808 Day: Learn The History Of The 'New York' Roland TR-808

To celebrate 808 Day (August 8), Roland has released a new video that details the background of the famous TR-808 Rhythm Composer, the drum machine that was vital to the development of popular genres like dance and hip hop.

From the video’s description:

Pioneer New York City hip-hop producer, Larry Smith, joined Arthur Baker and Rick Rubin as a champion of the 808 sound. His personal Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer quickly earned a reputation as having THAT sound and become the rhythmic signature on iconic albums and tracks from Run DMC, Beastie Boys and Whodini.

This story follows this ‘New York’ TR-808 as it passed hands from the late Larry Smith to his son and producer, Larry Smith Jr, and Rashad Smith for this iconic 808 sound to continue on in modern productions. The TR-808 travels to Los Angeles and 1500 Sound Academy and introduced to the future generation of producers and beatmakers who hear an original TR-808 for the first time.

Each year, on August 8, we celebrate 808 Day and join the global community in the celebration of the music and culture that grew from the love for the Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer. Join the celebration by tagging your stories with #808day and experience other stories from around the world.

You can explore the history of the TR-808 in greater depth by visiting the Roland website.

Next: This $20 Drum Chip Emulates The Roland TR-808