Rap opera

Rap opera
Stylistic origins	Hip hop 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, hip hopera or hip opera is a series of hip hop songs in the form of an opera, inspired by the concept of rock opera. Examples of a hip hopera include Trapped in the Closet by R. Kelly, A Prince Among Thieves by Prince Paul, Refletchons by Fletch, Sick Passenger by Schäffer the Darklord, Introducing Neals by YTCracker and Deltron 3030.

When R&B singer R. Kelly was asked from IFC how he defined his Trapped in the Closet series, Kelly stated that he described it as a hip hopera or musical opera, and that it was now too long to be called a song. 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, as is Trapped in the Closet.

See also

• A Night at the Hip Hopera