USPS has designed and is ready to issue a set of four stamps, the theme of which is Hip Hop. Since its inception more than four decades ago, the electrifying music, dance, and art movement has profoundly influenced American and global popular culture. The issue features photographs taken by Cade Martin that depict s such elements of hip hop culture as MC-ing (rapping), B-boying (break dancing), DJ-ing, and Graffiti art.
The stamps were created by art director Antonio Alcalá. They are highlighted with a vivid yellow, green, red, and black color scheme and their bold, digitally-tinted images are intended to appear in motion.
The hip hop genre is so popular because it is more than just a genre, it is a culture that has influenced America since the 1970’s. With roots in African American and Afro-Caribbean music, dance and verbal arts cultures, hip-hop has given artists all over the world a platform to tell their own life stories and speak about their communities’ experiences. Hip hop comprises four elements: mcing, djing, break dancing, and the art of graffiti – they make up what we call hip hop.
