It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock song)

"It Takes Two" is a song by New York City hip hop duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock that became a top-40 single and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Since it was released in 1988 by Profile Records, the song has been covered and sampled by several recording artists.^[1]

"It Takes Two"
Single by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
from the album It Takes Two
Released	June 1, 1988 (1988-06-01)
Recorded	1987
Genre	Hip hop
Length	5:00 (album version) 4:32 (radio edit) 3:31 (short edit)
Label	Profile
Songwriter(s)	James Brown Robert Ginyard
Producer(s)	Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock William Hamilton
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock singles chronology
"It Takes Two" (1988) "Get on the Dance Floor" (1988)

"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 All Music Guide. "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 "Yeah! Woo!" 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 group Seduction in their hit song "Two to Make It Right" as well as 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^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

"It Takes Scoop"

"It Takes Scoop"
Single by Fatman Scoop featuring the Crooklyn Clan
Released	February 9, 2004 (2004-02-09)
Length	4:19 (album version) 2:50 (radio edit)
Label	Def Jam AV8
Songwriter(s)	Fatman Scoop Giotto Bini Andrea Rizzo
Producer(s)	The Crooklyn Clan
Fatman Scoop singles chronology
"Be Faithful" (2003) "It Takes Scoop" (2004) "In the Club" (2004)
The Crooklyn Clan singles chronology
"Be Faithful" (2003) "It Takes Scoop" (2004)
Audio
"It Takes Scoop" on YouTube

In 2000, American disc jockey 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 Grandmaster Flash and 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" Chart (2000) Peak position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[18] 85 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[19] 12 "It Takes Scoop" Chart (2004) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[20] 23 Australian Urban (ARIA)[21] 7 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] 44 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[23] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[24] 15 Italy (FIMI)[25] 39 Scotland (OCC)[26] 15 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 33 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 9 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[29] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position UK Singles (OCC)[30] 189

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	February 9, 2004	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Def Jam AV8	[31]
Australia	April 5, 2004	CD		[32]

In popular culture

• The song was used in the films Iron Man 2, Bumblebee, The Proposal, Hey Arnold! The Movie, Sisters, The Disaster Artist, Love & Basketball, Spies in Disguise, and The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart.^[33] The Yeah! Woo! drum break was also used in the opening sequence of the unlicensed NES multicart Action 52.

See also

• 1988 in music

References

1. Jason Newman (April 27, 2014). "DJ E-Z Rock of 'It Takes Two' Fame Dead at 46 | Music News". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock: It Takes Two: Composed by Robert Ginyard: Song Review". AllMusic.com. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
3. "100 Greatest Singles of All Time". Spin. April 1989. p. 51. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
4. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
5. "Best of '88: How Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock's 'It Takes Two' Became an Overnight Smash". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
6. Lester, Paul (July 11, 2012). "New band of the week Maxsta (No 1,306)". The Guardian. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
7. Limbong, Andrew (September 18, 2018). "The Voice Behind One Of Hip-Hop's Most Famous Hooks". NPR.
8. Reynolds, Simon (April 23, 1988). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 36. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
9. "Rob Base Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
10. "Rob Base Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
11. "Rob Base Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
12. "American single certifications – Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
13. It Takes Scoop (UK & Australian CD single disc notes). Fatman Scoop. Def Jam Recordings, AV8 Records. 2004. 9816983.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. It Takes Two (US CD single liner notes). DJ Kool. AV8 Records. 2000. AV8-147.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. It Takes Two (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). DJ Kool. AV8 Records. 2000. AV8-147.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. It Takes Scoop (UK 12-inch single sleeve). DJ Kool. Def Jam Recordings, AV8 Records. 2000. 9816984.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
17. It Takes Scoop (European CD single liner notes). DJ Kool. Def Jam Recordings, AV8 Records. 2000. 9817211.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. "Fatman Scoop Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
19. "Fatman Scoop Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
20. "Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
21. "Issue 737" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
22. "Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
23. "Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It Takes Scoop". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
25. "Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop". Top Digital Download. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
26. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
27. "Fatman Scoop feat. The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
29. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
30. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
31. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. February 7, 2004. p. 33.
32. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 5th April 2004" (PDF). ARIA. April 5, 2004. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
33. "Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock: It Takes Two in Sisters Movie". InSoundtrack.com. May 4, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017.

External links

• Music video on YouTube