"It Takes Two" Rapper Rob Base Dies at 59

Rob Base, half of the Harlem duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died at 59 after a private battle with cancer. His music, energy, and legacy shaped a generation and brought joy to millions. “It Takes Two” became a multi-platinum hit by placing Base’s bars over the Think drum break from Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It).” The track helped push hip-hop and house music into mainstream popularity and became widely sampled and interpolated by many artists over decades. Born Robert Ginyard in New York City in 1967, he connected with DJ E-Z Rock in fourth grade and formed a long-running partnership. They released “DJ Interview” in 1986 and later secured a deal with Profile Records in 1987.

"Rob Base, one-half of the seminal Harlem duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died on Friday (May 22) after a "private battle with cancer." He was 59. "Rob's music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world," a statement on his Instagram page read. "Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.""

"The duo's 1988 hit "It Takes Two," situated Base's bars over the Think drum break, a popular loop drawn from Lyn Collins' James Brown-produced 1972 song "Think (About It)." The track, which became a multi-platinum hit, helped push both hip-hop and house music to the forefront of popular music. Base's opening bars-"I wanna rock right now, I'm Rob Base and I came to get down. I'm not internationally known, but I'm known to rock the microphone"-remain some of the most familiar lines in rap music, thanks in part to the many ways they have been reinvented over the years."

"In the decades since it's release, the song has been sampled and interpolated by the Black Eyed Peas, Ciara, Girls Generation, Skepta, Snoop Dogg, Mac Miller, and countless other artists. Born Robert Ginyard in New York City in 1967, Rob Base first connected with DJ E-Z Rock-AKA Rodney Bryce-when he was in fourth grade, and the pair became classmates at a Harlem public elementary school."

"Although Base kicked off his career as a DJ, performing at parties and clubs around the New York area, he and E-Z Rock stayed close and released their first joint single, "DJ Interview," in 1986. That track secured them a deal with Profile Records in 1987, where &"

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