Rapper Rob Base, half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 59 years old.
“Rob's music, energy and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions of people around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, a family man, a friend and a creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” reads a statement on Base's Instagram.
The statement also expressed gratitude to Base, who was surrounded by his family when he died, for “the music, the memories and the moments that became the soundtrack of our lives.”
Rob Base was born Robert Ginyard in May 1967. He was best known for his collaborations with DJ EZ Rock. The two were lifelong friends and met in fifth grade while living in Harlem. Their song “It Takes Two” was released in 1988 by Profile Records. The song became a breakout single for the duo, peaking at No. 3 on Billboard's US Nightclub Songs chart, and The Times called “It Takes Two” “the fury of underground rap.”
The duo followed up the success with the release of the singles “Joy and Pain” and “Get On the Dance Floor.” Base released his solo album, “The Incredible Base”, in 1989.
Base was an ardent supporter of the rap genre and explained the nuances of the music to The Times in 1989.
“People outside of rap don't understand it. There are all kinds of subtle things, key things, that happen beyond the beat in rap songs. Fans want new things all the time,” Base said.
Base had two children, De'Jené Ginyard and Robert Ginyard Jr. His wife, April, died in 2013.
