Rob Base, one half of legendary hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, has died at the age of 59, with his family by his side.
The artist, born Robert Ginyard, had been privately fighting cancer, his family said in a statement shared on his official Instagram.
He died on Friday, shortly after marking his birthday.
“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world,” the statement read, describing him as “a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.”
Base was most widely known for It Takes Two, the 1988 breakout hit he made with DJ E-Z Rock. The track is often credited as a key moment in hip-hop’s crossover into wider popular culture, spreading from neighbourhood parties to clubs and chart success during a period when the genre was still pushing for mainstream attention.
Part of what cemented the song’s legend is just how spontaneously it came together.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2014, Base looked back on the evening the pair built the record.
“With It Takes Two, we were at a friend’s house, and we were just going through a bunch of records,” he said. “We had to go to the studio that night and we didn’t have anything prepared, but we found and liked the Lyn Collins sample that night and went to the studio.”
That rushed studio run, sparked by a single sample, ultimately produced one of the most instantly recognisable songs in hip-hop.
Decades later, few late-’80s tracks have stayed as present in pop culture as It Takes Two. It has been sampled by artists including Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas, and reached new listeners through its memorable use in the 2009 Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds film The Proposal.
The song also featured in Grand Theft Auto in 2004, helping keep it familiar to younger generations.
Base’s death also marks another loss for fans of the duo. DJ E-Z Rock, born Rodney Bryce, died in 2014 at 56 due to complications from diabetes.
He did not live to witness just how far their signature track would continue to travel.