Hip-hop has lost one of its foundational voices.
Rob Base, born Robert Ginyard and one half of the legendary hip-hop duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, passed away peacefully on May 22, at age 59 after a private battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy rooted in the 1988 anthem ‘It Takes Two’ and a pioneering role in bringing hip-hop and house music to mainstream audiences.
His family announced the news on his Instagram page. “Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world,” the statement read. “Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten. Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.”
Rob Base grew up in Harlem, New York, where he met his future partner DJ E-Z Rock in the fifth grade. Together they built a rap career from the ground up, recording early demos before breaking through with one of the most recognizable songs in hip-hop history.
Their 1988 hit ‘It Takes Two’ was a genre-crossing phenomenon, blending rap, dance, and sampled funk grooves into a high-energy anthem that crossed over to mainstream audiences in a way few records had done before. The track reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since been sampled by artists including Snoop Dogg and The Black Eyed Peas, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The duo also charted with ‘Joy and Pain’ and ‘Get on the Dance Floor.’
For Black communities across the country, ‘It Takes Two’ was more than a song. It was a moment, a feeling, and a memory tied to block parties, cookouts, roller rinks, and living rooms from coast to coast. If you grew up Black in the late 1980s or early 1990s, that record was part of the soundtrack of your life.
Alongside DJ E-Z Rock, Rob Base was instrumental in cross-pollinating hip-hop and house music and bringing them to the mainstream in the 1980s. His influence on the genre extended far beyond chart positions. He helped prove that hip-hop could fill dance floors and reach audiences that had never heard the music before, opening doors that generations of artists would walk through after him.
DJ E-Z Rock, whose real name was Rodney Bryce, passed away in 2014 from complications related to diabetes. The two had been friends since childhood, and Rob Base spoke often about the bond they shared. “He was a good DJ, but everybody just loved him for who he was,” Base once said. “Just a funny guy.”
Rob Base’s final public statement came just days before his death, when he marked his 59th birthday with a post to Instagram. “Happy 59th birthday to me. God thank you for allowing me to see another year,” he wrote.
He will be remembered not just for the records but for the joy he gave to an entire generation. Rest in Power, Rob Base.
