{{short description|American hip hop group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = The Opus | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | genre = Hip hop<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/opus-breathing-2496023081.html|title=The Opus: Breathing Lessons|work=PopMatters|first=Tim|last=Stelloh|date=February 25, 2004|access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref> | years_active = 1994–present | label = {{hlist|Ozone Music|Tri-Eight Music Supplies|Mush Records|Indus Recordings}} | associated_acts = {{hlist|Rubberoom|Thawfor}} | website = {{URL|https://theopus.bandcamp.com}} | current_members = * The Isle of Weight * Mr. Echoes | past_members = }} '''The Opus''' is an American hip hop record production duo from Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/opus/blending-destiny|title=The Opus Blending Density|work=XLR8R|first=Max|last=Herman|date=March 27, 2007|access-date=July 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027142751/http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/opus/blending-destiny|archive-date=October 27, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> It consists of The Isle of Weight and Mr. Echoes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/opus/breathing-lessons|title=The Opus Breathing Lessons|work=XLR8R|first=Dave|last=Segal|date=March 23, 2004|access-date=July 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027065621/http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/opus/breathing-lessons|archive-date=October 27, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> AllMusic described them as "two of the most brilliant beatmakers working in hip-hop circa 2003."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/breathing-lessons-mw0000318085|title=Breathing Lessons - The Opus|work=AllMusic|first=Charles|last=Spano|access-date=July 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405230655/http://www.allmusic.com/album/breathing-lessons-mw0000318085|archive-date=April 5, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
The Isle of Weight (born Aaron Smith) and Mr. Echoes (born Kevin Johnson) first met while attending Proviso East High School together.<ref name=chicagotribune/> In 1994, the duo started making music together.<ref name=chicagotribune>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2009-01-09-0901070171-story.html|title=Creating a dark, beat-rich Opus|work=Chicago Tribune|first=Andy|last=Downing|date=January 9, 2009|access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref> The duo handled the production work on Rubberoom's 1999 album ''Architechnology''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-opus/Content?oid=914512|title=The Opus|work=Chicago Reader|first=Peter|last=Margasak|date=February 5, 2014|access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/opus-breathing_lessons|title=Opus Breathing Lessons|work=Exclaim!|first=Thomas|last=Quinlan|date=March 1, 2004|access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref>
==Members== * The Isle of Weight (born Aaron Smith) - production<ref name=chicagoreader2019/> * Mr. Echoes (born Kevin Johnson) - production<ref name=chicagoreader2019>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/beat-scene-fess-open-push-beats-instrumental-hiphop/Content?oid=73490623|title=Keeping the beat|work=Chicago Reader|first=Leor|last=Galil|date=September 25, 2019|access-date=July 8, 2020}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''First Contact 001'' (2002) * ''Breathing Lessons'' (2003) * ''Praying Mantis-Plus'' (2010)
===Compilation albums=== * ''Blending Density'' (2010) * ''The Opus of the Opus Vol. One'' (2010) * ''The Opus of the Opus Vol. Two'' (2010)
===EPs=== * ''0.0.0.'' (2002) * ''Movement One'' (2002) * ''Movement Two'' (2002) * ''Movement Three'' (2002) * ''Movement Four'' (2003) * ''Movement Five'' (2004) * ''Earthwalkers EP'' (2004) * ''Praying Mantis EP'' (2010) * ''The Save Me Gallery'' (2010) * ''March of the Termites'' (2012) * ''Man Down'' (2017)
===Singles=== * "Live" (2002) * "Madhouse" (2004) * "Up & Away" (2011) * "International" (2011) * "A Stainless Steel Xmas" (2011)
===Productions=== * Rubberoom - ''Gothic Architecture'' (1995) * Rubberoom - ''Architechnology'' (1999) * Thawfor - ''Where Thawght Is Worshiped'' (2001) * DJ Krush - "Trihedron" from ''The Message at the Depth'' (2002) * Sonic Sum - "Films (The Opus Remix)" from ''Operazor EP'' (2003) * Verbal Kent - "Alien Rock" from ''What Box'' (2004) * Eliot Lipp - "Its Time to Leave (The Opus Remix)" from ''Brolabs'' (2011)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://theopus.bandcamp.com}} * {{Discogs artist|The Opus|The Opus}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Opus, The}} Category:Musical duos from Illinois Category:Midwest hip-hop groups Category:Musical groups from Chicago Category:Record production duos