By Status Ain't Hood Staff
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May 27, 2026
Rob Base, the Harlem-born rap artist best known for the iconic 1988 hit “It Takes Two,” has died following a private battle with cancer. He was 59. According to a statement posted on his official Instagram account, Base died Friday surrounded by family just days after celebrating his birthday. The tribute praised his lasting influence on music and culture, calling him “a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.” Base rose to fame alongside longtime collaborator DJ E-Z Rock as the duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. Their breakout anthem “It Takes Two” became one of hip-hop’s defining crossover records, helping bring rap music into mainstream dance clubs and pop radio. The single climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart and later earned platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Over the years, the track was sampled by artists including Snoop Dogg and Black Eyed Peas, while also appearing in films such as The Proposal and the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Tributes from across the entertainment and sports worlds poured in following news of Base’s death. Comedian Dane Cook honored the rapper on X, writing that “Rob Base filled the airwaves with hit music,” while NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders called him “a legend.” DJ E-Z Rock, whose real name was Rodney Bryce, died in 2014 from diabetes-related complications at age 56. The two artists had been friends since fourth grade and first broke onto the scene with their 1986 single “DJ Interview.” In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Base recalled that “It Takes Two” was created spontaneously after the pair discovered a sample from Lyn Collins just hours before a studio session. “We didn’t think that it would cross over and be as big as it became,” he said.