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Rapper E-40 Claims Racial Bias After Ejection From NBA Playoff Arena

Removed E-40 from Kings-Warriors Game 1


Removed E-40 from Kings-Warriors Game 1

00:45

The Sacramento Kings are investigating allegations by a Bay Area hip-hop star that “racial bias” forced him out of his seat during a playoff game against the Golden State Warriors.

Rapper E-40 said in a statement that he was heckled throughout Saturday night’s game and addressed one heckler “in a firm but polite manner” before security arrived and ordered him off the field.

“Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that — despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains,” he said in a statement. “Security saw an altercation between a black male and a white female and immediately assumed I was at fault.”

He added that the experience was “shameful” and humiliating.

The Kings said they are investigating the circumstances behind the ejection.

Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings

Earl Stevens, better known as rapper E-40, yells at arena security personnel before being escorted courtside during Game One of the first round playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings on April 15, 2023. By Sacramento, California.

Getty Images

“The Sacramento Kings take these claims seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding the situation, as we do any time such allegations are made,” the team said in a statement.

Kings said “E-40 was standing excessively and repeatedly blocking guests from showing up behind him. After receiving multiple complaints, he was given a warning and refused to comply. There was a multi-pronged effort by the Kings and Warriors security teams to deal with the situation. , take him from his seat and avoid further disturbance.”

A person familiar with the situation agreed, telling The Associated Press E-40, whose real name is Earl Stevens, stood and blocked the view of fans behind him and was given a warning after several complaints. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because details of the situation have not been made public. The man said E-40 refused to comply and was escorted from his seat by Warriors and Kings security officials.

But a second person familiar with the situation, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the AP E-40 was never alerted by security about the “excess position”.

E-40 is a prominent Warriors fan and was even part of the delegation that visited the White House earlier this season.

“It’s unfortunate,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. “I love 40. He’s been our biggest supporter for years. I hope they right that ship because he deserves to be on our bench. In my time knowing him, he’s always been respectful. He’s always been considerate of those around him. Was. Very weird looking, and I hope it gets resolved.”

CBS Bay Area Notes that E-40 is one of the most prominent hip-hop artists to emerge from the Bay Area scene and is credited with introducing “hyphy” — a long-lasting style and subculture of East Bay hip hop that grew out of its own “mob” Music” in the ’90s — to the world in 2006 with his Lil Jon-produced track “My Ghetto Report Card.”

More recently, the rapper Mount Westmore Group with fellow Bay Area icon Two $hort and SoCal hip-hop giants Ice Cube and Snoop Doggreleased an album and headlined the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival last year.

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