Roger Troutman, also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years. Troutman was well known for his use of the talk box, a device that is connected to an instrument to create different vocal effects. Roger used a custom-made talkbox—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 his subsequent solo releases, he scored a bevy of funk and R&B hits throughout the 1980s and regularly collaborated with hip hop artists in the 1990s.
"California Love" is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first single as the newest artist of Death Row Records. This is one of 2Pac's most widely known and most successful singles, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and also topping the charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was nominated for a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.
Shirley Murdock is an American R&B singer-songwriter, who is best known for her 1986 R&B hit single "As We Lay" and for her vocals on Zapp and Roger's hit single "Computer Love". Her lead vocal special guest appearance with Smooth Jazz artist Ben Tankard, climbed to #1 Gospel and #20 on Billboard Top 200 on WOW Gospel 2006 and is certified Gold. Their collaboration of the Lionel Richie song "Jesus Is Love" is one of the most played songs on Sirius XM Radio gospel channel for eight years since its initial release.
Zapp is the debut studio album by the American funk band Zapp, released on July 30, 1980 by Warner Bros. Records. The album's style and sound bears a striking resemblance to Parliament-Funkadelic, as the band was working with and being mentored by P-Funk members William Earl "Bootsy" Collins and George Clinton during the album's production. The album was produced by Zapp frontman Roger Troutman along with funk musician Bootsy Collins. The Troutman family of the Zapp band had close ties with the Collins family, both being Ohio natives. This friendship proved instrumental in Zapp gaining a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1979. Zapp was recorded between late 1979 and early 1980 at the United Sound Studios in Detroit, Michigan, of which Parliament-Funkadelic frequented.
"Computer Love" is a song performed by American funk band Zapp, issued as the fourth and final single from their fourth studio album The New Zapp IV U. Featuring vocals by Shirley Murdock and Charlie Wilson and written by Murdock and Zapp Band leader Roger Troutman, the single peaked at number 8 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1986.
Zapp 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—and non-Troutman family members Bobby Glover, Gregory Jackson, Sherman Fleetwood, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber and Jannetta Boyce. 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.
Game Related is the second studio album by American rap group The Click, released November 7, 1995 on Jive and Sick Wid It Records. The album features production by Mike Mosley, Roger Troutman, Studio Ton and Tone Capone. It peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 21 on the Billboard 200. Two singles were released, "Hurricane" and "Scandalous", and both appeared on multiple Billboard singles charts. The album features guest performances by Roger Troutman and Levitti, as well as one solo track for each member of the group.
Zapp II is the second studio album by American funk band Zapp, released on 1982 via Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at #25 on the US Billboard 200 chart and at #2 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Three singles were released from the album, "Doo Wa Ditty " / "A Touch of Jazz ", "Dance Floor" and "Playin' Kinda Ruff" / "Do You Really Want an Answer?". "Dance Floor" was the biggest R&B hit from the album, peaking at #1. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 21, 1982.
"More Bounce to the Ounce" is the debut single by American funk band Zapp. It is the opening track on their eponymous debut album and serves as the album's first single. The song was written, arranged, composed and produced by Roger Troutman; and it peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980.
The New Zapp IV U is the fourth studio album by the American funk band Zapp, released on October 25, 1985 by Warner Bros. Records. The album contained the song "Computer Love", which reached #8 on the US Billboard R&B chart. The album became the last release before frontman Roger Troutman would focus his efforts on his solo career; their next album, titled Zapp Vibe would be released later in 1989.
Zapp V is the fifth studio album by Ohio P-Funk band Zapp.
"I Want to Be Your Man" is a song by American funk singer-songwriter Roger Troutman, from his third studio album Unlimited!. It was released as the lead single from the album in September 1987 by Reprise Records. The song was co-written by Roger's brother, Larry Troutman, and produced by Roger, who conceived of the song as a statement on romantic commitment. "I Want to Be Your Man" features Roger singing in both his natural tenor and his trademark talk box.
"Dance Floor" is a song performed by American funk band Zapp, issued as the second single from their second studio album Zapp II. The song spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
Unlimited! is a 1987 electro-funk album, the third solo album by Zapp frontman Roger Troutman. It includes a cover of James Brown's 1965 single "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," as well as Roger's biggest R&B and crossover hit, "I Want to Be Your Man."
The Saga Continues... is the second solo album recorded by funk musician Roger Troutman, released in 1984 on the Warner Bros. label. The album contains Troutman's cover of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour", which reached #34 on the U.S. R&B chart, as well as hits "In the Mix" and "Girl Cut It Out", a duet with Wanda Rash. Like his previous solo offering, The Many Facets of Roger, Troutman and his band mates from Zapp, including brothers Lester, Larry and Terry, helped contribute to the album.
The discography of Zapp, an American funk band, consists of sevenb studio albums, twenty-two singles, and two official compilation albums.
All the Greatest Hits is the first official greatest hits album by American funk band Zapp, released October 26, 1993, via Reprise Records. The album contains songs Zapp performed as a band from their first four albums, as well as songs from Roger Troutman's solo albums. It peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 and No. 9 on the R&B chart.
"Be Alright" is a song performed by the American funk band Zapp. It was issued as the second and final single from the band's eponymous debut album. The song peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981. The beat of the song is notably sampled in the H-Town song "Knockin' da Boots" and the 2Pac song "Keep Ya Head Up". The song was written, arranged, composed, performed and produced by Roger Troutman.
"Doo Wa Ditty " / "A Touch of Jazz " is a single performed by Zapp, issued as the lead single from their second studio album Zapp II. "Doo Wa Ditty" is the third track on the album, while "A Touch of Jazz" is the closing track on the album. The single peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard R&B singles chart in 1982.
"So Very Hard to Go" is a torch song performed by American rhythm and blues band Tower of Power, issued as the second single from their eponymous third album. It was produced by the band and written by band members Emilio Castillo and Stephen Kupka, with Lenny Williams performing the vocals. The song is the band's biggest hit to date in the United States, peaking at No. 17 on the Hot 100 on 28 July 1973 and No. 4 on KHJ on 31 July 1973.
