Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedIt Takes Two
Hip-Hop1980s111BPM
G majKey
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The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record and no litigated dispute — built on Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It)” break (already in this catalog), personally chosen by Rob Base. The one open question — whether Teddy Riley produced it, which Rob Base has personally denied while another source asserts it — is a factual disagreement between sources, presented honestly in Rights Status rather than resolved either way.
Sampled 200+ times
Used by independents?
Yes — sampled across independent Chicago house, Miami bass and Eurodance records — 200+ uses in all.
Quick Facts
Released1988
AlbumIt Takes Two
GenreHip-Hop, Hip-House
LabelProfile Records
ProducerRob Base · DJ E-Z Rock · William Hamilton (disputed — see Rights Status)
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Rob Base, DJ E-Z Rock & William Hamilton (+ the documented Lyn Collins / James Brown sample writers)
Shatterthestandards → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Profile Records; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — reportedly sampled or interpolated in 200+ subsequent songs across Chicago house, Miami bass and European Eurodance; called “the greatest hip-hop single ever cut” by AllMusic.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed writers of record and no litigated dispute — the open question is a factual production-credit discrepancy (see Rights Status).
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The 1972 Lyn Collins break and vocal sample this is built on (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Rob Base, DJ E-Z Rock & William Hamilton (per Rob Base’s own account) + the sampled Lyn Collins / James Brown writers
An unresolved production-credit discrepancySources directly conflict on production credit. Rob Base has personally and directly denied in a Rolling Stone interview that Teddy Riley was involved at all, crediting only himself, DJ E-Z Rock and William Hamilton. At least one other source states Teddy Riley produced the track. Presented as a real, documented conflict — not asserting either version as settled.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A genuinely spontaneous overnight origin
Directly confirmed by Rob Base: it was recorded as a quick demo the night before entering the studio, with the lyrics written the night before too — a spontaneous, unplanned creative process.
Rolling Stone · read it →
A charming, unfunded, improvised video
Shot independently on Harlem’s 125th Street since the label reportedly didn’t fund an official video — featuring spontaneous appearances from Biz Markie and DJ Red Alert, who reportedly simply walked by and joined in.
Rolling Stone · read it →
One of the most acclaimed singles ever
Ranked #1 on Spin’s 1989 “100 Greatest Singles of All Time” and #116 on Rolling Stone’s 2021 “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Wikipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
200+
Times sampled
Built on Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It)”
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
IT
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 5)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass