The history of Rodney Stepp’s legendary Naptown funk band Rapture – Part 1

August 10, 2025

The keyboardist and bandleader Rodney Stepp is among the greatest living legends of the Avenue neighborhood. A new compilation of Stepp’s music was recently issued by the Now Again Records in California. The album features previously unreleased music from a 1977 session Stepp recorded with his band Rapture. During the late 1970s, Rapture was a dominating force in the Indianapolis club scene. 

For the next two weeks, listen to an interview with Rodney Stepp as he shares the history of Rapture. Also hear commentary from former Rapture members Lonnie Williams and Greg Russell. The Indianapolis soul legend Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds will also share his memories of Rapture. Edmonds’ band Manchild was one of Rapture’s biggest rivals. 

Rodney Stepp was born in Indianapolis in 1952. He was raised in the historic Flanner House Homes neighborhood, directly adjacent to Indiana Avenue. Stepp rose to prominence in the Naptown music scene as a teenager, during the 1960s. His high school band the Diplomats performed with major R&B stars and scored a local hit with the song “Hum-Bug”, issued by Lamp Records in 1969. Stepp’s follow-up recording “Young Girl” was issued in 1970 under the name Jazzie Cazzie and the Eight Sounds. During the early 1970s, Stepp toured the world as a keyboardist and assistant music director for The Spinners. Stepp eventually grew tired of working as a sideman with The Spinners. Yearning to explore his own musical concepts, he returned to Indianapolis in the late 1970s to form Rapture.