In the early 1980s, drum machines hit Detroit like a bolt of lightning. At the same time, DJ techniques were transforming dance floors in clubs across New York, Chicago, and Detroit. As this new dance club format with a nonstop flow of beats stirred dancers everywhere, a new generation of Detroit teens—fueled by curiosity and creativity—got their hands on electronic instruments. Those early songs were not just simple bedroom productions, they were seminal tracks that created a blueprint for a whole new genre. 

God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines (GSGEDM) is the story behind one of Detroit’s great contributions to world culture: Techno, the electronic music phenomenon created by Black artists in the 1980s that transformed dance music internationally and blossomed into the multi-billion-dollar industry of EDM today.

Starring: Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Santonio Echols, Eddie Fowlkes, Richie Hawtin, Mike Huckaby, and Blake Baxter. 

We are excited to welcome writer, director, and editor of God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines Kristian R. Hill and Executive Producer Jennifer Washington to join us for a Q&A following the screening!