Much has been said about the makeover of the new logo for the NBA’s New Jersey-turned-Brooklyn Nets basketball team that muted the red, white and blue logo they had for decades into a black and white one partially designed by Jay-Z. But the rapper, who is also part owner of the team, explained the change was simple — literally — he wanted something “classic” that would “stand the test of time."

“I wanted to make it really classic and strong; a throwback to Brooklyn and what we’re about,” Jay-Z told MTV News about the image. “It’s real gritty and we’re not about flash — well, sometimes. Just the roots of Brooklyn as this very bold, strong, simple logo.”

Jay-Z was inspired by a universal New York staple: the New York subways. “It was really a takeoff the old subway signs. If you look at the old subway signs, they were in black and white,” he explained. “It was that strong, beautiful, iconic black and white. I wanted to pick something that would stand the test of time and be here forever.”

Along with helping choose the color scheme, Jay-Z also had a hand in how the team’s two primary logos turned out, weighing in on design decisions that resulted in the final that the Brooklyn Nets will now wear. 

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(Photos from left: Jason Kempin/Getty Images, Courtesy NBA)