Roland announces its plans to celebrate 404 Day 2023. Activities include a showcase of performance livestreams from around the world, an in-person musical tribute to the late beatmaking legend Ras G, a Roland Lifestyle Ras G Tribute Streetwear Collection drop to benefit music education for children, the 404 Day Beat Maker Sample Pack Vol. 1, the Limited Edition 404 Day V-MODA Shield Collection, and more.
#404Day Livestreaming Performances
Roland is showcasing a series of livestreaming performances from 12 U.S. and international artists throughout the day on April 4. Featured artists will be streaming from their own social media channels and include J Rocc, Sarah The Illstrumentalist, Acemo, Flofilz, Reo Matsumoto, Lightfoot, Foodman, Mr. Slipz, Phennel Koliander, Valerio Delphi, Mayumikiller, and Huey Mnemonic. The schedule for Roland’s entire #404Day performance showcase is availablehere.
The Celebration of Ras G
Ras G created a sound universe in and of itself. Hailing from Leimert Park, an epicenter of African American art, music, and culture in Los Angeles, his music went on to help define the sound of L.A.’s beatmaking scene and beyond. Using Roland SP-404 samplers and a vast music library, Ras G influenced friends and fellow musicians such as Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Linafornia, and many others. Roland and V-MODA are partnering with Poobah Records, dublab, the family of Ras G, and Roland Lifestyle to celebrate Ras G at the Poobah Record Shop in Pasadena, CA, on April 4, from 3-7 p.m. This in-person and streaming event will include live performances by Dibiase, Dakim, The Vivians, Linafornia, and AshTreJinkins. Roland is presenting the Ras G Estate and all artists performing at the celebration with customized Ras G Tribute SP-404MKII samplers and V-MODA headphones featuring colorful abstract artwork by the artist Teebs in homage to Ras G. Admission is free with no RSVP required, and the concert can be streamed worldwide via dublab.
The Roland Lifestyle Ras G Tribute Streetwear Collection, a vibey new mix of lifestyle gear with artwork inspired by Ras G’s releases at Poobah Records, will be unveiled at the Poobah Record Shop during The Celebration of Ras G. The collection includes a t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, hoodie, hat, milk crate, and wooden keychain ranging from $38-$110. Proceeds from the sale of this Ras G collection during the event and online, as well as a $2,500 donation from Roland, will benefit Ras G’s hometown of Leimert Park through music education programs for children in partnership with the Fernando Pullman Community Arts Center.
404 Day Beat Maker Sample Pack Vol. I
To celebrate the craft of beatmaking, Roland is dropping a free 404 Day sample pack today exploring four corners of the global SP scene. The international collection includes underground SP stalwarts like Japan’s Phennel Koliander, Detroit’s Meftah, Australian expat Nonjuror, and Brazil’s Tiago, delivering a spectrum of lo-fi, hip-hop, and deep house sounds. The 404 Day Beat Maker Sample Pack Vol. I is free to download for Roland Account holders via Roland Cloud Manager.
Inside the São Paulo Beat Scene
This newly published article from Roland examines Brazil’s homegrown beat scene, written by producer Tiago Frugoli and focused on the SP-404’s impact on São Paulo’s hip-hop and beatmaking scene in the early 2000s. To read more on the story and the complete history of the Roland SP-404, please visit Roland.com.
V-MODA Limited Edition 404 Day Shield Collection
In celebration of 404 Day, V-MODA is offering two new shield designs as part of the Limited Edition 404 Day Shield Collection. The Beat Scene design features a laser-engraved image of the SP-404MKII, and the Donuts design includes a full-color UV printed SP-404MKII illustration featuring donuts with embossed sprinkles. Both designs are available for free on V-MODA.com with the purchase of any compatible V-MODA headphones from March 28 – April 11, 2023, using code 404OFF, or for sale on their own for $49.99. Compatible V-MODA headphones include Crossfade 2 Wireless / Codex, Crossfade 3 Wireless, Crossfade LP2, and M-100 Master.
