Rapper E-40 was ejected from Saturday’s NBA playoff game between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings – and the rapper said ‘racial bias’ was to blame.
The Bay Area hip-hop legend was sitting courtside when an argument broke out at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
Videos posted to social media showed the longtime NBA fan in a heated argument with security before being escorted out of the arena.
In a long statement, E-40 said he was “subjected to disrespectful heckling” throughout the match. He said he reacted in an “assertive, but polite manner”, prompting security to intervene.
“Kings security approached me, assumed I had started the encounter and kicked me out of the arena,” he said.
More footage of the E-40 getting ejected from the Warriors/Kings series opener. pic.twitter.com/VehbC7ExoT
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“Unfortunately, this was yet another reminder that — despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains prevalent,” the rapper’s statement continued. “Security saw a disagreement between a black man and a white woman and immediately assumed I was at fault.”
The rapper, born Earl Stevens, added that the experience was “shocking”.
“I have attended countless NBA games throughout my life and have always prided myself on my professionalism, so this experience was shocking,” he continued. “I was absolutely humiliated by the Kings security team and call on the franchise to investigate the appalling conduct that occurred.”
Sources told ESPN and Fox News that security believed E-40 was standing “excessively” and blocking the view of fans behind him. Security reportedly received complaints and warned E-40 to sit down, but the sources said the rapper refused to comply.
The Kings are now investigating what happened.
“The Sacramento Kings take these allegations seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding the situation, as we do every time an accusation like this is made,” the Kings said in a statement. statement.
E-40 is a platinum recording artist from Vallejo, California. He has been featured on many hit songs and is best known for his 2006 single “Tell Me When To Go” which was produced by Lil Jon.