Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock

Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
Origin	Harlem, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1985–Present
Labels	Profile Records, Funky Base Records
Associated acts	The Delphonics The Cut Technician
Members	Robert Ginyard, Rodney Bryce

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock are a hip-hop duo from Harlem, New York who are best known for their hit "It Takes Two." The duo consists of Rob Base (Robert Ginyard, born May 18, 1967) and DJ E-Z Rock (Rodney "Skip" Bryce).

Career

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 first Profile release was "It Takes Two." It uses 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 #3 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

An album, also called It Takes Two, was quickly put together and it produced a significant 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 also hit the Top 10 on the dance chart and climbed to #38 on the Hot 100. "Get On the Dance Floor," a track released to clubs in between the two singles, hit #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. However, vicious rumors started to circulate that Rob Base had legal problems for using samples from Maze's Frankie Beverly for the hit "Joy and Pain", and he had his own personal problems.^{[citation needed]} DJ E-Z Rock also was forced to leave the group due to his own personal issues, so Rob Base was left to be a solo artist.^{[citation needed]}

He 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.

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock had a reunion album in 1994 with Break of Dawn; however, the album did not do well commercially.

In 2008, their song "It Takes Two" was ranked number 37 on VH1's 100 greatest songs of hip hop.^{[citation needed]}

The duo recently performed in Boston with C+C Music Factory.^{[citation needed]}

Current Life

Rob Base has been married for 21 years (as of 2011) to his wife April, and they have two children, Dejene and Robert, Jr. In addition, they serve as guardians for April's younger cousin, Dysell.

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions		Certifications (sales threshold)
		US	US R&B
1988	It Takes Two Release date: August 9, 1988 Label: Profile Records	31	4	US: Platinum
1989	The Incredible Base Release date: November 17, 1989 Label: Profile Records	50	20	US: Gold
1994	Break of Dawn Release date: September 13, 1994 Label: Funky Base Records	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions				Certifications (sales threshold)	Album
		US	US Dance	US Rap	US R&B
1988	"It Takes Two"	36	3	—	17	US: Platinum	It Takes Two
	"Get on the Dance Floor"	—	1	6	—
	"Joy and Pain"	58	9	5	11
1989	"Turn It Out (Go Base)"	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

External links

• Rob's Official justRHYMES.com profile - music, bio, videos & more
• Maxim.com Rap Public Service Announcement featuring Rob Base