ABSTRACT
The scrappy bodega owner and narrator of the opening number In the Heights, and rapped those opening lyrics over the rhythm of claves when Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped out onto the stage as Usnavi. In the Heights would go on to win four Tony awards, including best musical and best original score. It would, in fact, be the only show of the 2000s to spotlight rap so prominently until Miranda repeated the feat himself with Hamilton eight years later. In the Heights demonstrated Miranda’s skill as a composer and showed his continued interest as a performer. The show was met with high praise from critics both for its unique hip-hop/Latin fusion score and Miranda’s performance as Usnavi. The score for In the Heights blends elements of traditional Latin music, early 2000s Latin pop, and 90s/2000s hip-hop to replicate the sounds of the community that Miranda grew up in.
