What Is The Origin Of ”Opps”?
genius.comOver the past several years, “opps” has become one of most popular terms used by rappers to reference their foes. “Opp” is an abbreviation for opposition, which has appeared in hip-hop for decades dating back to songs like LL Cool J’s 1985 track, “Rock the Bells.” The appearance of the abbreviated “opp” in hip-hop lyrics, however, is fairly new.
Mentions remained in the dozens from 2011 to 2015, but exploded into the hundreds after 2016—likely due to the influence of Chicago’s drill music scene.
The first lyrical mention came in 2011 on Chicago rapper Chief Keef’s “John Madden.” From 2012 to 2014, “opp” was used almost exclusively by Windy City rappers, many of whom died in Chicago’s ongoing gang crisis.
For artists like Lil JoJo, the “opps” were people in their own neighborhoods—not just haters on the internet. So while Chicago isn’t the only music scene filled with violence, the term become a reflection of a culture with real life consequences.
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