Kanye West’s Beloved Drum Machine Maker Returns to Stock Market Bloomberg 12/16/2020 Kurt Schussler and Ayaka Maki (Bloomberg) -- While electronic hardware typically lingers in the shadows of the pop music world, Roland Corp.’s TR-808 Rhythm Composer has achieved enduring, household-name status. Popular Searches The drum machine flopped commercially after its early 1980s release but has altered the musical landscape for decades with its booming bass. It’s gone from being name-checked by the Beastie Boys to having its sound used by modern artists like Billie Eilish. Kanye West even paid homage with his groundbreaking album “808s & Heartbreak.” The man behind the 808 was Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, a Japanese engineer who developed a string of highly praised musical instruments. Kakehashi built Roland into a success, until the magic began to fade and the company retreated from the stock market in the wake of the financial crisis.