13 Essential Hip-Hop Songs for 808 Day

Make no mistake about it, a lot of today’s music is inspired by Black music. That’s why Afrika Bambaataa and The Soulsonic Force blending hip-hop and electro music elements in 1982 on “Planet Rock” was nothing out of the ordinary. Beyond that, this song popularized what the Roland TR-808 drum machine was capable of: “Putting the boom in music.” 

“Planet Rock” was where “street percussion” met “Kraftwerk-inspired electronic beats” thanks to production efforts from Arthur Baker. The track peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is currently certified Gold by the RIAA. However, all real ones know that you can’t quantify influence. 

Sir-Mix-A-Lot was more than an artist who could cleverly yet directly describe a woman’s backside. Before that, the Emerald City producer shouted out the 808 by name on his breakthrough single “Posse On Broadway.” The 1988 track marked the first time a rapper from anywhere other than the East Coast, West Coast, or South truly gained national recognition. 

The “808 kick drum,” as stated in the record, soundtracked a day in the life for the Seattle native and his crew. The influential bass may have been low frequency, but the vibes were high as the gentlemen went to Seattle Central College, Taco Bell, Dick’s Drive-In, and more.

Run-DMC made magic alongside Rick Rubin as well. Their 1987 record “It’s Tricky” appeared on their LP from that same year, Raising Hell. On top of the iconic cymbal crash from the 808s, there was an interpolation of The Knack’s “My Sharona” and scratches from Jam Master Jay.

This song wouldn’t just spark something in hip-hop because of its 808 use; it would transcend genres and generations. “It’s Tricky” has soundtracked snowboarding video games, movie soundtracks, TikToks, and more. There is a shortlist of records that everyone knows and would have a Pavlovian response to, and this song is on there.

Outkast was truly enigmatic. The Dungeon Family dwellers influenced so many of Atlanta’s top acts, and yet they simultaneously created sounds that made people question their city of origin. 2003’s “The Way You Move” featuring Sleepy Brown, in particular, shook up the earth with its cutting, nimble 808 percussion, electronic elements, and low-end bounce. 

The track paid homage to the drum machine with the line “But I know y’all wanted that 808, can you feel that B-A-S-S, bass,” one of the memorable bars from the record. It resonated heavily, evident in the fact that it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and served as the second single from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Missy Elliott’s 2005 hit “Lose Control” is a special case. Though it does not officially use the Roland TR-808 drum machine, its sounds are inspired by the device. Instead, it samples Cybotron’s “Clear” and Hot Streak’s “Body Work,” the former of whom was driven by the influence of TR-808s on early techno and electro.

The handclaps, hi-hats, and sub-bass are the clear giveaways that somewhere along the way, an 808 came to mind. Nonetheless, the record was an instant smash. The Ciara and Fatman Scoop-assisted track peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and jumpstarted the rollout for hr sixth studio album The Cookbook.

One song wasn’t enough for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to show his affinity for 808s. He quite literally made a whole album powered by the machine and even added it to the title, with 2008’s 808s & Heartbreak. The Chicago artist showed fans just how different he was, coming with the lead single “Love Lockdown.”

This wasn’t your ordinary hip-hop, par for the course with Ye. It was very minimalist, carried by the punch of the TR-808 kick drum replicating a pulse. There were also tribal elements to the record, yet it was ready-made for both hip-hop, pop, and even dance scenes.

Ye didn’t just save all the 808 magic for himself, though. In 2008, he also produced “Let The Beat Build” for Lil Wayne, a cut from his highly anticipated, record-breaking LP, Tha Carter III. The record is highlighted by a simple, consistent 808 snare that backs Weezy F Baby’s shapeshifting verses during an era when he was hot as fish grease. Thus, he and Ye linking up was as epic as epic could get at the time. 

Stand this next to the “Lollipop” remix and “See You In My Nightmares” from 808s, all of which dropped in the same year, and get reminded of just how good we had it in 2008.

In 2013, Drake followed up “YOLO” with another mantra for the people: “Started from the bottom, now we’re here.” While the Nothing Was The Same lead single became an anthem for its lyrics, it hit even harder because of the production.

Mike Zombie and Noah “40” Shebib crystallized the dark, moody, minimalist production common to Drizzy’s music and put extra sauce on it with a thumping 808 sub-bass. They would replicate similar efforts on “0 to 100” and “Believe Me” the following year, but “Started From The Bottom” truly unlocked something for the 6 God and music overall.

Please rise for the national anthem. In the middle of the hottest run of his career, Future unleashed “March Madness,” the lead single from his 2015 mixtape 56 Nights. Fittingly, it was produced by 808 Mafia’s Tarentino, who utilized a distorted, sliding 808 bassline with a huge low-end bounce and rapid hi-hat groove trio. 

Tarentino was charged with avoiding the popular trap sound of that era, which led him to use more spacey and atmospheric sounds. And while it was a refreshing effort in an era that kickstarted music being a bit too repetitive, it would not exist with how the 808 has been used since the early aughts. 

With Public Enemy known for aggressive records like “Fight The Power,” it is no surprise that they helped initiate what would later become hardcore rap by using 808s. 1987’s “Yo! Bum Rush The Show” was the title track of their debut album, which is regarded as one of the most influential LPs in hip-hop history. 

Of course, one year later they would release their seminal album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, but the DNA of hardcore rap’s entire existence can be found in the preceding work. You cannot talk about the history of hip-hop, let alone 808s, without Chuck D and Flavor Flav’s voices popping into your mind. 

The Beastie Boys decided to put their thing down, flip it, and reverse it in 1986–the 808s on a specific song, that is. Their classic record “Paul Revere” is best known for quite literally playing a stripped-down 808 beat completely in reverse. 

Again, one must factor in the fact that people only had two years to purchase one of these machines; so for the Beastie Boys to land on this beat after simply playing around in a session, which notably featured Run from Run D.M.C., was iconic. “Paul Revere” served as the third single from their 1986 album Licensed To III.

It is crazy enough that LL Cool J’s 1985 track “Rock The Bells” features himself, Rick Rubin, DJ Cut Creator, and a sample of the guitar riff and hook from AC/DC’s “Flick The Switch.” You may make a music nerd spontaneously combust when you add in the fact that its punchiness and core rhythm come from 808s, and helped define early minimalist boom-bap production. 

LL came into the game swinging, with “Rock The Bells” being a key track on his debut album Radio. 80s hip-hop artists would all follow his lead, and the bubble would burst in subsequent generations. 

T La Rock & Jazzy Jay took the ball and ran with it on 1984’s “It’s Yours.” The heavy, 808-driven percussion record was the first ever single released by Def Jam, courtesy of Rick Rubin, though many believed LL Cool J had that distinction. However, Rubin introduced the world to a record that would have a ripple effect before he even connected with Russell Simmons.

Simmons, by the way, understood the impact of “It’s Yours” and wasn’t shy about it. “[‘It’s Yours’] was big; big in the underground,” he told The New York Times in 1996. “T [La Rock] started the trend and a new direction in hip-hop. He used 40-letter words. He created a special poetry. LL Cool J was the second release on the label. He borrowed ideas and attitude from T. LL would agree.”