Influential Rapper Rob Base Dead at 59

Rob Base, the influential rapper best known as one-half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 59.

A statement shared on his Instagram page announced that Base died Friday while surrounded by family.

“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world,” the statement read. “Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.”

Born Robert Ginyard in May 1967, Base rose to fame alongside longtime friend DJ E-Z Rock. The pair met in fifth grade while growing up in Harlem and later became one of hip-hop’s most recognizable duos.

Their breakthrough hit, It Takes Two, was released in 1988 through Profile Records and quickly became a defining anthem of the era. The song climbed to No. 3 on Billboard’s U.S. dance club chart and helped bring rap music further into the mainstream.

The duo later released additional hits including Joy and Pain and Get On the Dance Floor. Base also launched a solo career with the 1989 album The Incredible Base.

In a 1989 interview with The Times, Base spoke passionately about rap music and the artistry behind the genre.

“People outside rap don’t understand it,” he said. “There’s all sorts of subtle things — key things — happening over and above the beat in rap songs.”

Base is survived by his children, De’Jené Ginyard and Robert Ginyard Jr. His wife, April, died in 2013.