Zapp
Zapp (also known as the
Zapp Band,
Zapp & Roger) is an American
funk band that emerged from
Dayton, Ohio, United States, in 1977. Particularly influential in the
electro subgenre of funk, Zapp were known for their trademark use of the
talk-box effect. The original line-up consisted of four Troutman brothers—frontman
Roger, Larry, Lester and Terry—first cousin, Sherman Fleetwood—and non-Troutman family members Bobby Glover, Gregory Jackson, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber, Jannetta Boyce and
Shirley Murdock. Zapp also worked closely with
George Clinton and
Bootsy Collins of
Parliament-Funkadelic during its early stages, their support being a factor in the group gaining a record deal with
Warner Bros. Records in 1979.
Zapp released its
eponymous debut album in 1980, and achieved mainstream recognition with the single "
More Bounce to the Ounce". The group's 1982 follow-up ''
Zapp II'' sold well and was certified
gold. In the 1990s, Zapp would also influence the
G-funk sound and the broader cultural scene of
West Coast hip-hop itself. The band disbanded in 1999 after Roger and Larry Troutman died in an apparent
murder-suicide executed by Larry. Zapp reformed briefly in 2003 with the remaining brothers of the Troutman family to produce the album ''Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand''.
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