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Timbaland and Magoo, Timbaland Magoo Under Construction Part II II

Details

Title: Under Construction Part II
Release date: 18 November, 2003
Record label: Blackground/Universal
Single: Indian Flute
Official website: Timbaland & Magoo
Wikipedia: Timbaland and Magoo

Tracklisting

1. Intro/Straight Outta Virginia
2. Cop That Sh**
3. Shenanigans
4. Leavin'
5. That Sh** Gonna Work
6. Don't Make Me Take It There
7. Indian Flute
8. Can We Do It Again
9. Naughty Eye
10. N 2 Da Music
11. Hold On
12. Insane
13. Throwback
14. Hold Cutz
15. I Got Luv
16. Naughty Eye II ('Hips')

Timbaland & Magoo: Under Construction? - Under Construction Part II

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Labeling Timbaland (Timothy Mosely) as just a "producer" is shortsighted. And on the flip, labeling his partner in rhyme, Magoo (Melvin Barcliff), a mere sidekick would be another mistake. The two close friends are instrumental players in bringing their Virginia home state's bevy of talent to national prominence.

Ultimately, Timbaland is the focus of this dynamic duo. But, it is Magoo's virtual selfless ego that makes it work. In fact, Magoo thrives on staying out of the spotlight. "I'm OK with where I am. I'm not one of them people that need attention," explains Magoo.

The duo met in 1988 through a mutual friend, Larry, who told Chesapeake, VA native Magoo about Virginia Beach, VA native Timbaland's exploits as a DJ. They've been best of friends ever since. "The situation with me and Tim is less about us being a group, it's more about us being friends," continues Magoo. "Our main concern is that we can leave this game still being cool with each other."

Timbaland started with aspirations of becoming a renowned DJ. "I always liked Kid Capri," he says. The natural progression was to start creating beats. "It just happened on this little Casio keyboard. Magoo while laughing, excitedly adds, "The beats were dope too. I don't know how he hooked that daggone machine up!"

Magoo's original group never took off and Timbaland hooked up with Devante Swing of Jodeci. It provided him the opportunity to fine-tune his production craft with a group Devante had called Sista (Missy Elliot was a member). He also contributed, though uncredited, to Jodeci's first album. Magoo had the opportunity to sign on with Devante, but he remained in VA to get the group thing popping while Tim moved to New Jersey to join Devante and company's makeshift artist boot camp. They kept in contact and a year later Magoo joined them after telling Tim, "I don't want to do this by myself. I like playing off of somebody else, admits Magoo."

But before he could focus on Timbaland and Magoo, Tim was busy churning out hits for a plethora of artists as a highly sought after production impresario. Timbaland credits two songs that put him on as a hot producer, Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew" and Ginuwine's "Pony."

Tim's discography is packed with more hits than the mob. Heavyweight superstars like Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z, to name only a few, have all been blessed with Tim's ever-evolving bastion of intoxicating beats. Despite his track record, it seems that every time one of his own projects Welcome to Our World (1997), Indecent Proposal (2001) is set to drop, he proves himself all over again.

"I don't have to prove myself, but I still look up to producers like Dre. He continues to give credit to where it's due. "The real King, that's Teddy Riley. I give props to Jermaine (Dupri), Dre, Teddy and Pharrell."

As his ascent to the "it" R&B/Hip-Hop producer list continued, Timbaland began stepping from behind the boards to become an artist in his own right. When teamed with Magoo, the result is an agile rhyme tag team reinforced with eccentric, neck pain inducing beats. "Missy's last album is so hot to me," is how Timbaland begins the explanation of the latest Timbaland & Magoo album's title, Under Construction Part II. "We tapped into the "Old School", and I felt like it just couldn't end right there."

You can credit his eclectic taste in music to not just hip-hop...Coldplay and John Mayer are his current favorites. It may be because of disdain for most current hip-hop music that Under Construction Part II pays such homage to "Old School" hip-hop. On the incendiary lead single, "Cop That Sh**" featuring Missy Elliot, all three artists interpolate and update classic verses from Rakim, MC Lyte and Special Ed. The video reinforces it with visual stimuli. "That video is phenomenal cause we got all those hip-hop legends," adds Tim.

There is plenty of material on the album for all age groups to appreciate. In the tradition, if there is such a thing, of his previous production, all sounds are fair game when Tim is behind the boards. Humming becomes the bass line of "Shenanigans" featuring Bubba Sparxxx while a melodic flute is layered over swift drum kicks on the aptly titled, "Indian Flute."

Magoo's flow continues to improve and he flexes it all over the album, particularly on the laid back head nodder "That $%#@ Ain't Gonna Work" and the dance hall flavored "Naughty Eye." Wyclef makes an appearance on "Hold On."

Despite all the appearances, it's the core that makes Timbaland & Magoo's Under Construction Part II a looming edifice of musicianship. "The voices," is what Tim feels makes he and his teammate unique. "The voice contrast, just two different sounds, two different tones. You get tired of one sound." After all, two heads are better than one.

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