Jay-Z explained to MTV News during a recent interview what exactly inspired him to come up with the classic black and white logo for his new basketball team, the Brooklyn Nets.  For him, being born and raised in Brooklyn before he blew up to become the rap legend and business icon that he is, Brooklyn was a hard and gritty place.  It wasn't the way it is now, being a new center for the "hipster" party life.  Brooklyn in general has undergone some serious remodeling over the years, but Jay-Z explained that his Brooklyn Nets logo represents the Brooklyn of old.  It represents the hard and rough Brooklyn that is full of heart and the strength to push forward.

Here's what Hov had to say:

"It's real gritty and Brooklyn is not about flash —well, sometimes. Just the roots of Brooklyn as this very bold, strong, simple logo.  It was really a take off the old subway signs, if you look at the old subway signs they were in black and white. 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."

Source: vibe.com