US rapper Rob Base is dead

American rapper Rob Base, best known for the 1988 hip-hop classic It Takes Two, has died at the age of 59 after battling cancer.

Rob Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, died on Friday surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on his official Instagram page.

The statement described him as a loving father, family man, friend and creative force whose music shaped a generation.

“Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives,” the post read.

Born in Harlem, New York, Rob Base rose to fame as one half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock.

The pair became international stars after releasing It Takes Two, a song widely credited with helping hip-hop gain stronger acceptance in clubs and on mainstream pop charts.

The track reached number three on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Over the years, It Takes Two remained a major cultural hit, appearing in films, television, video games and being sampled by top artists including Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas.

Tributes have continued to pour in from fans and celebrities following news of his death.

Comedian Dane Cook described Rob Base as a performer who “rocked the microphone,” while NFL legend Deion Sanders called him “a legend.”

Rob Base’s longtime musical partner, DJ E-Z Rock, whose real name was Rodney Bryce, died in 2014 from diabetes-related complications. He was 56.

The duo had known each other since childhood and released their first single, DJ Interview, in 1986 before achieving global success with It Takes Two.

In a previous interview, Rob Base said the hit song came together almost by accident after they discovered the Lyn Collins sample shortly before entering the studio.

He admitted he never expected the song to become as big as it eventually became.

Rob Base leaves behind a legacy as one of the artists who helped push hip-hop from the streets of New York into global pop culture.