Rob Base, Rapper Behind "It Takes Two," Dead at 59

Rob Base, Rapper Behind "It Takes Two," Dead at 59

The hip-hop world lost one of its most beloved voices on Friday when Rob Base, the Harlem-born rapper behind the 1988 classic "It Takes Two," passed away at the age of 59. The announcement came through a statement shared on his official Instagram page, confirming what fans had feared but never expected to hear so soon.

Rob Base  FTE News 

"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 timing made the loss even more devastating. Rob had celebrated his 59th birthday just four days earlier, on May 18.

The Song That Defined a Generation

There are certain records that do not simply exist inside a decade — they define it. "It Takes Two" is one of them. The song landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number three on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Songs chart, and has since been sampled by artists including Snoop Dogg and The Black Eyed Peas, appearing in several films. It has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic once wrote that many critics and listeners claim "It Takes Two" is the greatest hip-hop single ever cut, adding that it is hard to disagree. Spin magazine ranked it number one on its list of the 100 Greatest Singles of All Time in 1989, and Rolling Stone placed it at number 116 on its Top 500 Best Songs of All Time list in 2021.

That is the kind of staying power most artists spend entire careers chasing and never find.

From Harlem Schoolboys to Hip-Hop History

Rob Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, and DJ E-Z Rock, whose real name was Rodney Bryce, met as fifth grade students in Harlem in 1977 and said they were inspired to make music by the success of another Harlem-based group, Crash Crew. Two kids bonding over a shared dream in the schoolyards of New York — it is the kind of origin story that feels almost too perfect to be real.

They signed in 1987 with Profile Records, one of the earliest hip-hop labels, and the following year "It Takes Two" changed everything. Their next single, "Get on the Dance Floor," followed with similar chart success, cementing their place in the foundation of American hip-hop.

Tragically, Rob Base had already outlived his creative partner. DJ E-Z Rock passed away in 2014 at age 46 from complications related to diabetes. Now the duo that helped bring hip-hop into the mainstream is fully reunited only in memory.

A Legacy That Will Never Stop Playing

The statement from his family described Rob as not only a musical legend but a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten, saying his music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world.

According to NBC News, tributes from fans and fellow artists poured in immediately after the news broke, with one longtime friend writing that Rob was truly a blessing and that the loss had left them completely heartbroken.

At 59, Rob Base was gone far too soon. But every time a DJ drops those opening bars, every time that beat kicks in at a party or a wedding or a stadium, Robert Ginyard from Harlem will still be very much alive. Because it takes two — and he gave the world both.

From FTE News