diff --git a/api/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/util/Utility.java b/api/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/util/Utility.java
index ea44001..2f26b0d 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/util/Utility.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/util/Utility.java
@@ -1,22 +1,52 @@
 package com.alttd.chat.util;
 
 import com.alttd.chat.ChatAPI;
-import com.alttd.chat.ChatImplementation;
 import com.alttd.chat.config.Config;
-import com.velocitypowered.api.proxy.Player;
-import com.velocitypowered.api.proxy.ProxyServer;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.legacy.LegacyComponentSerializer;
 import net.luckperms.api.LuckPerms;
 import net.luckperms.api.model.group.Group;
 import net.luckperms.api.model.user.User;
-import net.luckperms.api.node.Node;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Comparator;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
 public class Utility {
 
+    public static HashMap<String, String> colors;
+    static { // this might be in minimessage already?
+        colors = new HashMap<>(); // todo map all colors to minimessage
+        colors.put("&0", "<black"); // and confirm these are correct
+        colors.put("&1", "<dark_blue"); // could also add some default hex colors here?
+        colors.put("&2", "<dark_green");
+        colors.put("&3", "<dark_aqua");
+        colors.put("&4", "<dark_red");
+        colors.put("&5", "<dark_purple");
+        colors.put("&6", "<gold");
+        colors.put("&7", "<gray");
+        colors.put("&8", "<dark_gray");
+        colors.put("&9", "<blue");
+        colors.put("&a", "<green");
+        colors.put("&b", "<aqua");
+        colors.put("&c", "<red>");
+        colors.put("&d", "<light_purple>");
+        colors.put("&e", "<yellow>");
+        colors.put("&f", "<white>");
+        colors.put("&g", "<minecoin_gold>"); // is this a thing?
+    }
+
+    public static String parseColors(String message) {
+        // split string in sections and check those vs looping hashmap?:/
+        // think this is better, but will check numbers on this
+        for (String key : colors.keySet()) {
+            if (message.contains(key)) {
+                message = message.replace(key, colors.get(key));
+            }
+        }
+        return message;
+    }
+
     public static String getPrefix(UUID uuid, boolean highest) {
         StringBuilder prefix = new StringBuilder();
         LuckPerms luckPerms = ChatAPI.get().getLuckPerms();
diff --git a/galaxy/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/handler/ChatHandler.java b/galaxy/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/handler/ChatHandler.java
index b06c72f..231a665 100644
--- a/galaxy/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/handler/ChatHandler.java
+++ b/galaxy/src/main/java/com/alttd/chat/handler/ChatHandler.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import com.alttd.chat.ChatPlugin;
 import com.alttd.chat.config.Config;
 import com.alttd.chat.managers.ChatUserManager;
 import com.alttd.chat.objects.ChatUser;
+import com.alttd.chat.util.Utility;
 import com.google.common.io.ByteArrayDataOutput;
 import com.google.common.io.ByteStreams;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.Component;
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ public class ChatHandler {
         prefix = plugin.getChatAPI().getPrefix(player.getUniqueId());
 
         MiniMessage miniMessage = MiniMessage.get();
+        message = Utility.parseColors(message);
         if(!player.hasPermission("chat.format"))
             message = miniMessage.stripTokens(message);
         if(message.contains("[i]"))