It Takes Two rapper Rob Base, who helped bring hip-hop to the mainstream, dead at 59

Rob Base, a rapper and one half of the Harlem hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 59.

Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, was best known for the 1988 chart-topper It Takes Two, a blend of hip-hop and house music that helped bring both genres into the mainstream.

"Rob's music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world," read a statement on his Instagram announcing his death. "Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten."

His creative counterpart Rodney (Skip) Bryce, who went by the stage name DJ E-Z Rock, died in 2014 at age 46 of complications from diabetes.

The two met as fifth grade students in Harlem in New York City and said they were inspired to make music by the success of another Harlem-based group, Crash Crew. They signed in 1987 with Profile Records, one of the earliest hip-hop labels.

The following year, It Takes Two landed in the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. The song has since been sampled by other artists including Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas and has appeared in several films. It has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The duo's next single, Get on the Dance Floor, saw similar success on the club songs chart.