You know that feeling when a song starts and the entire energy of the room just shifts? That's what happens every single time the opening of It Takes Two hits the speakers. It’s been decades since 1988, yet the second that "Woo! Yeah!" kicks in, people who weren't even born when the Reagan administration ended start losing their minds.
But here is the thing: most people singing along actually have no idea what Rob Base is talking about. Honestly, they’re just waiting for the hook.
The Story Behind the Rob Base It Takes Two Lyrics
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock didn't set out to write a philosophical manifesto. They were just two kids from Harlem who had been friends since the fourth grade at P.S. 197. They sat in the back of the class, clowned around, and eventually decided they wanted to be rappers.
When they walked into the studio to record the track that would define their lives, they didn't even have a finished song. They were literally sitting at a friend's house earlier that night, frantically digging through crates of vinyl to find something—anything—that sounded like a hit.
They found two records.
E-Z Rock liked one. Rob liked the other. They decided to smash them together.
What's wild is that the rob base it takes two lyrics weren't even supposed to be a "pop" record. Rob Base has said in interviews with The Boombox and XXL that he was a street rapper. He wanted to do something different, but his peers in the Harlem hip-hop scene actually called him a "sell-out" when the song dropped. They thought it was too catchy. Too "dance."
Fast forward to now, and those same critics are mostly forgotten, while Rob Base is still touring the world off the strength of those verses.
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The Lyn Collins Factor
The most famous part of the song isn't even Rob Base. It’s Lyn Collins.
The "It takes two to make a thing go right / It takes two to make it out of sight" line is sampled directly from her 1972 soul heater "Think (About It)." If you listen to the original Lyn Collins track, it's a gritty, powerful piece of James Brown-produced funk.
Rob Base took that sentiment of partnership and turned it into a hip-hop anthem about his relationship with the mic and the crowd.
Why the lyrics are weirder than you remember
If you actually sit down and read the rob base it takes two lyrics, you'll realize it's a strange mix of braggadocio, dance floor instructions, and random observations.
Take this line: "I'm not a king, Magician or fanatic / A master of a flow, and I'm also democratic." Democratic? In a rap song? It's a bizarre choice of words, but it works because of the internal rhyme. Rob wasn't trying to be the most complex lyricist in the world. He was trying to be the most effective one. He wanted to prove that he wasn't a "sucker MC" and that his style was for everyone—hence the "democratic" part.
Then you have the classic: "I like the Whopper, f** the Big Mac."* It’s one of the most famous product shout-outs in music history. It’s also completely unnecessary to the "plot" of the song. But that’s what makes 80s hip-hop so great. It was unfiltered. It was just a guy from Harlem telling you what he liked.
The Production Genius of Teddy Riley
While Rob Base was the voice, the sound of the track owes a massive debt to Teddy Riley. If you don't know Teddy, he’s basically the architect of New Jack Swing. He helped craft the instrumental for "It Takes Two," and you can hear his fingerprints all over that syncopated rhythm.
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The song uses a "space dust" sample from the Galactic Force Band for that eerie, atmospheric intro. Then the drums hit.
Those drums are everything.
They used the "Think" break, which is arguably the most sampled drum loop in history. But the way it was chopped for this specific song gave it a drive that felt modern in '88 and still feels fresh today. It's a masterclass in how to use a sample not just as a background, but as the literal spine of a track.
Success and the "Sell-Out" Label
When the song blew up, it didn't just stay on the hip-hop charts. It crossed over.
It hit the Billboard Hot 100. It became a multi-platinum single. For a rap song in the late 80s, this was almost unheard of. This crossover success is exactly why some of the "hardcore" rappers of the era gave him a hard time.
But Rob Base’s perspective has always been pretty simple. He told The Boombox that he looks at those guys now and half of them can't even book a show. Meanwhile, "It Takes Two" is playing at every wedding, every NBA game, and every 80s night on the planet.
He didn't sell out. He grew the audience.
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The Loss of DJ E-Z Rock
It’s impossible to talk about the legacy of these lyrics without mentioning DJ E-Z Rock (Bryce Luvah). He passed away in 2014 at only 46 years old.
Rob Base often talks about how the song was truly a partnership. The lyrics say it: "It takes two." Without E-Z Rock’s ear for that specific sample and his chemistry with Rob, the song would have just been another forgotten 12-inch single.
How to actually use this knowledge
If you're a DJ, a music producer, or just someone who wants to win at trivia, here are the real takeaways from the history of the rob base it takes two lyrics:
- Focus on the Hook: The song proves that a great hook (the Lyn Collins sample) can carry a track, but you need a charismatic lead to ground it.
- Embrace the Weirdness: Don't be afraid of "non-traditional" lyrics. The "democratic" and "Whopper" lines are what people remember because they’re unexpected.
- Sampling is an Art: Look into the "Think (About It)" sample. It’s been used by everyone from Janet Jackson to Kanye West. Studying how different producers use the same loop is the best way to learn production.
- Authenticity Trumps Trends: Rob Base was told he was "too pop," but his "pop" record has outlived almost every "street" record from the same year.
Check out the original Lyn Collins track "Think (About It)" to hear where that iconic vocal comes from. It will change the way you hear the Rob Base version forever.
Next time you hear that "Woo! Yeah!", remember it's not just a party song. It's the result of two friends from Harlem getting lucky in a studio at the last minute and accidentally changing music history.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking to incorporate this classic 80s sound into your own playlists or sets, focus on tracks from the New Jack Swing era (1987-1992). Artists like Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Guy share the same DNA as "It Takes Two," blending hip-hop's edge with R&B's melody. For a deeper technical look, search for "Ultimate Breaks and Beats Volume 16," which is the specific compilation where many producers first found the "Think" break.