Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
{{Short description|American hip hop duo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
| image = Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock in 2006.jpg
| caption = Rob Base (left) and DJ E-Z Rock in 2006
| alias =
| origin = Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
| genre = Hip hop
| years_active = 1985–2014
| label = {{flatlist|
- Profile
- Funky Base
}}
| associated_acts = The Delphonics, The Cut Technician, Kyle Rifkin
| website =
| past_members =
- Rob Base
- DJ E-Z Rock
}}
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock were an American hip hop duo from Harlem, New York City. Rob Base is the stage name of Robert Ginyard (b. May 18, 1967){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rob-base-mn0000827423|title=Rob Base Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |website=AllMusic}} 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" that was a top 40 hit and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. 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.{{cite web| first=Stephen Thomas | last= Erlewine |url= http://www.allmusic.com/song/it-takes-two-mt0030371217 |title=It Takes Two – Rob Base, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock | Listen, Appearances, Song Review |publisher= AllMusic |access-date=May 14, 2014|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine }}
Career
File:Houston Dash 90s Bash, 2023-10-08 (53256190414) (cropped).jpg
The duo's first U.S. single and release was "DJ Interview", appearing on World to World, which later got them a recording contract with Profile 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.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
The first Profile release was "It Takes Two".{{cite encyclopedia |title= It Takes Two| encyclopedia= The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music| editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|pages=287–88}} It used multiple samples from the James Brown and Lyn Collins 1972 song "Think (About It)". The track first became a regional hit and then slowly climbed the Billboard Hot 100, picking up a multi-platinum single certification. The song also peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
Their album It Takes Two was quickly{{quantify|date=February 2024}} assembled. It produced a notable follow-up hit, "Joy and Pain", which sampled a song of the same name by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, as well as "Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is" by the Olympic Runners. 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)" by The 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, the It Takes Two album went platinum seven times over.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
Base responded in 1989 with The Incredible Base, his debut solo album. It did not sell as well as It Takes Two. 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 on VH1's 100 greatest songs of hip hop.{{cite web| first= Jim |last= Macnie |url=http://blog.vh1.com/2008-09-24/100-greatest-hip-hop-songs/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130601225614/http://blog.vh1.com/2008-09-24/100-greatest-hip-hop-songs/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 1, 2013 |title= VH1′s 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Ever |website= VH1.com |date=September 24, 2008 |access-date=August 18, 2014}}
Personal lives
Rob Base was born Robert Ginyard on May 18, 1967. In the fourth grade, he relocated in New York City from the Bronx to Harlem in Manhattan, where he became a classmate of DJ E-Z Rock.{{cite news |last1=Emmanuel |first1=C. M. |title=Rob Base Remembers DJ E-Z Rock And The Making Of 'It Takes Two' |url= https://www.xxlmag.com/rob-base-dj-ez-rock-interview/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |work=XXL |date=2 May 2014 |language=en}} He attended Harlem public schools and loved music. Influenced by rap, he performed in talent shows and at as many open 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.{{cite web |url= http://www.celebrityparentsmag.com/2009/04/celebrity-parents-exclusive-hip-hop-legend-rob-base.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110213212148/http://www.celebrityparentsmag.com/2009/04/celebrity-parents-exclusive-hip-hop-legend-rob-base.html|archive-date=February 13, 2011|title= Hip Hop Legend Rob Base| website= celebrityparentsmag.com| publisher= | date= | access-date= }}
DJ E-Z Rock died on April 27, 2014, at age 46 after complications from diabetes.{{cite web| first= Jason |last= Newman |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dj-e-z-rock-of-it-takes-two-fame-dead-at-46-20140427 |title=DJ E-Z Rock of 'It Takes Two' Fame Dead at 46 |publisher= | work= Rolling Stone |date=April 27, 2014 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20180727001244/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dj-e-z-rock-of-it-takes-two-fame-dead-at-46-92293/| archivedate= July 27, 2018 |access-date= March 8, 2024}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart ! rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:35px;"| US ! style="width:35px;"| US R&B |
| 1988
| style="text-align:left;"| It Takes Two
| 31 | 4 | style="text-align:left;"| |
| 1989
| style="text-align:left;"| The Incredible Base
| 50 | 20 | style="text-align:left;"| |
| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| Break of Dawn
| — | — | |
| colspan="5" style="font-size:9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:35px;"| US ! style="width:35px;"| US Dance ! style="width:35px;"| US Rap ! style="width:35px;"| US R&B ! style="width:35px;"| UK |
| rowspan="3"| 1988
| style="text-align:left;"| "It Takes Two" | 36 | 3 | x | 17 | 24 | style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"| It Takes Two |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Get on the Dance Floor"
| — | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Joy and Pain"
| 58 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 47 | |
| 1989
| style="text-align:left;"| "Turn It Out (Go Base)" | — | 23 | 4 | 16 | — | | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"| The Incredible Base |
| rowspan="2"| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| "Get Up and Have a Good Time" | — | — | — | 28 | — | |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Outstanding" (as Rob Base) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| "Break of Dawn" | — | — | — | 110 | — | | style="text-align:left;"| Break of Dawn |
| 1999
| style="text-align:left;"| "Ready 2 Party" | — | — | — | — | — | | style="text-align:left;"| (single only) |
| colspan="9" style="font-size:9pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. "x" denotes that chart did not exist at the time. |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{allmusic}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080410191221/http://www.justrhymes.com/RobBase Rob's Official justRHYMES.com profile – music, bio, videos & more]
- [http://www.maxim.com/RapPublicServiceAnnouncements/articles/9662.aspx?src=ICM:MTd Maxim.com Rap Public Service Announcement featuring Rob Base]
{{Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock}}
Category:African-American musical duos
Category:American hip-hop duos
Category:Hip-hop groups from New York City
Category:East Coast hip-hop groups
Category:American dance music groups
Category:Musical duos from New York (state)
Category:Musical groups established in 1985
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2014