Virginia rapper Magoo — whose birth name was Melvin Barcliff — reportedly died over the weekend in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the age of 50.
Magoo was an important member of the groundbreaking Virginia hip-hop scene in the ’90s, and his collaborators included Timbaland, Missy Elliot, and Pharrell Willaims.
Per Variety, Timbaland and Magoo made music under the moniker Surrounded by Idiots (SBI) in the early ’90s. Pharrell became a member of SBI before his own star began to rise several years later.
Mago and Timbaland continued working as a duo in the late ’90s, putting out three albums between 1997 and 2003. Their highest charting effort in that era was the track “Up Jumps da’ Boogie,” featuring Missy Elliot and Aaliyah, on the Welcome to Our World album.
Welcome to Our World also featured guest verses from Ginuwine. Three other Magoo and Timbaland tracks charted highly as well, including “Clock Strikes,” “Here We Come,” and “Cop That Shit.”
On Monday, Elliot shared a heartfelt message on Instagram. She revealed that she met Magoo when they were teenagers and that he was the one who gave her the nickname “Misdemeanor” because, as he told her, “It’s a crime to have that many talents.”
Timbaland also took to social media on Monday to honor Magoo:
How did Magoo die?
Per the New York Times, it’s unclear at this point what caused Magoo’s death.
His wife, Meco Barcliff, said that Magoo had no known health problems other than asthma. Apparently, Magoo had told those close to him that he had not been feeling well in the past week.
The coroner’s office is currently investigating the cause of death.