Alesis HR-16 drum machine used by Prince Paul: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

An Alesis HR-16 16 bit midi digital drum machine (.1a) with power cord (.1b) and owner's manual (.2) used by the producer Prince Paul.

The machine has a grey plastic shell covering and consists of a flat top panel and a slightly tilted main panel. Across the top of the flat panel is light grey text reading [AR-16 HIGH SAMPLE RATE / 16 BIT DRUM MACHINE] and, to the bottom left, a black plaque with silver lettering reading [ALESIS]. The top panel lifts up to reveal a set of printed instructions. Attached to the instructions is a yellow post-it note with handwritten inscriptions in black and blue ink including [II BASS BU 35] and [2 SNARE E140] among other notations.

At top center of the tilted main panel is a small rectangular display screen above a set of buttons numbered 1 - 9. Beneath this is a white label with black text reading [PRINCE PAUL]. To the left is another set of grey buttons, with three larger buttons underneath for [PLAY] (green), [STOP / CONTINUE] (grey), and [RECORD] (red). On the right is a vertical row of five grey buttons with a slider selection control. There are two rows of large, square off-white button pads along the bottom edge of the face.

The bottom is a shiny black plastic and has a black and white label from Alesis with the serial number [DI 449890] along with a black and white quality control sticker completed by hand with the date [12-4-88]. In each corner is a round rubber foot, except for the bottom left where the foot has been replaced with a yellow material. There is tape holding on the top right foot.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1988
• Manufactured by: Alesis, American, founded 1984
• Used by: Prince Paul, American, born 1967
• Subject of: Big Daddy Kane, American, born 1968
• Subject of: De La Soul, American, founded 1988
• Subject of: Stetsasonic, American, 1981 - 1991
• Type: audio equipment
• Medium: plastic with metal, wire, and rubber
• Place used: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Rappers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2020.38.4.1ab-.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.