Advertise with Aurax News — Reach a Global Audience Today.
‘It Takes Two’ rapper Rob Base dies at 59 after cancer battle
Aurax Desk | May 23, 2026 | 2 min read
Rob Base, the rapper behind the landmark 1988 hit “It Takes Two,” has died at 59 after a private battle with cancer. His music helped define late-1980s hip-hop and remained a fixture in pop culture for decades.
Rob Base
1967 - 2026
Rob Base, the Harlem rapper best known for the 1988 hit It Takes Two, has died at age 59 following a private battle with cancer, according to statements released Friday.
Born Robert Ginyard, Base rose to fame as one half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock alongside DJ E-Z Rock. Their platinum-selling single “It Takes Two” became one of the defining party anthems of late-1980s hip-hop, blending rap and dance music in a way that helped push both genres further into the mainstream.
Family members said Base died peacefully surrounded by relatives on May 22, just days after celebrating his birthday. Tributes from fellow musicians and fans quickly spread across social media following news of his death.
The success of “It Takes Two” led to several additional hits, including “Joy and Pain” and “Get on the Dance Floor.” The song remained a staple of pop culture for decades through films, commercials and samples by later artists. DJ E-Z Rock died in 2014 due to complications from diabetes.
Recommended main image caption: Rob Base performs during a live concert appearance years after the success of the landmark hip-hop hit “It Takes Two.”