Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
| Company type | Hip-hop duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Harlem, New York City , United States |
| Products | Hip-hop music, albums, singles |
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock formed a hip-hop duo originating from Harlem, New York City. Robert Ginyard, known professionally as Rob Base (born May 18, 1967), partnered with Rodney "Skip" Bryce, who performed as DJ E-Z Rock (1967–2014). Their most notable work is the 1988 hit single "It Takes Two", widely regarded as a classic in hip-hop. This track not only reached the top 40 charts but also earned platinum certification from the RIAA. It featured on their album of the same title, which also achieved platinum status. The pair played a significant role in bringing rap music into mainstream popular culture.
Career
The duo's initial single in the United States, titled "DJ Interview," was included on the compilation World to World and led to them signing with Profile Records in 1987. David Wynn, a producer and longtime collaborator from New Jersey, contributed production work on three songs for their debut album and five tracks on their sophomore release.
Their debut single under Profile was "It Takes Two", which incorporated samples from the 1972 track "Think (About It)" by James Brown and Lyn Collins. What began as a regional favorite evolved into a multi-platinum success, climbing to No. 3 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
The album It Takes Two included subsequent singles such as "Joy and Pain," which sampled Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and "Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is," drawing from the Olympic Runners. This album secured a spot within the top 10 of the dance charts and peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100. Another single, "Get On the Dance Floor," produced by Wynn and sampling The Jacksons' "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)," reached No. 1 on the dance charts in 1989. Ultimately, the album was certified seven-times platinum.
In 1989, Rob Base launched his solo career with The Incredible Base, which did not achieve sales comparable to It Takes Two. One track from this album, "Turn It Out (Go Base)," managed to enter dance chart rankings.
By 2008, "It Takes Two" had been ranked number 37 on VH1's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs.
Personal lives
Robert Ginyard, known as Rob Base, was born on May 18, 1967. He relocated from the Bronx to Harlem during fourth grade, where he eventually met DJ E-Z Rock. His education took place in Harlem public schools, where he actively engaged in talent shows and hip-hop events. In 1989, he welcomed his first child, De'Jené Ginyard, with then-girlfriend Rhonda Dunbar. Two years later, in 1991, Base met April; together they had a son named Robert Ginyard Jr. in 1992 and later became guardians of April’s cousin Dysell. Rob Base and April were married until her passing in September 2013.
DJ E-Z Rock passed away on April 27, 2014, at age 46 due to complications related to diabetes.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications (sales threshold) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | |||
| 1988 | It Takes Two
|
31 | 4 | US: Platinum |
| 1989 | The Incredible Base
|
50 | 20 | US: Gold |
| 1994 | Break of Dawn
|
— | — | |
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart | ||||
Singles
| Year | Track | Highest chart rankings | Certifications (sales criteria) |
Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 |
US Dance Dance Club Songs |
US Rap Hot Rap Songs |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |
UK UK Singles Chart | |||||
| 1988 | "It Takes Two" | 36 | 3 | x | 17 | 24 |
|
It Takes Two | |
| "Get on the Dance Floor" | — | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | ||||
| "Joy and Pain" | 58 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 47 | ||||
| 1989 | "Turn It Out (Go Base)" (credited as Rob Base) |
— | 23 | 4 | 16 | 88 | The Incredible Base | ||
| 1990 | "Get Up and Have a Good Time" (credited as Rob Base) |
— | — | — | 28 | — | |||
| "Outstanding" (credited as Rob Base) |
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1994 | "Break of Dawn" | — | — | — | 110 | — | Break of Dawn | ||
| "Ready 2 Party" |
(single release only) | ||||||||
|- colspan="9" style="font-size:9pt"| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts. "x" signifies charts unavailable at the time of release. }