Magic (rapper)
Awood Johnson (August 16, 1975 – March 1, 2013), better known by his stage name, Magic (or Mr. Magic), was an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana, perhaps best known for his stint with No Limit Records in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Magic | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Awood Johnson |
| Born | August 16, 1975 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | March 1, 2013 (aged 37) Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1998–2013 |
| Labels | No Limit, BANX ENT , Priority Records , Universal Records |
| Associated acts | 504 Boyz, Master P, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Mystikal, Body Head Bangerz, Choppa, C-Murder |
Early life
Born and raised in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Awood Johnson first made his name in New Orleans' underground circuit performing in talent shows and in a local group. After being noticed by rapper C-Murder, it was suggested that Master P sign Magic to No Limit Records. He was intended to become part of TRU, but Master P decided that he instead rap solo on the parent label. Magic first made his appearance on C-Murder's songs "Picture Me" and "Watch Yo Enemies" on his 1998 album Life or Death.
Career
Magic's released his debut solo studio album, Sky's the Limit, in 1998, which reached #15 on the Billboard 200. In 1999, Magic released his second solo studio album Thuggin' which featured hit singles "That's Me" and "Ice on my Wrist" with Master P, which had minor success, peaking at #30. Following poor sales of his third studio album, White Eyes (#147), in 2003, along with the departure of many of No Limit's marquee artists and the label's overall decline, Magic severed his relationship with No Limit. He released his fourth and final solo album, the non-charting On My Own, on Koch Records, just five months after his split from No Limit.
Magic joined fellow New Orleans native Choppa and former boxing champion Roy Jones, Jr. to form the group Body Head Bangerz, which released its only album in 2004, Body Head Bangerz: Volume One, and had a minor hit with "I Smoke, I Drank."
Magic then secured a deal with TVT Records in 2006, but left without ever releasing any material. He formed his own label, Banx Entertainment, in 2011.
Death
On March 1, 2013, Johnson and his wife Chastity were killed in a traffic collision in Hattiesburg Mississippi . Their twelve-year-old daughter, Twila, was the lone survivor.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
- Sky's the Limit (1998)
- Thuggin' (1999)
- White Eyes (2003)
- On My Own (2003)
Collaboration albums
- Body Head Bangerz: Volume One with Body Head Bangerz (2004)
References
- Fensterstock, Alison (March 2, 2013). "New Orleans rapper Awood 'Mr. Magic' Johnson has died". The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
