The emergence of the drum machine was crucial to the formation of entire areas of music — especially hip-hop, but also subgenres like Miami bass, acid house, and Detroit techno.
Before the 808, producers would dig for drum samples and meticulously loop them to create original drum patterns. With the arrival of drum machines, samples and live drummers became unnecessary. Producers were able to tweak their own patterns out of the 808’s “robotic” and “toy-like” sounds, which made it possible for nearly anyone to produce music. Drum machines like the 808 spawned the era of “bedroom producers” such as Rick Rubin (who used an 808 in his NYU dorm) and Pete Rock. Afrika Bambaataa was the first hip-hop act to put the machine on the map with his seminal 1982 record “
Planet Rock.” It also hit mainstream success with Marvin Gaye’s 1982 hit “
Sexual Healing.”
The 808 broke down the walls between genres
Nearly 40 years after the 808 hit the market, hip-hop still relies on the machine, and countless copycat kits have been built and shared online to mimic the original sounds of its sharp high-hat, snare, and cowbell. It’s a sought-after sound, with most producers claiming the copycats are nowhere near the idiosyncratic tones of the original. The 808 ended up being used by iconic acts such as Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy. Kanye West even dedicated an entire album to the sound, with every song using an 808, the most popular being “Love Lockdown.” The 808 sound in the beginning of the track is likened to a heartbeat, perhaps the clearest comparison of what a strong 808 sound is. There’s even a full-length documentary called
808, tracking the importance of the machine.
The 808 became a fixture in hip-hop culture, not only as a tool for producers but as a defining sound of the genre. When the New York epicenter of hip-hop started to move toward other machines in the 1990s, the 808 held its roots in Southern hip-hop with artists like Lil Jon (who has even been accused of overusing the handclap sound). It’s still as crucial as ever, and has spawned the creation of production groups such as 808 Mafia (Southside & Lex Luger), who are often credited with creating Atlanta’s “trap” sound, with one of the signature elements being the 808 bass drum. Trap producers Metro Boomin and Sonny Digital also rely heavily on the 808 sound, and they’re responsible for 90 percent of today’s most popular Migos and Future records — “Mask Off” being the most recent. Most, if not all, chart-topping hip-hop records today and in the past 30 years have probably used some element of an 808.
Step outside of hip-hop, and the 808 legacy can be found elsewhere, particularly in pop music. Starting as early as Cybotron’s “Clear,” and heard as recently as Jamie XX’s “Gosh,” the 808 brought a new level of power into pop’s sound. It also became heavily used in present-day EDM, with artists such as Diplo and David Guetta championing its elements in singles and collaborations.
The 808 broke down the walls between genres, and spawned collaborations between some of the biggest acts from different spaces. Because the 808 was so adaptable, it was like the first open-sourced sound, with artists building on each other’s interpretations and making it their own. Lil Jon and Usher’s “Yeah” was an unlikely collaboration that showcased an R&B singer on an 808 and made Usher instantly relevant again. Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” is nowhere near a hip-hop or techno record, yet it relied entirely on the 808. The 808 is like the not-so-secret sauce of hit records — sprinkle in an 808 drum, and your song instantly sounds better.
The TR-808 forced artists to think differently about not only the beat constructions but about flows and melodies. With no shortage of festivals and clubs in 2017, the 808 is the critical element designed for huge speakers and club systems. It’s safe to say that producers today create records with this in mind. Although the 808 established itself as a magical tool for studio nerds and prolific artists in a short time, its legacy is still evolving every day. The possibilities are endless, and we have Ikutaro Kakehashi to thank for that.
talking about grooves w/o realizing that every genre of music has an identifiable/distinct groove even when you listen to just one of the instrumental sections/parts
