Rob Base, a rapper who rose to fame in the late 1980s with the hit single “It Takes Two,” has died. He was 59.
Base, born Robert Ginyard, passed away on Friday, his family said in a statement on his verified 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.
“Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” his family continued. “Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives. Rest in Paradise, Rob Base. May 18, 1967 – May 22, 2026.”
Base shared his final post on Instagram May 18, as he celebrated his birthday. “Happy 59th birthday to me. God thank you for allowing me to see another year,” he captioned the post.
The Harlem native got his start in music as half of a hip-hop duo with DJ E-Z Rock. Their booming single, “It Takes Two,” was released via Profile Records in 1988. It rose to No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 16 weeks on the chart, Billboard reported Friday.
That same year, the duo’s singles “Get on the Dance Floor” rose to No. 1 on the U.S. Dance Chart and “Joy and Pain” peaked at No. 5 on the U.S. Rap Chart.
The platinum-certified “It Takes Two” has been sampled numerous times, including on Snoop Dogg’s “I Wanna Rock” and The Black Eyed Peas single “Rock That Body.”
DJ E-Z Rock, who was born Rodney Bryce, died in 2014 from complications of diabetes, Rolling Stone reported at the time. He also grew up in Harlem.
In addition to his music career, Rob Base executive produced the 2025 film Urban Flesh Eaters, according to his IMDb page.
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