J. Cole Paid Tribute to Prince With a Special Vikings Jersey (UPDATE)

Celebrating the legend.

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Image via Complex Original
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UPDATE 4/25/16: J. Cole's Prince jersey was designed by Joshton Peas, who founded Ain't Shit Funny. The Ain't Shit Funny Paisley Park Jersey was inspired by Joshton's mom, who's a big fan of Prince. According to him, he found out about Prince's death through an increase in sales of the jerseys. "The jersey has been on sale since Summer of 2015 and they sold thru fairly well. The morning he passed, I received an alert of three jerseys sold and a text asking if the news was true," he told us via e-mail.

Joshton gifted the jersey to Chase N. Cashe, who the lent it to J. Cole for his performance. "Chase N. Cashe has always been a good friend through my work in the music industry," says Joshton. "He's always supported my brand and vision. Cole didn't have a tribute ready for Prince before the [New Orleans] Jazz Fest, so Chase let him rock the jersey off his back to pay homage."

The jersey, which is available in white and purple, is currently sold out but will be restocked online next week. 


See the original post below. 

J. Cole performed hits from his 2014 Forest Hills Drive album at the 2016 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival yesterday, but the highlight may have been his tribute to Prince, who passed away last Thursday.

The rapper hit the stage wearing a Minnesota Vikings jersey with Prince's glyph for a number and his name on the back. The jersey belongs to Chase N. Cashe, who stopped by the festival to support J. Cole. 

J. Cole later signed the jersey for Chase N. Cashe. 

 

Prince was a big Vikings fan. In 2010, he penned an anthem titled "Purple and Gold," which he reportedly wrote shortly after the team's 34-3 win against the Dallas Cowboys in the 2010 NFC divisional playoffs—Prince's first Vikings game "in a very long time." 

But the singer's history with Minnesota's sports scene goes beyond the Vikings. The singer's 1984 song "Let's Go Crazy" is played at Target Field when the Twins hit a home run. Last October, Prince—a Minneapolis native—invited the Lynx to a private three-hour concert at his Paisley Park estate after the team won their third WNBA championship. 

"He was very very engaging," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve told CBS Minnesota about the experience. "There was a huge screen, that said 'Minnesota Lynx WNBA Champions 2015.' When he sang, he personalized some of the songs — you know, sang 'Lynx' in the songs, using players' names, which was just really really cool. And so we were just mesmerized. And everyone was just kind of turning and going, 'This is so much fun! Can you believe this is happening?'"

Minnesota's Lynx, Vikings, Twins, Wilds, and Timberwolves all paid tribute to the legendary singer following news of his death on Thursday. 

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