Rapper Rob Base Dies at 59 Rob Base's life was marked by the fleeting nature of fame in the hip hop world.
Born Robert Matthews on December 17, 1963, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he grew up in a musical household and began rapping as a teenager.
As a young man, Base (as he would later be known) was part of the early days of hip hop culture in Philadelphia, attending parties where DJs like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were gaining popularity.