During the late 1970s, Zapp was noticed by two longstanding friends of the Troutman family, fellow Ohio natives Phelps "Catfish" Collins and William Earl "Bootsy" Collins, both of whom were members of Parliament-Funkadelic since the early 1970s.
In the late 1970s, Zapp caught the attention of two close friends from the Troutman family's circle, Phelps "Catfish" Collins and William Earl "Bootsy" Collins, both seasoned musicians with Parliament-Funkadelic roots dating back to the early 1970s.