LeBron James shows off his new Nike LeBron 21 Purple Rain colorway

LeBron James recently revealed a new colorway of his upcoming Nike LeBron 21. The colorway pays homage to one of his favorite musicians, the late great Prince. James shared a photo of the shoe on Instagram, labeling it with lines from one of Prince’s most famous songs, “Purple Rain.” The shoe is coated in purple tones similar to those worn by Prince. The Nike swoosh is accentuated in gold, as are the piece’s other accents. This colorway also features a strong representation of the Lakers’ colors, making it a noteworthy release. And for James, this release has a lot of significance.

Prince died on April 21, 2016, from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. To pay tribute to the legacy, James once stated, “I just think we’re losing a lot of our heroes a lot sooner than expected.” He was unique as an artist and for what he did for music and people’s lives, such as my mother and those who grew up during that time period. My condolences go out to his entire family, and it’s a tragic scenario to see someone so gifted leave so soon.”

During a Cleveland Cavaliers Halloween party, LeBron James dressed up as Prince and performed Purple Rain. He took the stage while dressed in Prince’s distinctive style and brandishing an electric guitar. This Nike release has to be one of the most significant to date. Last week, while working out with his youngest son, Bryce Maximus, James teased his Nike LeBron 21s. The shoe is set to be released later this year.