Timbaland, Ginuwine, and more are remembering the rapper and producer.
His former collaboratorTimbalandand other peers confirmed the news on Monday.
A cause of death has not been shared.
Melvin ‘Magoo’ Barcliff in 2011.Johnny Nunez/WireImage
“Long live Melvin aka magoo.”
He added, “Rest easy my king.”
Ginuwine, who previously collaborated with Timbaland & Magoo on “Joy,” also paid homage to Magoo.
(Surrounded By Idiots), which also consisted ofPharrell Williamsand Larry Live.
“He was selling mixtapes back then.
We’re not talking about New York City, Atlanta, or Miami here.
We’re talking about Virginia.
It was not a hip-hop area.
He was miles ahead of everybody though.
It was ridiculous when he was 16.”
Magoo stepped back from the spotlight following the release of the duo’s third album.
“That’s why I walked away from it.
The music business is a promise that can’t be kept and that’s fame.
I lived two different lives and being a celebrity wasn’t fun.”
A representative for Timbaland didn’t immediately respond to EW’s request for further comment.
