# PaRappa the Rapper
PaRappa the Rapper is a 1996 PlayStation rhythm game starring a paper-thin cartoon dog whose call-and-response raps and 'I Gotta Believe!' catchphrase turned him into an early PlayStation mascot. In August 2021, the character caught a second wind as a meme, with fans looping his earnest rap tutorials into absurd edits that spread across Twitter and YouTube.
## Origin
Development on PaRappa the Rapper began in 1994 under Masaya Matsuura, a Japanese musician known for the synth-pop duo PSY.S rather than for game design[1]. Matsuura counted roughly 30 different music platforms his work had appeared on, from vinyl to CD-ROMs, and identified interactive media as the growth area that pulled him toward Sony[1]. He teamed with Rodney Greenblatt to build a rhythm game around a rapping dog, with players pressing controller buttons in time with on-screen prompts.
Sony released the finished game in Japan on December 6, 1996, then in Europe on September 26, 1997, and in North America on November 17, 1997[4]. The Japanese launch day happened to be shared with Crash Bandicoot, and both characters went on to work as unofficial PlayStation mascots for the first console generation[1].
- **Platform:** PlayStation (source game) / Twitter and YouTube (meme spread)
- **Creator:** Masaya Matsuura and Rodney Greenblatt (game); meme originators unknown
- **Date:** 1996
## Overview
PaRappa the Rapper memes typically reuse the game's call-and-response rap structure, where PaRappa echoes lines back at instructors like Chop Chop Master Onion, Instructor Mooselini or Prince Fleaswallow[1]. Fans chop these tutorial raps into short loops, sometimes swapping the on-screen prompts for fake new lyrics that PaRappa 'raps back' in the same wide-eyed monotone. The comedy pulls from the mismatch between his sincere 1996 delivery and whatever ridiculous line he is now parroting[4].
Visually the character sticks out because he is a flat 2D paper doll walking through 3D environments, a style built by American artist Rodney Greenblatt for the original game[1]. That look, plus the catchphrase 'I Gotta Believe!' repeated across nearly every level, gives the meme a consistent aesthetic even when the audio is chopped or replaced with unrelated tracks[10].
## How to Use
Common posts loop a bar or two of a rap tutorial from the game, then splice in a modern line or absurd punchline that PaRappa 'raps back' in his same flat delivery[9]. Some edits swap the on-screen prompts with fake ones so the character appears to be rapping about unrelated topics[11]. The joke usually lives in the contrast between the 1996 sincerity and whatever ridiculous line he is now echoing.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is PaRappa the Rapper?
A 1996 PlayStation rhythm game about a rapping cartoon dog, created by musician Masaya Matsuura and artist Rodney Greenblatt[1].
### Where did PaRappa the Rapper come from?
Development began in 1994 in Japan; Sony released the finished game on December 6, 1996[1][4].
### What does PaRappa the Rapper mean?
It is the name of both the character and the game; online it also refers to meme edits built from his call-and-response rap tutorials[4].
### How do you use PaRappa the Rapper?
Loop a rap tutorial from the game and pair it with an absurd new line that PaRappa appears to rap back in his same monotone[9].
### Is PaRappa the Rapper still popular?
The game holds classic status in the PlayStation catalog and caught a fresh wave of meme use in August 2021[4].
### Who created PaRappa the Rapper?
Japanese musician Masaya Matsuura designed the game with American artist Rodney Greenblatt handling the visual style[1].
### Is there a PaRappa the Rapper 2?
Yes; Sony released PaRappa the Rapper 2 for PlayStation 2 on August 30, 2001[6].
### What is PaRappa's catchphrase?
'I Gotta Believe!' which recurs through nearly every song in the game[10].
### Was there a PaRappa the Rapper anime?
Yes; 30 episodes aired in Japan across three seasons from April 14, 2001 until the show ended in 2002[8].
### When did PaRappa become a meme?
In August 2021, when clips of his rap tutorials started spreading on Twitter and YouTube[4].
### Was there a PaRappa remaster?
Yes; PaRappa the Rapper Remastered launched on PlayStation 4 on April 4, 2017[7].
## References
1. [https://blog.playstation.com/2017/04/04/interview-the-untold-story-of-parappa-the-rapper/]()
2. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMUX6b82Zbc]()
3. [https://x.com/i/status/1433456502250037252]()
4. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/parappa-the-rapper]()
5. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsL808ugjqw]()
6. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVv5cSomyw]()
7. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2UDyLcl3CU]()
8. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLoyvnNGwD8]()
9. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGlCGMm8Qag]()
10. [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Parappa%20The%20Rapper]()
11. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ywnLQywz74]()
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Source: https://meme.com/memes/parappa-the-rapper
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