Rapper Rob Base Dies at 59 After Battle with Cancer

Rapper Rob Base, known for 1988 hip-hop classic 'It Takes Two,' dies at 59 after private cancer battle.

Objective Facts

Rob Base passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer. Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, was best known for the 1988 chart-topper 'It Takes Two,' a blend of hip-hop and house music that helped bring both genres into the mainstream. Base was one half of the Harlem hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. According to Billboard, the song, which was part of the duo's debut studio album of the same name, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard hot Dance/Club Songs chart in 1988, helping the album reach platinum certification. Rob Base passed away just four days after celebrating his birthday.

Deep Dive

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock emerged from Harlem in the 1980s at a pivotal moment for hip-hop's mainstream crossover. Their 1988 smash hit 'It Takes Two,' a song that blended rap, dance, and sampled funk grooves into a high-energy party anthem, became a major crossover success reaching the Billboard Hot 100 and earning platinum certification, and remains one of the most influential hip-hop songs ever made, having been sampled and featured in movies, commercials, sports events, and TV shows for decades. Other artists would go on to sample the song, including Snoop Dogg on his 2009 hit single 'I Wanna Rock,' Gang Starr on his 1991 track 'Suckers Need Bodyguards,' and Girl Time's 'Overtime'. Base's death—occurring within days of his 59th birthday—represents the loss of a foundational figure in hip-hop's evolution from underground movement to global cultural force.

OBJ SPEAKING

Create StoryTimelinesVoter ToolsRegional AnalysisPolicy GuideAll StoriesCommunity PicksUSWorldPoliticsBusinessHealthEntertainmentTechnologyAbout

Rapper Rob Base Dies at 59 After Battle with Cancer

Rapper Rob Base, known for 1988 hip-hop classic 'It Takes Two,' dies at 59 after private cancer battle.

May 23, 2026· Updated May 24, 2026
What's Going On

Rob Base passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer. Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, was best known for the 1988 chart-topper 'It Takes Two,' a blend of hip-hop and house music that helped bring both genres into the mainstream. Base was one half of the Harlem hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. According to Billboard, the song, which was part of the duo's debut studio album of the same name, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard hot Dance/Club Songs chart in 1988, helping the album reach platinum certification. Rob Base passed away just four days after celebrating his birthday.

Objective Deep Dive

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock emerged from Harlem in the 1980s at a pivotal moment for hip-hop's mainstream crossover. Their 1988 smash hit 'It Takes Two,' a song that blended rap, dance, and sampled funk grooves into a high-energy party anthem, became a major crossover success reaching the Billboard Hot 100 and earning platinum certification, and remains one of the most influential hip-hop songs ever made, having been sampled and featured in movies, commercials, sports events, and TV shows for decades. Other artists would go on to sample the song, including Snoop Dogg on his 2009 hit single 'I Wanna Rock,' Gang Starr on his 1991 track 'Suckers Need Bodyguards,' and Girl Time's 'Overtime'. Base's death—occurring within days of his 59th birthday—represents the loss of a foundational figure in hip-hop's evolution from underground movement to global cultural force.