Hip-hop producer DJ E-Z Rock (real name Rodney Bryce) died Sunday, a spokesperson for Bryce's friend and collaborator Rob Base confirmed to Rolling Stone. Bryce was 46. The cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Bryce rose to fame with the release of "It Takes Two" in 1988, a crossover hit blending hip-hop and house music genres he collaborated on with Base. The pair’s debut single went to 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and featured the signature "Yeah! Woo!" sample from Lyn Collins’ song "Think (About It)." Questlove included the track on his "Top 50 Hip Hop Songs of All Time" for Rolling Stone,
So influential was the song, it has subesquently been sampled by artists such as Snoop Dogg ("I Wanna Rock"), Mac Miller ("Play Ya Cards") and the Black Eyed Peas ("Rock That Body"), as well as Chris Brown, Girl Talk and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
Bryce grew up in New York's Harlem neighborhood alongside Base, who announced his friend's passing on his Facebook page. “RIP Skip (DJ EZ Rock) friends since 4th grade, I’m really going to miss you,” Base wrote.
Hip-hop luminaries took to social media to pay their respects to Bryce on Monday:
Rest In Power To The Homie Rodney Bryce aka Skip aka DJ EZ Rock. #HipHopLegend pic.twitter.com/DxtvE1Unkp — DJ CLARK KENT (@DJClarkKent) April 27, 2014
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R.I.P. TO EZ ROCK FROM ROB BASE AND EZ ROCK YOU WILL TRULY BE MISSED. . — BIZ MARKIE (@BizMarkie) April 27, 2014
We Have Lost Our Very Own From Harlem NYC & The Hip-Hop Culture Our Brother DJ E-Z Rock. Rest In Peace… http://t.co/qyEhZhzcnH
— DJ Red Alert (@KoolDJRedAlert) April 27, 2014
R.I.P Dj Ez Rock http://t.co/tg3MEAgeRc
— Funk Flex !!!!! (@funkflex) April 27, 2014