Canadian hip-hop didn’t ask for permission to exist.
It was forged by artists like Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, and Muzion, pioneers who understood that telling their own stories was essential. Built on grit and raw ambition, the movement paved the way for the global icons we see today.
That impact is now stamped — literally — into history.
As part of Black History Month, Canada Post has unveiled a new commemorative stamp set celebrating the vibrant roots of hip-hop in Canada, paying tribute to three of the genre’s most dynamic trailblazers. The stamps recognize the architects of Canadian hip-hop, placing rappers alongside other stamp-honoured cultural legends like Oscar Peterson and Leonard Cohen.
As Muzion’s Stanley Rimsky Salgado (Imposs) put it, “This is what it’s all about, to be acknowledged. Hip-hop is the greatest national treasure that we have.”
Canada Post described the set as a tribute to the “colourful roots of hip-hop in Canada,” marking the first time stamps have been issued celebrating hip-hop artists.
Designed by Toronto-based studio typotherapy, the stamps feature metallic silver-and-black duotone portraits, layered matte and gloss varnishes, and fluorescent inks that glow under black light — a nod to hip-hop’s vibrancy, creativity, and edge.
Photo Credit: Canada Post
Long before “The 6ix” became a global brand, there was the Godfather — Maestro Fresh Wes. With the release of Let Your Backbone Slide, Canadian hip-hop entered uncharted territory. At the time, The JUNO Awards had not yet introduced a Rap Recording of the Year category, and the track was nominated for Best Dance Recording — a reflection of how new the genre still was within the mainstream. The song became the first Canadian rap single to go gold, while Maestro’s debut album, Symphony in Effect, went platinum. In 1991, Symphony in Effect went on to win the inaugural JUNO Award for Rap Recording of the Year.
Decades later — with nine albums, two JUNO Awards, a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction, and a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award to his name — Maestro still sounded surprised to see his face on a Canada Post stamp. “I never thought we’d get our own stamps,” he said, proudly noting that the photo was taken by his father.
Few artists shape a genre before it fully exists. Michie Mee was one of them.
In the late 1980s, she crossed a major threshold, becoming the first Canadian hip-hop artist to sign a major U.S. record deal at a time when few Canadian artists had that level of access. Michie Mee’s signature sound came fully into focus on Jamaican Funk – Canadian Style, her debut album blending rap, dancehall, and reggae — expanding the creative boundaries of Canadian hip-hop and foreshadowing the globally recognized “Toronto sound” of today.
At the stamp unveiling, emotion took over. Pointing to her stamp, which depicts her younger self, Michie Mee reflected on the journey from then to now. “I tried to tell this young lady we were gonna make it,” she said. “And now we’re here.”
Muzion’s music is a mix of English, French, and Haitian Creole that didn’t need a translation to be felt. That voice resonated.
Consisting of J.Kyll, Imposs, and Dramatik, the trio formed in 1996, bringing a raw perspective on Montreal’s emerging hip-hop scene. As children of Haitian immigrants, Muzion helped the diaspora see themselves in Quebec and Canadian culture — not as outsiders, but as essential contributors.
Their work earned multiple Félix Awards for Hip-Hop Album of the Year and a Canadian Urban Music Award, but the impact went deeper than awards. They proved that the most authentic stories are the ones told in your own tongue—all three of them.
Hip-hop was never meant to stay small. It was built to travel — from basements to block parties, from local scenes to national consciousness.
Now it travels in ink. These stamps honour three artists and the generation that carried it forward – building something from nothing, demanding space, and reshaping Canadian culture along the way.
Stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada beginning on January 28, 2026.
Featured photo credit: Canada Post
