Born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1951, American singer Roger Troutman helped pioneer the funk music genre and later influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene’s heavy sampling of his music scores.

Troutman frequently used a talk box, a device that is connected to a keyboard or guitar, in order to create a variety of vocal effects. Troutman used a custom-made talkbox called the Electro Harmonix “Golden Throat,” through a Moog Minimoog and later in his career a Yamaha DX100 FM synthesizer. As both band leader of Zapp and in later solo releases, he created a number of funk and R&B hits throughout the 1980s and regularly collaborated with hip hop artists in the 1990s.

After two years of performing locally in Ohio early in his career, Troutman and his brothers were discovered by funk legend George Clinton. Clinton immediately signed the group, called Zapp, to his Uncle Jam Records label in 1979. The original line-up consisted of Troutman brothers Roger, Larry, Lester and Terry, along with Gregory Jackson and Bobby Glover. Zapp made their professional television debut on the first and only Funk Music Awards show.

A year later, as Uncle Jam Records was forced to close, Troutman signed with Bootsy Collins under Rubber Band Music through Warner Records. There Zapp released their self-titled debut “Zapp,” which included the hit ‘More Bounce to the Ounce,’ produced by Collins, and co-produced, written, composed and performed by Troutman. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Soul Singles chart in late 1980. “Zapp” would go on to reach the top 20 of the Billboard 200.

Between 1980 and 1985, the band also released the gold-selling albums Zapp II, Zapp III and The New Zapp IV U, including the Top 10 R&B singles ‘Be Alright,’ ‘Dance Floor,’ ‘It Doesn’t Really Matter,’ ‘I Can Make You Dance,’ ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Computer Love.’ Throughout Zapp’s history, around 15 musicians participated. In 1993, Zapp released their biggest-selling album, titled “Zapp & Roger: All the Greatest Hits,” which sold more than two million copies.

A few years later, Hip Hop artists such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., and MC Hammer, along with Prince and Black Street, who both grew up listening to Zapp’s records, began sampling Troutman’s music on there records, revitalizing Roger Troutman’s career. In 1995, Tupac Shakur even invited Troutman to sing backup vocals on his record ‘California Love.’ The recognition led Troutman to begin a solo career in earnest, however tension was brewing between Roger and his brother Larry, who was having major financial issues at the family business, Troutman Enterprises. This lead to a number of arguments between the brothers about Roger’s career and future.

On Sunday morning, April 25, 1999, Dayton, Ohio police responded to a 911 call at 7:20 AM. Officers found Roger Troutman shot four times and critically wounded in the alleyway behind his northwest Dayton recording studio. According to doctors, the 47-year-old had been shot twice in the chest and twice in the back. Troutman died during surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital and Health Center. His brother Larry Troutman was found dead in a car a few blocks from the studio with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The car matched the description of a vehicle leaving the scene of Roger’s murder, according to witnesses. Roger reportedly attempted to exit Larry’s vehicle before Larry shot at Roger several times.

The Troutman family and greater Dayton community struggled to understand the double loss of life. Many believe the ongoing financial issues created a growing wedge between the previously close brothers. A wedge that finally boiled over on that tragic day.

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