Four days after celebrating his 59th birthday, the "It Takes Two" pioneer passed away quietly — surrounded by family and preceded in death by the woman he loved most. Here is the full story of the people behind the legend. Rob Base (born Robert Ginyard), one half of the iconic hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer. He was 59 years old — just four days past his birthday.
A Harlem Legend Passes — Four Days After His Birthday
On the morning of May 23, 2026, a brief but devastating announcement appeared on Rob Base's official Instagram page. Hip-hop had lost another pioneer. The statement confirmed that Robert Ginyard — known the world over as Rob Base — had passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, just four days after posting a heartfelt birthday message on Instagram that read: "Happy 59th Birthday to me. God thank you for allowing me to see another year."
The announcement spoke not just of a rapper, but of a man. "Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten," it read. "Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives."
For millions who grew up dancing to "It Takes Two," those words land hard. But who, exactly, was the family surrounding him in those final hours? And what was the personal story behind one of hip-hop's most infectious voices?
Rob Base's Wife: Who Was April Ginyard?
The woman at the center of Rob Base's personal life for more than two decades was April Ginyard — his wife, his anchor, and, by all accounts, the steady presence that kept him grounded long after the spotlight of 1988 had dimmed.
Rob Base met April in 1991, at a time when his music career was transitioning from its commercial peak. The two built a life quietly together, raising a blended family in what the rapper described as a close-knit household. They were together for over 23 years — a relationship that outlasted charts, touring cycles, and the inevitable turbulence of a music industry career.
Their Children and Blended Family
Rob Base had his first child, a daughter named De'Jené Ginyard, in 1989, from a previous relationship with Rhonda Dunbar. When April came into his life, she embraced De'Jené as her own. In 1992, Rob and April welcomed a son together: Robert Ginyard Jr. The family later took guardianship of April's cousin, Dysell, completing what the rapper lovingly described as a full and dynamic household.
In an interview with Celebrity Parents Magazine, Rob Base spoke openly about fatherhood and family — rare candor for a rapper of his era. The couple's home life stood in deliberate contrast to the bravado of the hip-hop stage.
Rob's music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten."— Official Statement, Rob Base's Instagram, May 22, 2026
April Ginyard's Death in 2013
Tragedy arrived years before Rob Base's own passing. In October 2013, April Ginyard died after 23 years with Rob Base. The cause of her death was never publicly disclosed — a reflection of the family's deeply private nature. She was survived by her husband, children, and Dysell.
The loss was devastating. In interviews following April's death, Rob Base spoke candidly about his grief. Remarkably, it was his longtime music partner DJ E-Z Rock who helped him cope — even as E-Z Rock himself was deteriorating from complications related to diabetes. DJ E-Z Rock (Rodney "Skip" Bryce) died in April 2014, just months after April Ginyard, compounding one of the most painful periods of Rob Base's life.
"He was in the hospital for nearly two months before he passed. He was helping me get through my problems," Rob Base told Rolling Stone, describing the final conversations with his best friend.
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Lynette Blackwell: Rob Base's Partner After April
Following April Ginyard's death, Rob Base eventually found a new creative and life partner in Lynette Blackwell, an award-winning playwright, casting director, and filmmaker based in New York. A graduate of SUNY Old Westbury, Blackwell built an impressive career in both film and theater — and her world merged with Rob Base's in a way that was both personal and professional.
Together, the pair produced the stage play "Who's This Sleeping in My Bed" — a comedic drama that was staged more than 25 times across New York City, Alabama, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Blackwell wrote and directed; Rob Base executive produced. Their collaboration extended to film: Blackwell directed "It Takes Two" for BET Her, a short film bearing the same name as the song that made him famous. She was also involved in Urban Flesh Eaters (2025), the independent horror film Rob Base executive produced in his final years.
Sources indicate that Rob Base married Lynette Blackwell after April's passing, though the couple maintained a characteristically private profile about the personal details of their relationship. Blackwell's creative fingerprints are visible across the final chapter of Rob Base's public life.
A Life of Grief and Resilience: Rob Base's Personal Timeline
Few artists in hip-hop have weathered as much personal loss in such a compressed period. Between 2013 and 2016, Rob Base lost four people close to him — a string of grief that would have broken many men.
- Mar 2013
Chandler "Omar" Spencer dies — the singer featured on the 1990s Rob Base track "Joy & Pain" was fatally shot in South Carolina.
- Oct 2013
April Ginyard passes away — Rob Base's wife of 23 years dies; cause undisclosed. The duo's bond is severed by death, not divorce.
- Apr 2014
DJ E-Z Rock dies at 46 — Rodney "Skip" Bryce succumbs to complications from diabetes. He and Rob Base shared the same birthday: May 18, 1967.
- Jul 2016
Ryan Ginyard, 24, killed by gun violence — Rob Base's cousin becomes another victim, deepening a period of personal devastation.
- 2025
Executive-produces Urban Flesh Eaters — Rob Base extends his creative legacy into independent film, working alongside Lynette Blackwell.
- May 18, 2026
Celebrates 59th birthday — Posts on Instagram: "God thank you for allowing me to see another year." His final public message.
- May 22, 2026
Rob Base dies peacefully, surrounded by family, after a private battle with cancer. He was 59.
Rob Base, one-half of Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, who was best known for the hit “It Takes Two,” has died at 59 from cancer.
— Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2026
“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family… pic.twitter.com/qASGDLqHts
The Music That Outlasted Everything
Rob Base's personal story is inseparable from the song that defined him. Released in 1988, "It Takes Two" was a seismic moment — a blending of hip-hop and house music that predated the genre crossovers of the 1990s. It peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Dance/Club Songs chart, eventually earning platinum certification from the RIAA.
The track's longevity is remarkable. It appeared in the Iron Man 2 (2010) soundtrack and has been sampled by artists across three decades. As recently as 2022 and into 2025, Rob Base was performing it live on the I Love the '90s Tour alongside Vanilla Ice, All 4 One, Color Me Badd, Tone Loc, and Young MC — aging gracefully in front of audiences who still knew every word.
What Happens Next: Legacy, Survival, and What He Leaves Behind
Rob Base is survived by his son Robert Ginyard Jr. and his daughter De'Jené Ginyard. His wife April and his lifelong musical partner DJ E-Z Rock preceded him in death — both are now part of an extraordinary story of loss that defined his later years.
The question of legacy is rarely simple in hip-hop, but Rob Base's is cleaner than most. He did not need a comeback — he never fully went away. He was still on stages. Still executive-producing. Still on Instagram, grateful for another year. That last post, just four days before his death, reads now as an inadvertent farewell — and one that feels very much in character for a man who, by every account, understood exactly how much he had to be grateful for.
The official statement closed with a line that will likely follow his name in every archive: "Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives." It was written for him, but it could just as easily have been written by him — for April, for E-Z Rock, for the family that defined him far more than any chart position ever could.
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