Rap opera
| Rap opera | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Hip hop music, opera, concept albums, contemporary R&B, spoken word, musical theatre, rock opera (conceptual origins) |
| Cultural origins | Early 1970s, South Bronx, New York City |
| Typical instruments | Turntable, vocals, drum machine, sampler, synthesizer, beatboxing, bass guitar |
| Other topics | |
| Breakdance – Graffiti – Fashion – Subgenres – Notable albums | |
A rap opera or hip hopera is a series of hip hop songs in the form of an opera, inspired by the concept of rock opera.
Like its predecessor, rap opera tells a story through consecutive pieces of music involving the same character or characters. Rap opera may be a purely auditory experience, or it may be associated with a musical, comic book, or other art form. It is a relatively young, spontaneous form, performed more by amateurs and non-profit groups than by professional emcees.
When R&B singer R. Kelly was asked on IFC how he defined his "Trapped in the Closet" series, Kelly stated that he described it as a hip hopera or musical opera, but that it's now too long to be called a song.[1] In 2001, MTV debuted a telefilm titled Carmen: A Hip Hopera, directed by Robert Townsend and starring Beyoncé Knowles and Mekhi Phifer. Volume 10 also released an album called Hip-Hopera in 1994. The former is contemporary R&B, not hip hop music.
Examples
- R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet series
- Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights
- Public Enemy's He Got Game
- Beastie Boys 1988 album Paul's Boutique
- Carmen: A Hip Hopera
- Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves
- Deltron 3030 by Deltron 3030
- Sable and Battalion's J.O.B., the Hip-Hopera
- Rapper and producer Dr. Dre has stated that his third album, Detox, may be a rap opera.
- Michael Tippett's New Year uses rap in a number of scenes.
- Damien by DMX
- Ugly Duckling's Taste the Secret
- Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
- Ciara's single "High Price" from her third album Fantasy Ride
- Kanye West's "Last Call" from College Dropout
- Des Bishop's Rap Éire
- Wyclef Jean's Apocalypse
- Chris Goslow's Rapera
- Mariah Carey's Betcha Gon Know
- Brotha Lynch Hung's Dinner and a Movie
- Michael Franti and Spearhead's Stay Human
- The Fat Boys' On and On
- The Side Quest' The Quest for Retrotopia