Roland Ignites TR-808’s 45th Anniversary With Global Celebrations, Limited-Edition New Balance Sneakers and Hip-Hop Animated Series

Roland marked the 45th anniversary of its TR-808 Rhythm Composer on Friday (August 8) with a series of global events, limited product drops and an animated tribute that highlights the machine’s major role in Hip-Hop, techno and trap music.

The company revealed a limited-edition sneaker partnership with New Balance, threw international parties and launched “The Rhythm Creators,” an eight-part animated series featuring Egyptian Lover, Prince Paul, Fatboy Slim and Jazzie B of Soul II Soul. The show blends stylized animation with archival audio to illustrate how each artist used the drum machines on landmark recordings. Narrated by the artists themselves, each episode explores their personal connections to the TR-808 and its successor, the TR-909. Detroit-based illustrator Vaughn Taormina provided the visuals.

Episode one arrived Friday, starring Egyptian Lover. New chapters will roll out each week until September.

Roland and New Balance also brought back the Tiago Lemos NM808 x Roland sneaker. Priced at $114.99, the nod to the 808’s impact on music, skateboarding and streetwear went on sale Friday at 9 a.m. EDT through the New Balance website.

To celebrate the drop, the two brands hosted an invite-only mixer in Atlanta at SESSIONS, the studio run by producer Tricky Stewart. The evening included sets from Sonny Digital and Mix Master David, plus a guest appearance by Don Cannon, host of the “BackTrack” podcast. Attendees tested new Roland gear and previewed the sneakers.

In Tokyo, Roland teamed up with streetwear label XLARGE for a Harajuku takeover with live performances by REMO-CON, Yebisu303 and Ken Plus Ichiro. The XLARGE x 808 capsule—graphic tees, hoodies and accessories—was sold in-store alongside a rare display of the original TR-808 drum machine.

At Roland Store London, the celebration continued with a live DJ set from Complexion and in-store access to the XLARGE x 808 line, which went live online as well.

Roland released a new sound pack on Roland Cloud featuring Arabian Prince, a pioneer of the Los Angeles Hip-Hop scene known for “Panic Zone” and “Situation Hot.” The TR-808 Arabian Prince pack offers his signature patterns to Roland Cloud Pro and Ultimate subscribers as well as Lifetime Key holders. This release follows earlier Roland Cloud updates tied to the anniversary, marking it as one of the standout drops in the platform’s expanded library.

Roland will offer its TR-808 Software Rhythm Composer at $49 through September 9. This digital version lets producers recreate the classic 808 sound.