Stamp Announcement 20-20: Hip Hop Stamps

©2019 USPS

On July 1, 2020, in New York, NY, the United States Postal Service^® will issue the Hip Hop stamps (Forever^® priced at the First-Class Mail^® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 476500). The stamps will go on sale nationwide July 1, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Hip Hop pane of 20 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The Postal Service™ celebrates hip hop with four new stamps in a pane of 20. Since its inception more than four decades ago, the electrifying music, dance, and art movement has profoundly influenced American and global popular culture. The stamp art features photographs taken by Cade Martin that depict four elements of hip hop:

n MC-ing (rapping),

n B-boying (break dancing),

n DJ-ing, and

n Graffiti art.

The bold, digitally-tinted images are intended to appear in motion. The words “Forever” and “USA,” “Hip Hop,” and the name of the element featured appear across the top of each stamp. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps, which are highlighted with a vivid yellow, green, red, and black color scheme. The title of the stamp issuance, printed in red and black, is centered on the top of the pane.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 476500, Hip Hop (Forever Priced at the First-Class Mail Rate) PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store^® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Hip Hop Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by November 1, 2020.

How to Order First-Day Covers

The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the USA Philatelic catalog and online at usps.com/shop. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic catalog online at usps.com/philatelic.

Locally produced items are not authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

— Stamp Services, Marketing, 5-21-20