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 & 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 & 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 & 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" (lyrics only) 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, 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. The song was also featured on one of the radio stations in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

See also

• 1988 in music