News of April 25, 1999
Roger Troutman, the Talkbox Voice of "California Love", Is Dead
On April 25, 1999, Zapp founder Roger Troutman was shot dead in Dayton. His talkbox voice carries Tupac's hit "California Love".
On the morning of April 25, 1999, a Sunday, Roger Troutman was shot and killed in Dayton, Ohio. The founder and leader of the funk band Zapp was struck by several bullets. According to police findings, his brother Larry, a fellow band member and at times his manager, had shot him. Larry Troutman was found dead shortly afterward as well. The motive remained unclear.
The Voice from the Talkbox
Troutman was considered a master of the talkbox, an effects device with which he gave his voice a robotic sound via keyboard. With it, he also shaped one of Tupac’s biggest hits: his talkbox vocals can be heard on California Love, produced in 1996 by Dr. Dre. The song appeared on the album All Eyez on Me and earned Tupac, Dr. Dre, and Troutman a joint Grammy nomination in 1997.