RALEIGH, N.C. — This Black History Month, the Carolina Hurricanes partnered with a local artist for a unique spin on their logo.

What You Need To Know

  • The Carolina Hurricanes teamed up with a local artist to design a Black Excellence Campaign jersey

  • Artist Mike Jones was inspired by Tupac Shakur's poem, "The Rose That Grew From Concrete"

  • Proceeds from jersey sales will benefit the Durham Success Summit

The team officially released his creation Tuesday night.

Inside PNC Arena, Mike Jones can hardly walk a step without someone stopping to compliment him.

“It's surreal, it's dope that people are grabbing it and supporting too,” Jones said as Canes fans grabbed his custom-designed shirt off the team store rack. “Definitely a cool sight to see."

Jones, who was raised in Apex, designed the Hurricanes' first Black Excellence Campaign jersey.

“Basically I looked at the top of the rose, and you kind of see a hurricane," Jones said.

Jones says he was inspired by Tupac Shakur’s poem, "The Rose That Grew From Concrete."

“So I drew the rose, and kept the representation of the Hurricanes in there as well, obviously playing out the same color scheme of it, red and black," Jones said.

Like a rose that grows from concrete, Jones says anyone can overcome adversity.

“It's a symbolism of no matter your environment, you still blossom into something beautiful, regardless of where you came from," Jones said.

The Canes say they wanted to work with someone who could create a visual symbol of excellence that tells a story of the struggles and achievements in the Black community, often underrepresented in hockey.

“I'm all for representation, especially in the sense knowing that in hockey there's not a lot of people that look like me in the sport,” Jones said.

Jones grew up a Canes fan.

“I used to only sit in the 300 level, but now the fact that I'm being honored in the game, let alone be in this electric environment, I’m at a loss of words," Jones said.

Before the game, Jones was featured on the Canes pre-game show.

The design and the attention are all perks, but Jones says it's the why behind it all that means the most.

Proceeds from his jersey sales will go toward the Durham Success Summit, a nonprofit dedicated to helping young Black men advance their careers.

“Anything to do with investing in the community, in the youth, I'm big on my brand being a community uplift program, literally that's my one goal," Jones said.

The Black Excellence Campaign jerseys sold out in just 30 minutes on the Canes' website after they were dropped.

You can still buy the Black Excellence Campaign T-shirts at the team store.