Rob Base, the Harlem rapper whose iconic 1988 hit It Takes Two helped push hip‑hop into the mainstream, has died at 59 following a battle with cancer, according to a statement shared on his Instagram.
Base, born Robert Ginyard, rose to fame as one half of Rob Base & DJ E‑Z Rock, the duo behind one of the most influential party records in rap history. It Takes Two became a crossover smash, blending hip‑hop and house music and climbing the Billboard Hot 100 while hitting No. 3 on the Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. The track went platinum and has been sampled by artists including Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas, cementing its place in pop culture.
In the tribute announcing his passing, his family remembered him as a “loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.” His longtime collaborator DJ E‑Z Rock (Rodney “Skip” Bryce) died in 2014 at age 46.
Base and Bryce first met in fifth grade in Harlem, later signing with Profile Records in 1987. Their follow‑up single, Get on the Dance Floor, also became a club hit, further solidifying their influence on late‑’80s hip‑hop.
Rob Base’s legacy lives on through the generations of artists and fans who still chant the unforgettable line: “It takes two to make a thing go right.”
Source: CBC
Image: CBC
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