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Timbaland’s Former Rap Partner Magoo Reportedly Dead At 50—Fans React

By: Kyle EusticeCategory: News

News of his death started pouring in on social media late Sunday night (August 13) and quickly became a trending Twitter topic.

Timbaland’s  former rap partner and Missy Elliott affiliate, Magoo, has reportedly died. News of his death started pouring in on social media late Sunday night (August 13) and quickly became a trending Twitter topic. Digital Black of Playa expressed his sorrow with an Instagram post that read simply, “Man can’t believe this RIH Magoo damn big bro wasn’t ready for this at all #superfriends.”

At the time of publication, Timbaland, Missy Elliott nor any one from their respective camps have commented on his passing. No cause of death has been revealed either.

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A post shared by Digital Black (@blackplaya502)

Hailing from Norfolk, Virginia, Magoo began his collaborative journey with Timbaland in 1989 after meeting as teenagers. During their formative years, Magoo and Timbo were part of a group called SBI (Surrounded By Idiots) that included Larry Live and a then-unknown Pharrell Williams. Timbo was referred to as “DJ Timmy Tim,” while Pharrell was called “Magnum the Verb Lord.”

But their debut album as Timbaland & Magoo, 1997’s Welcome to Our World, yielded their highest-charting single, “Up Jumps Da Boogie.” After releasing two more studio albums as a duo—2001’s Indecent Proposal and 2003’s Under Construction Part II—they pivoted to working with fellow Virginia native Missy Elliott and, ultimately, Aaliyah.

In August 2021, Blackground Records—the label that launched Aaliyah’s career, solidified a distribution partnership with Empire Distribution. Under the new deal, Timbaland & Magoo’s catalog was introduced to a more contemporary audience with multiple re-releases.

Naturally, tributes are exploding on social media. Check some of them out below. (This is a developing story.) 

https://twitter.com/SebastianAvenue/status/1690908800251826176?s=20

https://twitter.com/SebastianAvenue/status/1690914840976437248?s=20

https://twitter.com/SebastianAvenue/status/1690909112899428353?s=20

https://twitter.com/msdarlin_/status/1690892226434396160?s=20