The Canadian hip hop legends are the first from the genre to be featured on Canada Post stamps. (Courtesy: @maestrofreshwes, Ron Nelson/Instagram)
Canada Post is celebrating Black History Month by unveiling three new stamps honouring Canadian hip hop pioneers Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, and Montreal group Muzion. The stamps will be revealed tonight at a private event.
While Canada Post has previously honoured more than two dozen Canadian music legends — including Leonard Cohen, Rush, and Oscar Peterson — this marks the first time hip hop artists have been featured.
Maestro, born Wes Williams, made history with his 1988 debut Symphony in Effect, which included the classic “Let Your Backbone Slide,” and later won the first-ever Juno Award for Rap Recording. He told Now Toronto he plans to send a letter using the stamp to his hero Chuck D, calling the honour proof of his lasting, intergenerational impact.
Michie Mee, born in Jamaica and raised in Toronto, was the first female MC to sign a U.S. record deal in 1988. Known for blending hip hop with reggae and dancehall, she called the stamp “the biggest accolade ever” and said she plans to send letters to her mom, her grandson, and herself.
Muzion, a Montreal trio made up of J.Kyll, Imposs, and Dramatik, emerged in the mid-’90s and helped expand Canadian hip hop with their mix of French, English, and Haitian Creole.
The invite-only unveiling will include remarks from Toronto DJ and broadcaster Ron Nelson, who called the stamps a win for the entire Canadian hip hop community.
All three stamps will be sold together in one booklet at Canada Post locations nationwide.
