Otep was an American nu metal band. The band was formed in November 2000 in Los Angeles by frontwoman Otep Shamaya. The band is noted for their style of "art-house nu metal", and their strong political stances. Throughout the course of several lineup changes over the years, Shamaya has remained the only constant member in the band.

After being selected by Sharon Osbourne to appear at Ozzfest 2001, Otep was signed to a record deal with Capitol Records without a demo in March 2001. Otep released two albums through Capitol, Sevas Tra (2002) and House of Secrets (2004); both albums were moderate successes, and sold a combined total of 400,000 copies worldwide by 2006. Otep's third album, The Ascension, was due to be released through Capitol in March 2007, but was delayed indefinitely following the label's consolidation into Capitol Music Group two months prior to its planned release date; the band subsequently parted ways with the label, and the album was eventually issued through Koch Records in October of that year.

In February 2009, Otep signed with Victory Records. The band released three albums through the label; Smash the Control Machine (2009), which saw a reunion of the band's Sevas Tra lineup, Atavist (2011), and Hydra (2013), a concept album. Hydra was intended to be the band's final album, but thereafter Otep Shamaya opted to continue the band, and they subsequently released two more albums through Napalm Records, Generation Doom (2016) and Kult 45 (2018). Otep's ninth album, The God Slayer, was released through Cleopatra Records on September 15, 2023.