Ikutaro Kakehashi, the Founder of Roland and 808s, Has Died

On April 1, Ikutaro Kakehashi, the founder of Roland and an electronic instrument pioneer, has died at 87. The Japanese engineer has created many popular drum machines including the TR-808 and TR-909, both staples of rap, electronic and pop music. In addition to the Roland Corporation, Kakehashi was also the founder of Ace Tone, another musical instrument manufacturer, including electronic organs and analog drum machines. In 2013, Kakehashi received a technical GRAMMY for his contributions to electronic music technology. Rest in peace, legend.