Canada Post Releases Historic Black History Month Stamps Honouring Canadian Hip-Hop Trailblazers

Canada Post has officially released a landmark Black History Month stamp collection celebrating three architects of Canadian hip-hop culture: Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, and Montreal rap trio Muzion.

Now available nationwide, the stamp set marks a historic first for Canada Post—recognizing hip-hop artists as part of its Black History Month program and formally acknowledging the genre’s foundational role in shaping Canadian music, identity, and culture.

 

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Maestro Fresh Wes: The Pioneer

With the release of Symphony in Effect in 1989, Maestro Fresh Wes shattered barriers and rewrote Canadian music history. The album’s breakout single, “Let Your Backbone Slide,” became the first Canadian rap song to achieve gold certification, while the album itself went platinum. Its impact was so profound that the JUNO Awards introduced a new category—Best Rap Recording—in 1991, with Symphony in Effect taking home the inaugural win.

Across a career spanning decades, Maestro released nine studio albums and expanded his influence as an author, actor, and motivational speaker. His legacy was further cemented in 2024 with his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and receipt of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.

 

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Michie Mee: The Original Queen

Often hailed as Canada’s first hip-hop superstar, Michie Mee emerged in the late 1980s as a fearless innovator who pushed cultural and musical boundaries. She was among the first Canadian artists to weave Jamaican Patois into her rhymes, setting a precedent for diasporic expression in hip-hop.

Her debut single “Elements of Style” made waves in 1987, and just one year later, she became the first Canadian MC signed to a major U.S. label. Her 1991 album Jamaican Funk – Canadian Style fused hip-hop with dancehall and reggae, while later work with the genre-blending group Raggadeath showcased her versatility and edge.

Muzion: Voices of Montréal

Formed in 1996, Muzion brought a powerful multilingual presence to Canadian hip-hop, seamlessly blending French, English, and Haitian Creole. Comprised of MCs J.Kyll (Jenny Salgado), Imposs (Stanley Salgado), and Dramatik (Jocelyn Bruno), the trio used their platform to address identity, inequality, and cultural pride.

Their albums Mentalité moune morne… (Ils n’ont pas compris) (1999) and J’rêvolutionne (2002) earned multiple honours, including Félix Awards for Hip-Hop Album of the Year. Their celebrated single “La vi ti nèg” won the 2004 Canadian Urban Music Award, while their broader impact empowered marginalized communities to see themselves reflected in Quebec and Canadian society.

About the Stamp Design

The stamp set pays homage to the vibrant roots of Canadian hip-hop through bold, era-inspired visuals. Dynamic typography with varied letter sizing mirrors hip-hop’s rhythmic energy, while fluorescent inks glow under black light. Metallic silver accents, black duotone portraits, and layered matte and gloss varnishes evoke the look and feel of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Designed by Noël Nanton and Nadia Molinari of typotherapy, the collection incorporates photography from Wellington Williams (Maestro Fresh Wes), Getty Images and Rick McGinnis (Michie Mee), and Brigitte Henry with Marie-Michèle Bouchard (Muzion).

Availability

Printed by Lowe-Martin, the release includes six Permanent™ stamps and three Official First Day Covers. Toronto serves as the cancel site for Maestro Fresh Wes and Michie Mee, while Montréal is the cancel site for Muzion.

The stamps and related collectibles are now available at canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada as of January 28, 2026.