Song:It Takes Two
Album:Power 106 FM: 10th Anniversary Compilation
The 1988 single It Takes Two was one of the more memorable early hip-hop classics. The duo didn't last very long but that wasn't unusual in that kind of music. Robert "Rob Base" Ginyard and Rodney "DJ E-Z Rock" Bryce grew up in Harlem, NY. They were in a group called The Sureshot Seven. After graduating from high school, they were the the only two members left. They released a couple of singles on the World To World label that did well enough to get them a deal with the much bigger Profile label with PolyGram distribution. It Takes Two was the first single from the album It Takes Two. It reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a big dance club hit and the video was in heavy rotation on MTV. I think it was a much bigger hit than the chart position would indicate. The record samples liberally from the 1972 Lyn Collins single Think (About It) produced by James Brown. The album was certified Platinum. A second single Joy and Pain also did well. This sampled liberally from Maze's Joy and Pain. Maze leader Frankie Beverly sued them. Then they split up due to Bryce's personal problems. Ginyard released the 1989 album The Incredible Base that was unsuccessful. The two did reunite for a 1994 album but it went nowhere. The album It Takes Two is out of print. But you can get the single on plenty of various artists CDs including this budget CD. Both guys continued to perform in New York clubs but they never recorded again. Rodney Bryce died of a diabetic seizure on Apr. 27, 2014 at age 46. Here's the video for It Takes Two by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock.
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