Joseph “Amp” Fiddler’s digital drum machine, which briefly sparked outrage after appearing for sale on Facebook Marketplace, has been located and is now back with his family, his widow said Thursday.
Tombi Stewart-Fiddler said the confusion was the result of a prior private sale. Stewart said the Detroit music icon sold the MPC to a friend before he died and removed and stored the data from the device before the sale.
Stewart said the sale was made with the condition that the friend not resell the machine.
The confusion came when her late husband’s device appeared on Facebook Marketplace on March 2.
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“All of a sudden, I receive a barrage of text messages from our loving community and musicians who know Amp and I, people who know that I handle the estate,” Stewart said. “There have absolutely been no breaches of security at his home or anything like that.”
The person who posted the Marketplace listing removed it after Stewart contacted them, she said, and later told her they panicked when confronted. Stewart said the MPC is now back and accounted for.
Since Amp’s death on Dec. 18, 2023, Stewart has been on a mission to protect his legacy.
On May 16, 2025, the corner of 7 Mile Road and Revere Street, near Amp’s home in Conant Gardens, was named in his honor, which was the culmination of years of work to get Amp recognized by the city.
Stewart also curated an exhibit featuring photos, artwork, performances, and some of his equipment at Wayne State University last summer.