Rob Base, 'It Takes Two' Rapper, Dies at 59 After Cancer Battle
His family said the Harlem hip-hop pioneer died surrounded by relatives after a private cancer battle, four days after his 59th birthday.
- On Friday, May 22, 2026, rapper Rob Base, born Robert Ginyard, died at age 59 after a private battle with cancer, his family announced on Instagram.
- Base and childhood friend E-Z Rock, born Rodney Skip Bryce, grew up in Harlem and pioneered the fusion of hip-hop and house music during the 1980s.
- Their 1988 hit "It Takes Two" reached the Billboard Hot 100 and earned platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, becoming a cultural touchstone sampled by Snoop Dogg and Black Eyed Peas.
- Recently, Base remained active performing on the I Love the 90s Tour alongside Vanilla Ice and All-4-One, and served as executive producer on the horror film Urban Flesh Eaters.
- Survivors remembered Base as a creative force whose music shaped a generation; he operated production company Funky Base, Inc., mentoring emerging artists in the industry.
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At the end of the 1980s, Rob Base made a breakthrough in the rap business. Until the last time he worked in the music business. Now he succumbs to the fight against cancer.
Rob Base, Rapper Behind Dance-Floor Hit 'It Takes Two,' Dies at 59 After Cancer Battle
Rob Base, a rapper and one half of the Harlem hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 59. The post Rob Base, Rapper Behind Dance-Floor Hit ‘It Takes Two,’ Dies at 59 After Cancer Battle appeared first on Breitbart.
Rob Base, ‘It Takes Two’ Rapper, Dies at 59 (Details On Illness)
REST IN PEACE TO A LEGEND: Hip-Hop Pioneer Rob Base Passes Away At 59 After Private Lung Cancer Battle A heartbreaking loss has officially hit the music world, as Media Take Out learns that hip-hop icon Rob Base has passed away at the age of 59. The legendary Harlem rapper—born Robert Ginyard—died peacefully on Friday, May 22, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones following a private, courageous battle with stage 4 lung cancer. The devastating news…
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