Jay-Z Speaks About The Brooklyn Nets With GQ

Professional basketball and hip hop culture have been married over the past decade. The two go together like bread and butter. Jay-Z’s part ownership of the Nets franchise has helped cement hip hop’s influence on the sport and its fans.

Jigga is becoming a face of the sport with his contributions to the team, as well as being named executive producer of the popular NBA 2K video game franchise. The co-owner helped move the struggling Nets to the vibrant, new arena known as the Barclays Center in Jay’z hometown of Brooklyn – one of the most affluent basketball cities and one of the birth places of hip hop as we know it today. Jay also had a hand in designing the team’s jerseys and logo.

Jay sat down with GQ magazine to discuss the coolest things about the team. In regards to the uni’s, Jay stated, “All black everything – and the lettering – the typography reminds you of the old subway. It’s classic.”

Hova also touched on the court’s unique hard-wood design, “It’s herringbone which is crazy. In fact, the NBA fought me on it. They said if it gets shot on TV, the lines will mess up the screen. I’m like, this aint 1988, we’ve got HD! We ended up taking it to the old arena in New Jersey to test it.”