COVER N. 691 - CANADA

Postmark: Canada Post / Postes Canada Canoe B.C. 12.02.2026

Posted on the 12th February;  Received on the 23rd February 2026

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hip-hop. I have to confess: not my cup of tea, the same as a long list of other genres before (and I'm sure after). 

Still it is undeniable that this musical movement, which goes beyond the constraints of a genre for one cannot untie it from other art expressions such as break dancing or street art, for instance, has found a solid space in the arts panorama, having already made the transition from the margins to the mainstream, with all the highs and lows that are always associated with this inevitable fact of the life of the arts.

The recognition comes in many forms and Canada Post chose to do it i the way we here are mostly concerned with: Philately.

So,  a great thanks goes out to Eduard, for having sent me this quite nice cover.

Canada Post issued the three "P" tariff stamp set on 28JAN2026, withing the backdrop of it customary philatelic celebration of Canada's  Black History Month, which has been celebrated for the past 30 years and which, in 2026, upholds "Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations – From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries" as motto.

The three stamps feature distinguished MC's from the Canadian Hip-hop scene, which Wikipedia informs me was established in the 80s. 

Quoting directly from Canada Post's  website  and following the stamps clockwise from the top left, "Maestro Fresh Wes propelled Canadian hip-hop into the mainstream with groundbreaking hits that set new industry milestones. Michie Mee combined rap with dancehall and reggae to create an iconic sound that captivated fans. Montréal-based group Muzion layered French, English and Haitian Creole into their music, injecting the ever-evolving genre with a fresh new vibe".

The Postmark is the nicely illustrated one from the city of Canoe, in British Columbia, which bears the image of two people holding a... canoe, over their heads. Nice!

I said above that Hip Hop has made its transition to mainstream and when I was writing that I remembered a production of Rameau's “Les Indes Galantes” of some years ago that totally blew my fuses off when I was lucky to watch it on TV.

Not that Zima and Adario thake to sing Hip-hop style, but the ambience of the full production is totally Hip-hop in conception. A feast for the eyes and the ears... and the soul.

Here's a clip from it (there is at least another one with a solo by a dancer accompanying Sabine also soloing, which is so movingly beautiful that it is hard to put it in words... check it, you won't regret it)