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Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock | |
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 Rob Base (left) and DJ E-Z Rock in 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Manhattan,New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1985–2014 |
| Labels |
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| Past members |
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Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock were an Americanhip hop duo fromHarlem, New York City. Rob Base is the stage name of Robert Ginyard (b. May 18, 1967)[1] and DJ E-Z Rock was the stage name of Rodney "Skip" Bryce (1967–2014). They are best known for the 1988 single "It Takes Two", a "hip-hop staple"[2] that was atop 40 hit and has beencertified platinum by theRIAA. That song was a part of the duo's album of the same name, which also has been certified platinum. They are known for being pioneers of the crossover success that rap music would have in the popular music mainstream.[3]
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The duo's first U.S. single and release was "DJ Interview", appearing on World to World, which later got them a recording contract withProfile Records in 1987. The duo was assisted by a long-time friend from New Jersey, producer David Wynn. David Wynn produced three songs on their debut album and five on their sophomore album.[citation needed]
The first Profile release was "It Takes Two".[4] It used multiple samples from theJames Brown andLyn Collins 1972 song "Think (About It)".[4] The track first became a regional hit and then slowly climbed theBillboard Hot 100, picking up a multi-platinum single certification. The song also peaked at No. 3 on theHot Dance Music/Club Play chart.[citation needed]
Their albumIt Takes Two was quickly[quantify] assembled. It produced a notable follow-up hit, "Joy and Pain", which sampled a song of the same name byMaze featuringFrankie Beverly, as well as "Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is" by theOlympic Runners.[4] It reached the top 10 on the dance chart and climbed to No. 58 on the Hot 100. "Get On the Dance Floor", which sampled "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" byThe Jacksons, produced by David Wynn, was a track released to clubs in between the two singles. It hit No. 1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1989. Boosted by those singles, theIt Takes Two album went platinum seven times over.[citation needed]
Base responded in 1989 withThe Incredible Base, his debut solo album.[4] It did not sell as well asIt Takes Two.[4] One song from the album hit the dance chart in late 1989: "Turn It Out (Go Base)", credited only to Rob Base.
In 2008, their song "It Takes Two" was ranked number 37 onVH1's 100 greatest songs of hip hop.[5]
Rob Base was born Robert Ginyard on May 18, 1967.[1] In thefourth grade, he relocated inNew York City fromthe Bronx toHarlem inManhattan, where he became a classmate of DJ E-Z Rock.[6] He attended Harlem public schools and loved music. Influenced by rap, he performed intalent shows and at as manyopen mic or hip-hop events as possible. His first child, De'Jené Ginyard, was born in 1989 to his then-girlfriend Rhonda Dunbar, with whom he was in a relationship from 1986 to 1990. In 1991, Base met April, and in 1992, they had a son, Robert Ginyard Jr. They subsequently took guardianship of April's cousin Dysell. Base and April married and remained together until her death in September 2013.[7]
DJ E-Z Rock died on April 27, 2014, at age 46 after complications fromdiabetes.[2]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [8] | US R&B [9] | |||
| 1988 | It Takes Two
| 31 | 4 | |
| 1989 | The Incredible Base
| 50 | 20 |
|
| 1994 | Break of Dawn
| — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [11] | US Dance [12] | US Rap [13] | US R&B [14] | UK [15] | ||||
| 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)" (as Rob Base) | — | 23 | 4 | 16 | — | The Incredible Base | |
| 1990 | "Get Up and Have a Good Time" (as Rob Base) | — | — | — | 28 | — | ||
| "Outstanding" (as Rob Base) | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | "Break of Dawn" | — | — | — | 110 | — | Break of Dawn | |
| 1999 | "Ready 2 Party" | — | — | — | — | — | (single only) | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. "x" denotes that chart did not exist at the time. | ||||||||
| International | |
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| Artists | |