R.I.P. DJ E-Z Rock, Hip Hip Community In Mourning

dj-e-z-rock-is-dead

“RIP Skip (DJ EZ Rock) friends since 4th grade, I’m really going to miss you.” ~Rob Base

DJ E-Z Rock has passed away at the age of 46-years-old. At this time, DJ E-Z Rock’s – cause and manner of death remain scarce — but the sudden loss of the Harlem DJ – whose real name is Rodney Bryce — has struck a chord in the Hip Hop community.. particularly, Rob Base.

“E-Z Rock and Rob Base has been the best of friends since childhood and put out their first single “DJ Interview” which led to them signing a recording contract with Profile Records in 1987.”

Screen-shot-2014-04-28-at-12.04dj-ez-rock-tribute djezrock-dead

Rolling Stone reports:

“DJ E-Z Rock was part of the Harlem duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. The tandem produced the classic 1988 single, ‘It Takes Two,’ which can still get a party started just right no matter the occasion. The song became a nationwide hit and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart. Their follow-up single, ‘Joy and Pain,’ which samples Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly’s song of the same name, was another club hit. The duo’s ‘Get on the Dance Floor,’ which samples the Jacksons’ ‘Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground), reached No. 1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Songs chart. Those three singles alone help the album achieved seven-times platinum status. After the success of that album, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock split up due to personal reasons, only to reunite in 1994 for their second album, ‘Break of Dawn.'”

dj-ez-rock-funeral

26 COMMENTS

  1. Job well done brotha, you had your part in changin the world, if anyone doubts that they don’t remember the summer of 1988!
    Much love and Rest in Peace!

  2. R.I.P.

    Seems to be a lot of people in Hip-Hop dying lately, and not from gunfire, as some detractors would think. Odd.

    • Rah, It got me to thinking about Omar Chandler’s death. I remember him saying he got diabetes, but his death, Rah I got some tea. And believe it or not, it got me the thinking was DJ EZ Rock is similar to Omar’s? They always came to South Carolina especially Hartsville. Smh…

    • @SB–I said ‘odd’ because of their involvement in Hip-Hop, not their ages or health (Which, while not as ‘odd’ anymore, especially among black Americans, is still abnormal). And no offense, but it’s common knowledge that people of all races, ethnic groups, or whatever die young.

      @DaRa–What’s up? Omar Chandler? I didn’t even know about him dying. Crazy.

  3. @Vandellish, well said!!

    however, WTF is going on with these rappers dropping dead in the middle 40s. Is it a poor diet of fast food, or is it the residual effects of drugs.

    I say to the kids today, don’t fall into the drugs trp. Even when you quit, the residual effects will pop up 15 years later. Coke ruins heart muscles. Not saying that is what this brotha died from, but kinda’ makes you wonder WTF is going on?

  4. R.I.P.i remember him from the days of run D.M.C and LLcoolJ, and whodini the real rap era baby before all this ganster shit he was in the real rap era before it was trashed out R.I.P.dj E.Z. rock you will be missed but not forgoten

  5. Omg! First Omar, and DJ EZ Rock!Mannnnnnnnnm! It Takes Two is my song! R.I.P. man!

  6. Who killed him are better question who had him killed. To many strange things is going on in the hip world rip

    • Who said anything about him being killed! They haven’t listed a cause of death yet! RIP DJ EZ Rock.. Golden era of hip hop! Always loved their music, and your right Joy & Pain, and It takes two can still get a party jumping!

  7. I agree that these rappers and djs are dying because of unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, and even drug and alcohol use. A chicago dj by the name of dj Rashad passed away at 35 yesterday. It takes two is one of those records that takes me back to my childhood. RIP dj E Z Rock brothers gone to young and too soon.

  8. When I grew up.hip hop was not widely played on the radio. I remember being 22 in a supermarket in the suburbs and hearing The song It Takes Too 🙂 I almost lost my mind. I could not believe it.( King Kullen). I said wow we are advancing. I will never forget that moment. I was singing it while shopping. 20 years later I’m in the car with my daughter and I can’t remember which new artist stole the Whole song. The song came on and I was like ohh shit and started to rap it and she was rapping right along with me. I was surprised she knew the lyrics. It was verbatim. We were rapping it together. I told her THAT was the jam back in my day. May his soul rest in peace.

    • rob base and ez rock sampled all their beats frankie beverly sued them for joy and pain.

      • Yeah, I remember watching a video on Youtube by Bro. Panic where he said something to the effect of, back then (’80s to early ’90s), rappers were sampling like crazy because there weren’t any laws or anything that required them to clear the samples until the early ’90s when the samplee’s started suing. That goes a long way towards explaining why artists like James Brown, Frankie Beverly, Zapp & Roger Troutman, and others were sampled so much before and after the law(s) was/were enacted.

      • @Chris so did Omar Chandler too. Omar was singing the chorus part of Joy n Pain.

  9. Wow! Life’s indeed very short. Summer of ’88 was da truth. RIP another Hip Hop pioneer.

Comments are closed.