DJ E-Z Rock Reportedly Dies

There’s nothing worse than getting bad news on a Sunday night.

DJ E-Z Rock, known for his ’80s hits with rapper Rob Base, apparently died Sunday night. Sadly, Rob Base himself confirmed the news:

R.I.P Skip (DJ E-Z Rock) my friend. My brother. http://t.co/SDYn1QasCF
— Rob Base (@Robbasemusic) April 28, 2014

There’s still no word of cause of death.

If you don’t know Rock’s name, you definitely know his hits. His work helped break hip-hop shatter the glass ceiling, reaching mainstream audiences.

E-Z Rock and Rob Base teamed for the classic platinum hit “It Takes Two” in 1988. “Joy and Pain” and “Get On The Dance Floor” followed, pushing the duo’s It Takes Two album to platinum status in 1989. The pair later separated but reunited in 1994 with Break of Dawn.

Rock’s laid the foundation for hip-hop’s mainstream success today. His work won’t be forgotten.