Rob Base, one-half of the legendary duo with DJ E-Z Rock, passed away at the age of 59. The passing of Rob Base came as a shock to many, and the entire music world has been left heartbroken. Rob Base was considered one of the most beloved American rappers, and it was only 4 days ago that he celebrated his birthday; thus, the news of his passing is even more haunting.
It was reported that Rob Base passed away after a private battle with cancer. While the details about the same have not been revealed, his fans have been wanting to know more about the rapper. So, amid Rob Base’s sudden passing, let’s have a look at his early career and massive net worth that he built from his career, which is now grabbing attention again.
Rob Base’s early life and his collaboration with Rodney “DJ E-Z Rock” Bryce
Rob Base, whose real name was Robert Ginyard, was born on May 18, 1967, in Harlem, New York, and grew up during a time when hip-hop music was just in its formative years, and it was more like the fact that hip-hop was becoming a new global culture. Rob Base’s collaboration with Rodney “DJ E-Z Rock” Bryce turned out to be one of the major breakthroughs of his career, a steady and slow-burning one. The duo met when they were only 5 years old, and eventually, their friendship turned out to be a musical collaboration. When they were both teenagers, a local rap group, Crash Crew, released a record, and it left them inspired instantly, leading them to pursue something similar.
Rob Base’s musical projects and massive breakthrough
Crash Crew’s record back then showed how street-style buzz could be turned bigger, and taking this as their main inspiration, Rob and Rendy gave it a go. As Rob bought a mic, Rendy had his hands on a mixer and turntables. Unbeatable passion, an inspiration and ultimately hard work, all of these led them to work on music, and eventually they became one of the much-loved rapping duos of the 1980s. They released their first tracks, such as DJ Interview and Make It Hot, while these songs actually brought them fame in the local space, the major breakthrough came with their track, It Takes Two. Reportedly, the song was created within a few nights, and it was so massive a hit that Rob and DJ E-Z Rock ended up landing a deal with Profile Records.
It Takes Two was released in 1988, and it introduced Rob and DJ E-Z Rock to the world of hip-hop, with the song only making it to No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. Even today, the song is simply unforgettable. The song was often referred to by Snoop Dogg and the Black Eyed Peas, while it was also featured in movies like The Proposal and Iron Man 2.
The reason that the song left a mark was that Rob’s command on the song, which was not forceful but rather breathable, amalgamated with DJ E-Z Rock’s production. It’s more than just a song, and it also brings the old-school hip-hop culture. After delivering this record-breaking single, in the same year, they released an album with the same name, and it also reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album also had some songs like Pain & Joy and Get On The Dance Floor, which were also hits.
Rob Base’s solo career, his later years and the death of DJ E-Z Rock
It Takes Two was Rob Base’s debut album, where he collaborated with DJ E-Z Rock, and this turned out to be one of the most massive projects for both of them. The next year, Rob Base wanted to do something alone. He released his solo album, The Incredible Base, in 1989. While this album failed to match the success of his first album, It Takes Two, it still held his position as a well-known face in the world of hip-hop. It was in 1994 that Rob Base again reunited with DJ E-Z Rock, and they dropped their second album, Break of Dawn.
By then, which was more than a decade after their debut album, hip-hop had changed drastically, and thus, their second album failed to leave a mark like their first one, but still kept them going. DJ E-Z Rock passed away back in 2014 due to complications of diabetes, and it ended more than a decade-long collaboration with Rob Base. After the passing of DJ E-Z Rock, Rob Base went on to work solo again and marked his presence through live performances, samples, radio play, and tours. One of his most famous tours was the I Love the 90’s Tour, wherein he performed alongside artists such as Vanilla Ice, All-4-One, and Young MC, to hit the nostalgia of 1980s and 1990s hip-hop and pop culture.
Rob Base’s demise and his massive net worth
There’s no official confirmation about the exact net worth of Rob Base; however, as per Celebrity Net Worth, his net worth, at the time of his death, was estimated to be around USD 500K to USD 1 million. Speaking about his death, the report came as a shock, and reportedly, he passed away after a private battle with cancer. No details about his cancer battle have been given out; however, it’s heartbreaking news for his fans and followers.
Photos by: Getty, WireImages, Socials
Rob Base was considered one of the pioneers of hip-hop music, who, with his single, It Takes Two, made it to the big list and never lost his charm. Even though he passed away, his work will be ever shining.
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