In the early 2000’s, Los Angeles cultivated an underground hip-hop beat culture, where every budding producer were on the same wavelength, experimenting like mad scientists in laboratories, and producing their next instrumental masterpieces.
A community formed around these artists who crafted a lo-fi, gritty sound that warbled and hissed like worn cassette tapes and vinyl. Glitched effects, samples and loops—driven along by a minimal kick/snare/hat groove—were created and performed on the Roland SP-404 Sampler.
This video shares memories from Dibia$e, Flying Lotus and Ras G but barely scratches the surface of a scene that grew from the roots of Project Blowed, Sketchbook, Boombox and Low End Theory. Now, from dedicated YouTube channels to SP-based Beat Maker showcases to loyal online communities, this underground beat culture from L.A has now found a global home.
On April 4, #404DAY, we celebrate every producer—from the lo-fi pioneers to the aspiring beat maker—that has chosen a Roland SP sampler to be your instrument and voice.
