A rap opera or hip hopera is a musical work in hip hop style with
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
tic form. The terms have been used to describe both dramatic works and concept albums, and ''hip hopera'' has also been used for works drawing more heavily on
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...
than other hip hop such as rap.
Etymology
The word ''hip hopera'' is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words1994 album of that name by Volume 10 (although not a concept album). The first dramatic production to use the term was a 2001
telefilm
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
by MTV, titled '' Carmen: A Hip Hopera''.
The word received increased use after 2005, in describing R&B singer
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses.
During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwi ...
's ''
Trapped in the Closet
''Trapped in the Closet'' is a musical film, musical soap opera series by American contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter & producer R. Kelly, with 33 "chapters" released sporadically from 2005 to 2012. Written, produced, and directed by Kelly, ...
'' series.
History
Rap opera, also known as hip-hopera, is a hybrid genre between rap and opera. Opera is a musical genre that began in the late 16th century. Hip hop is a much newer musical genre that became popular during the 1970s. Historically, both rap and opera have been used as a form of expression and storytelling. Now in popular culture, the fusion of the two genres is being used for the same purpose. Historically popular and classic pieces such as '' Carmen'' and '' Romeo and Juliet'' have been transformed into hip hop pieces.
In popular culture
The use of hip hopera in popular culture began in 1997 when hip hop group
The Fugees
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
and
Bounty Killer
Rodney Basil Price (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair f ...
collaborated on a musical single titled "Hip-Hopera." In 2001, the film '' Carmen: A Hip Hopera'', a modern rendition of Georges Bizet's 1875 opera ''Carmen'' aired on MTV. The film featured
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, as well as other rappers and modern musicians, and was renowned as "the first hip hop musical." ''
Rome & Jewel
''Rome & Jewel'' is a 2006 American hip-hop musical film adaptation of William Shakespeare's ''Romeo and Juliet'' set in Los Angeles that deals with interracial love. The film stars Nate Parker as Rome and Lindsey Haun as Jewel. The 2008 re-rele ...
'', a 2006
Rennie Harris
Lorenzo Harris (born January 28, 1964) is a dancer, choreographer, artistic director and professor of hip-hop dance. Harris formed the first and longest running hip-hop dance touring company, Rennie Harris Puremovement in 1992. In 2007, he conceiv ...
film is another hip hop rendition of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's '' Romeo and Juliet''.
Rap opera is also being used in communities through local organizations such as the Rap Opera Project. Carlos Aguirre, the creator of the Rap Opera Project, teaches rap opera to marginalized and at risk youth in his community. The project's intention is to give voice to individuals who have otherwise felt oppressed. Aguirre, channeling his own personal experience and youth as a minority, is using musical expression as a form of therapy. In the United Kingdom, traditional opera is adopting modern hip hop beats to appeal to the modern youth. ''The Moon Prince: A Rap Opera'', is another community-led rap opera for youth featured in Charlotte and Boston.
Reception
There have been mixed responses to the usage of rap opera. Theater critic Steven Oxman gave his feedback on ''Carmen: A Hip Hopera'', stating "''Carmen'' is MTV's first 'Hip Hopera', and while that phrase may be way too cute for its own good, this reworking of Bizet's opera into a contemporary, hip-hop musical works quite well, and represents one of the more original recent efforts to create a new form from an old one."
See also
*
Rock opera
A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...