The Rapsody Overture: Hip Hop Meets Classic is a concept album of remixes consisting of hip hop and classical, which combined American rappers with European opera singers. It was released in 1997 by Mercury Records and distributed by Def Jam Recordings.[1]

The Rapsody Overture
Remix album by
Various Artists
Released1997
Recorded1997
GenreHip hop, classical
LabelMercury Records
Def Jam Records
ProducerVoelker Brothers
Singles from The Rapsody Overture
  1. "Prince Igor"
    Released: October 13, 1997

"Prince Igor" was a #1 hit across Europe in 1998, a duet between American rapper Warren G and Norwegian singer Sissel. Sissel sang an aria from Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor during the chorus, while Warren G rapped.

The Xzibit track "E Lucean Le Stelle" contains a sample from Giacomo Puccini's E Lucevan Le Stelle, though it is misspelled.

1997 Track listing

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# Name Artist(s) Vocals Composer Time
1 "Intro" 1:15
2 "E Lucean Le Stelle" Xzibit Giacomo Puccini (E Lucevan Le Stelle) 3:51
3 "Dear Mallika" LL Cool J Heike Therjung & Kathy Magestro Léo Delibes (The Flower Duet) 4:05
4 "E Lucean Le Stelle" (Reprise) Puccini (E Lucevan Le Stelle) 1:45
5 "Delilah" Reverend Run of Run-DMC Gabrielle Fiodoresku Saint-Saëns (Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix) 4:00
6 "Prince Igor" Warren G Sissel Kyrkjebø Alexander Borodin (Polovetsian Dances) 4:20
7 "Belle Nuit" Mother Superia Heike Therjung & Kathy Magestro Jacques Offenbach (Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour) 3:45
8 "Präludium" Jay Chris Weller (Piano) Johann Sebastian Bach (Prelude No.1 in C Major BWV846) 2:05
9 "Ach So Fromm" Jay Robert Gionfribbo Friedrich von Flotow (M’apparì) 4:56
10 "Syrinx" Redman Dieter Voelker (Guitar) Claude Debussy (Syrinx) 3:34
11 "Vissi D'Arte" Onyx Kathy Magestro Puccini (Vissi d'arte) 4:29
12 "Schwanensee" Scoota Dieter Voelker (Guitar) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Swan Lake) 3:02
13 "Recondita Armonica" Nikki D Kim Chung Park Puccini (Recondita armonia) 4:26
14 "Nessun Dorma" Mobb Deep Kim Chung Park Puccini (Nessun dorma) 3:32

1998 Track listing

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New version with different track listing on April 21, 1998

# Name Artist(s) Vocals Writer(s) Time
1 "Intro" 1:15
2 "E Lucean Le Stelle" Xzibit Giacomo Puccini (E Lucevan Le Stelle) 3:51
3 "Dear Mallika" LL Cool J Heike Therjung & Kathy Magestro Léo Delibes (The Flower Duet) 4:05
4 "E Lucean Le Stelle" (Reprise) Puccini (E Lucevan Le Stelle) 1:45
5 "Grâce" Expression Direkt 4:06
6 "Dear Mallika (D.O.N.S. Alternative Mix)" LL Cool J Heike Therjung & Kathy Magestro Léo Delibes (The Flower Duet) 4:11
7 "Prince Igor (Ries Class Jazz Extended)" Warren G Sissel Kyrkjebø Alexander Borodin (Polovetsian Dances) 6:05
8 "Prince Igor" Warren G Sissel Kyrkjebø Alexander Borodin (Polovetsian Dances) 4:22
9 "Belle Nuit" Mother Superia Heike Therjung & Kathy Magestro Jacques Offenbach (Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour) 3:45
10 "Präludium" Jay Chris Weller (Piano) Johann Sebastian Bach 2:05
11 "Ach So Fromm" Jay Robert Gionfribbo Friedrich von Flotow (M’apparì) 4:56
12 "Syrinx" Redman Dieter Voelker (Guitar) Claude Debussy (Syrinx) 3:34
13 "Vissi D'Arte" Onyx Kathy Magestro Puccini (Vissi d'arte) 4:29
14 "Schwanensee" Scoota Dieter Voelker (Guitar) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Swan Lake) 3:02
15 "Recondita Armonica" Nikki D Kim Chung Park Puccini (Recondita armonia) 4:26
16 "Nessun Dorma" Mobb Deep Kim Chung Park Puccini (Nessun dorma) 3:32

References

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  1. ^ "Rapsody, The – Overture - Hip Hop Meets Classic". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
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