
It could just be a different universe, though. The storyline seems to be set before either of the two PaRappa the Rapper games and UmJammer Lammy took place because MilkCan is never seen in the series. Unlike the game, there's very little rap incorporated into the series' soundtrack.

Originally, he, along with the company, were to make a teenage/young adults-oriented show (which featured Lammy, Ma-San and Joe Chin, along with a few other characters) meant for the target audience. The creator Rodney Alan Greenblat, designed all characters for the show but was not allowed on board in the further creative process. It features PaRappa and his friends in different adventures. PaRappa the Rapper is a 2001 Japanese anime series aimed towards children in Japan that consists of 30 episodes.
