It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock song)
1988 single by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
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"It Takes Two" is a song by New York City hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock that became a top-40 single and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Since its release in 1988 by Profile Records, the song has been covered and sampled by several recording artists.[1]
- 5:00 (album version)
- 4:32 (radio edit)
- 3:31 (short edit)
| "It Takes Two" | ||||
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| Single by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock | ||||
| from the album It Takes Two | ||||
| Released | June 1, 1988 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop | |||
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| Label | Profile | |||
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| Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "It Takes Two" on YouTube | ||||
"There are many critics and listeners who claim that Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock's 'It Takes Two' is the greatest hip-hop single ever cut," noted music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic. "It's hard to disagree with them."[2] Spin magazine published a list titled "100 Greatest Singles of All Time" in 1989 and ranked "It Takes Two" at number one.[3] In 2021, it was listed at number 116 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[4]
Composition and background
The song was produced by Rob Base, DJ E-Z Rock, and William Hamilton and built around the Think break sample and other elements from Lyn Collins' 1972 song "Think (About It)."[5][6] Rhonda Parris was brought in by Profile Records to sing the hook.[7] The song was sampled in November 1989 by the female dance-pop trio Seduction in their hit song "Two to Make It Right" (lyrics only); it was also sampled by the Black Eyed Peas in their 2009 hit "Rock That Body."
Critical reception
Simon Reynolds from Melody Maker wrote, "The Rob Base/E.Z. Rock track is another exercise in attrition through overbearing sensual soul power. They take a shriek of JB at his most histrionic, and turn what is on the original record a singular peak of ecstasy into a jackknifing rhythmic copula that just goes on and on and on, like a locked groove. Climax after climax after climax. The effect is akin to hyperventilation."[8]
Charts
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC) | 24 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 36 |
| US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[10] | 3 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[11] | 17 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
"It Takes Scoop"
| "It Takes Scoop" | ||||
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| Single by Fatman Scoop featuring the Crooklyn Clan | ||||
| Released | February 9, 2004 | |||
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| Producer | The Crooklyn Clan | |||
| Fatman Scoop singles chronology | ||||
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| The Crooklyn Clan singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio | ||||
| "It Takes Scoop" on YouTube | ||||
In 2000, DJ Kool used "It Takes Two" as a basis for his song of the same name, featuring Fatman Scoop. His version charted at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart that July. Fatman Scoop later recorded his own version of DJ Kool's take, retitling it "It Takes Scoop", which features the Crooklyn Clan. It was released as the follow-up to "Be Faithful", which topped the UK singles chart in October 2003 and charted worldwide. Fatman Scoop wrote the track with Giotto Bini and Andrea Rizzo, and it was produced by the Crooklyn Clan.
Along with the original "Think (About It)" sample, "It Takes Scoop" contains elements from "Treat 'Em Right" and "Caught Up" by Chubb Rock and "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" by Melle Mel.[13] Released as a single on February 9, 2004, the song reached number nine on the UK singles chart and became a top-40 hit in Australia, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland.
Track listings
US CD single[14]
- "It Takes Two" (radio edit)
- "It Takes Two" (extended mix)
- "It Takes Two" (original live mix)
- "Area Code"
- "Bonus Beats"
US 12-inch single[15]
- A. "It Takes Two" (Crooklyn Clan mix)
- B. "It Takes Two" (Crooklyn Clan edit)
UK and Australian CD single[13]
- "It Takes Scoop" (album version) – 4:19
- "It Takes Scoop" (radio edit) – 2:50
- "It Takes Scoop" (video CD-ROM)
UK 12-inch single and European CD single[16][17]
- A. "It Takes Scoop" (radio edit) – 2:50
- B. "It Takes Scoop" (album version) – 4:19
Charts
Weekly charts"It Takes Two"
"It Takes Scoop"
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Year-end charts
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Release history
In popular culture
- The song was used in the films Love & Basketball (2000), Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002), The Proposal (2009), Iron Man 2 (2010), Focus (2015), Sisters (2015), The Disaster Artist (2017), Bumblebee (2018), Spies in Disguise (2019), and The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart (2023).[33] The Think break drum break was also used in the opening sequence of the unlicensed NES multicart video game compilation Action 52 (1992). The song was also featured on one of the radio stations in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). In 2018 (aired in 2019) Rob Base himself performed the song on Jersey Shore Family Vacation at Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and his wife's wedding.