PaRappa the Rapper (パラッパラッパー, Parappa Rappā) is a rhythm video game developed by NanaOn-Sha and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. Created by music producer Masaya Matsuura in collaboration with artist Rodney Greenblat, the game features unique visual design and rap-based gameplay and is considered to be the first true rhythm game. The game was first released in Japan in 1996 and was later released in North America and Europe in 1997. The game was ported to the PlayStation Portable in 2006. A remastered version of the original PlayStation game was released for PlayStation 4 in 2017 for the game’s twentieth anniversary.
The game spawned two follow-up titles; a guitar-based spin-off titled Um Jammer Lammy, released in 1999 for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel, PaRappa the Rapper 2, released for the PlayStation 2 in 2001. An anime television series based on the games aired in Japan between April 2001 and January 2002, with a short spin-off series airing from October 2016.