Rapper Rob Base, one half of the influential duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer, per allhiphop.com.
Base died four days after his 59th birthday. His family confirmed the news in a statement, saying his “music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world.”
Born in Harlem, Base met Rodney “DJ E-Z Rock” Bryce in fifth grade. Inspired by the Crash Crew as teenagers, the pair began performing together, with Base on the microphone and E-Z Rock on turntables.
They recorded the demo for “It Takes Two” in two nights, leading to a deal with Profile Records. Released in 1988, the single reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. Their debut album of the same name peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
The album also produced “Get on the Dance Floor,” which topped the same Dance/Club Songs chart, and “Joy and Pain.”
“It Takes Two” became a lasting Hip-Hop and pop staple, later featured in films including The Proposal and Iron Man 2.
Base released the solo album The Incredible Base in November 1989. He reunited with E-Z Rock for Break of Dawn in 1994. DJ E-Z Rock died in 2014 from complications of diabetes.
In later years, Base toured with the “I Love the 90’s Tour” alongside Vanilla Ice, All-4-One and Young MC. He also founded Funky Base, Inc., working with emerging artists.
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock were key figures in fusing Hip-Hop and house music in the 1980s, helping bring both genres to mainstream audiences. The duo’s production style and use of sampling influenced subsequent generations of artists and producers.
