Rob Base, born Robert Ginyard, died peacefully on May 22 surrounded by family, days after his 59th birthday, according to a joint Instagram statement.
Cancer caused the death after a private illness that had not been publicly disclosed, prompting shocked reactions from peers including Kid Capri and Easy Mo Bee.
The Harlem rapper rose with DJ E-Z Rock on 1988 hit "It Takes Two," a platinum crossover single that helped push hip-hop into the mainstream and remained widely sampled for decades.
Base kept touring on nostalgia circuits and mentoring younger artists through Funky Base Inc. after DJ E-Z Rock died in 2014 from diabetes complications.
Beyond music, will Rob Base's final project as a horror film producer reshape his creative legacy?
With sampling now digital, what is lost from the original creative process of pioneers like Rob Base?
How will the music world honor the artist who taught a generation that 'It Takes Two'?