Description
The Hip Hop Culture Stamp issued by the United States Postal Service honors the vibrant and influential art form of hip hop. Featuring a colorful image of a break-dancer in action, along with the words “Hip Hop” in bold, graffiti-style letters, the stamp celebrates the history and evolution of this global phenomenon. Emerging in the 1970s in the African American and Latinx communities in the South Bronx, hip hop has since become an integral part of popular culture and has had a tremendous impact around the world. The stamp recognizes hip hop’s significance and its many expressions, including rap music, DJing, graffiti art, breakdancing, and fashion. The stamp pays homage to the countless artists, activists, and entrepreneurs who have been part of hip hop’s development and growth over the years. It was issued in 2021 as part of the Forever stamp series and is a fitting tribute to a culture that continues to inspire and move us.
Hip-hop culture, with its own dynamic music, dance, and clothing styles, became a cultural influence in the 1980s. Black youths who lived in south Bronx spread hip-hop to other urban areas. Disc jockeys like Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash played an important role in hip-hop culture and the start of its music style, called “rap.”
The Sugar Hill Gang had the first hit rap song in 1979 with “Rapper’s Delight.” Rap music began to appeal to a more diverse audience in the 1980s. Most early songs were intended to be heard over booming mobile sound systems as high-energy party music. Disc jockeys would “scratch” a record with the needle of the record player to create orchestrated solos during songs.
Break dancing was a hip-hop rage in the ‘80s. The acrobatics, improvisation, and complicated rhythms displayed by the dancers created a distinctive style of social dance. Groups of young people would gather to show off their moves and compete against one another. They wore hooded sweatshirts, baggy pants, brand-name sneakers, and backward baseball caps.
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