(Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)
“It takes two to make a thing go right” is one of the most sampled lines in hip-hop history. It’s a song that hits every time on the dance floor from young to old. That’s why, 10 years ago, the music community was so sad to see the maker of the song pass away.
Rodney Bryce, popularly known as DJ E-Z Rock (pictured left); one-half of the hip-hop duo with Rob Base, passed away in 2014 at the age of 46.
His cause of death was confirmed to be a diabetic seizure in Manhattan, New York.
While his life was full of music firsts and paving the way for other rappers and songs, his death is also something others can learn from.
Diabetic seizures, like the one DJ E-Z Rock had, occur when a diabetic’s blood glucose levels get too low as a result of an event such as using too much insulin, skipping a meal, over-exercising, or even drinking too much alcohol. To recognize a diabetic seizure, look for symptoms such as staring into space, confusion, muscle weakness, loss of consciousness, or uncontrollable body movements.
If you notice that you or a loved one are experiencing these symptoms, start by offering/eating quick-digesting sugar like a banana, juice, or glucose tablet. If symptoms do not appear to be getting better, don’t hesitate to call 911. Diabetic seizures can turn into a serious medical emergency, such as a diabetic coma, that requires urgent treatment.
Although diabetic seizures are a concerning result of low blood sugar, they are both treatable and preventable. Here are several ways to recognize a diabetic seizure and what to do.
So, what does a diabetic seizure look like? A diabetic can typically feel when a diabetic seizure is coming on due to a specific series of symptoms. At this point, it’s crucial that you measure your blood glucose levels and ingest at least 15g of fast-acting sugar, testing your blood sugar again in 10 minutes. Low blood sugar is characterized by a blood glucose reading of below 70 mg/dL and very low blood sugar is below 20mg/dL.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of a diabetic emergency, make sure that you’re seated in a safe position should you experience loss of consciousness or uncontrollable movements.
If low blood sugar levels are not attended to when the above symptoms are noticed, symptoms could progress into:
Again, if you notice any of the above symptoms in yourself or a loved one and they don’t get better with treatment, call for emergency help immediately.
E-Z Rock and Base debuted in 1986 with “DJ Interview.” Two years later, their single “It Takes Two” shot the duo to fame, becoming their most successful song and sealing their place as hip-hop legends. The song has been picked up throughout pop culture. It peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Dance/Club Songs chart; has been sampled by many hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg, Gang Starr and countless others; and has appeared in movies and even video game soundtracks.
Rock and Base followed up the hit with a debut album of the same name, and another big single, “Joy and Pain.” The album was certified platinum in 1989, peaking at No. 31 on Billboard 200.
Their follow up single “Get on the Dance Floor,” reached no. 1 on the Billboard Dance-Disco Chart. In 1989 the duo had two more hits from their album. It also reached no. 47 on the UK Chart. Later that year they released the album The Incredible Base, which sold more than 500,000 copies.
Personal issues would later separate the two; they reunited in the next decade to release Break of Dawn in 1994.
Rob Base and E-Z Rock both grew up in Harlem, becoming friends in the fourth grade. “Back then, there were other groups and we used to see other people perform,” E-Z Rock told Pennsylvania newspaper The Morning Call in 1991. “I bought a set of turntables and he bought a mic.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
As E-Z Rock recalled, the duo sent “It Takes Two” to hip-hop label Profile Records and received a call from the label the next day. “At first, it was kind of weird because we only had one record,” Rock said of the group’s first hit “Make It Hot.” “We would open up for people and get on for 15 minutes doing that one song. Then, when ‘It Takes Two’ came out, we started headlining.”
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