streaming: 'Her influence is absolutely everywhere'". BBC. August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (August 20, 2021). "Aaliyah's One in a Million Arrives to Streaming Amid Dispute Between Label and Estate". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Legaspi, Althea (August 20, 2021). "Stream Aaliyah's 'One in a Million' Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Giacomazzo, Bernadette (August 13, 2023). "Magoo Has Reportedly Passed Away at Age 50". HipHopDX. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- ^ a b "Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff". Metropolitan Funeral Service.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Timbaland" searchable database. RIAA. Accessed November 7, 2007.
- ^ World Chart Positions. aCharts.us. Accessed April 15, 2011.
- ^ "Timbaland Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Timbaland & Magoo Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Chart Log UK: DJ T - Tzant". Zobbel.de. Retrieved December 24, 2010.