A Harlem-born rapper whose 1988 anthem helped propel hip-hop into mainstream pop culture has died after a private cancer battle. Rob Base, who turned 59 just four days before his death, passed away on May 22, his family announced through his official Instagram account.
“Today, we share the heartbreaking news that hip-hop legend Rob Base passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer,” the statement read.
The rapper, born Robert Ginyard on May 18, 1967, built his career on a childhood friendship that became one of hip-hop’s defining partnerships. He met Rodney Bryce, who performed as DJ E-Z Rock, in the fifth grade in Harlem. By 1986 they had released their debut single, “DJ Interview.”
A Sample, a Studio and a Smash
What followed two years later was “It Takes Two,” an anthem that detonated across dance floors. The track, released on Profile Records, was built around a sample from Lyn Collins’ 1972 funk cut “Think (About It).” It peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for 16 weeks, and hit No. 3 on the Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it platinum.
Base later described the song’s origins as almost accidental.
“With ‘It Takes Two,’ we were at a friend’s house and we were just going through a bunch of records. 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,” Base said in a 2014 interview. “We didn’t think that it would cross over and be as big as it became.”
The album of the same name climbed to No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. “Get on the Dance Floor,” which sampled the Jacksons, topped Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. “Joy and Pain” reached No. 58 on the Hot 100 in July 1989, marking the pair’s final appearance on that chart.
A Song That Refused to Fade
The influence of “It Takes Two” extended far beyond its initial chart run. Snoop Dogg sampled it in 2009 for “I Wanna Rock.” The Black Eyed Peas drew from it on “Rock That Body.” Gang Starr used it in 1991’s “Suckas Need Bodyguards,” and Girl Time incorporated it into “Overtime.”
Film and television directors reached for it repeatedly. The song appeared in “Love & Basketball,” “Iron Man 2,” “The Disaster Artist” and “Hey Arnold! The Movie.” Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds danced to it in the 2009 romantic comedy “The Proposal.” In 2004, it was added to the soundtrack of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” exposing a new generation to the track.
Solo Records and a Quiet Loss
Rob Base released “The Incredible Base” in 1989, his first solo effort, which reached No. 50 on the Billboard 200 and No. 20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He and DJ E-Z Rock reunited in 1994 for “Break of Dawn,” their second and final studio album together.
Bryce died on April 27, 2014, at 46, from complications related to diabetes. Base continued performing, joining the I Love the ’90s Tour with Vanilla Ice and expanding into film production as an executive producer on the 2025 horror feature “Urban Flesh Eaters.”
Days before his death, on May 18, Base posted a brief birthday message: “Happy 59th Birthday to me. God thank you for allowing me to see another year.”
Tributes From Across the Culture
Reaction came quickly and from unexpected corners. Comedian Dane Cook wrote on social media: “He WAS internationally known and he DID rock the microphone. One of my favorite songs ever. Rob Base filled the airwaves with hit music. RIP man.” NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders offered his own tribute: “Prayers to Rob Base entire family and loved ones. He was a legend to me.”
Base’s family described him as “a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” adding, “Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.”
Base once spoke of his late partner in words that now seem to encompass both men. “He was a good DJ, but everybody just loved him for who he was; just a funny guy,” he said of Bryce. “He was always quick to make friends, no matter where he was. He was just that type of guy.”
