Songoftheday 4/10/21 - I'mma kill you all like O.J Diss Maganoo for real you must pay, listen to the way my rap flow delay...

 

 

"Clock Strikes" - Timbaland and Magoo

from the album Welcome To Our World (1997)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #37 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 3

 

Today's song of the day comes from the rap duo Timbaland and Magoo, whose debut album Welcome To Our World had landed a top-20 pop hit with "Up Jumps Da Boogie", as well as a non-commercial top-40 radio hit with "Luv 2 Luv U" in the spring of 1998. The third song from the set promoted to radio was "Clock Strikes", which sampled the theme to the TV show Knight Rider from Glen Larson and Stu Phillips, who were given writing credit with the rappers. Produced by Timbaland, and featuring and uncredited newcomer Mad Skillz (Shaquan Lewis), the track has Magoo (Melvin Barcliff) in the forefront as they ride the unmistakable Timbaland stuttering groove while bragging about themselves as well as the beats...

"Clock Strikes" became Timbaland and Magoo's third top-40 pop hit, and last as a pair, in May of 1998. The song also climbed to #24 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, while cresting at #8 on their Rap Singles chart. 

 

A year later, Timbaland would release a solo set, but in 2001, the pair reunited for their second album Indecent Proposal. While the set was their highest-charting record together, peaking at #29 on the Billboard 200 sales tally, its only charting single, "All Y'All" which featured future SOTD artist Tweet, stalled down at #58 on Billboard's R&B chart and missed the pop Hot 100 altogether.  In 2003, they released their third and so far last as a duo, Under Construction: Part II (referencing Missy Elliott's album from a year before). Lead single "Cop That Shit" featuring Elliott did make the Hot 100 at #95, while getting to #49 on the R&B list. But the song was a much bigger success internationally, reaching the top-40 in the UK (#22), New Zealand (#33), Australia (#34), and Ireland (#39). Check this one out, it rocks. 

It took four years for Timbaland, aka Tim Mosley, to escape the Blackground record label (who still hold the masters to these three records hostage). When he finally did, his next solo-billed set, Shock Value, would start him on an entirely new path.

(5/10)

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Here's the original album version of "Clock Strikes", which is far different without the frenetic Knight Rider theme sample, and rides on a slower groove..

Up tomorrow: Soul singer frees her mind.