E-40 is imploring the Sacramento Kings to launch an investigation into a heckling incident that occurred during Saturday (April 15) night’s playoff matchup between his hometown team and the Golden State Warriors. The game marked the first time the Kings have made the playoffs since 2006.
During the fourth quarter, tempers reached a boiling point when the witty lyricist responded to a white woman who had been taunting him throughout the game. A brief back and forth between the two ultimately led to the My Ghetto Report Card artist being escorted out of the Golden 1 Center. Footage of the incident shows the Bay Area rap legend being guided through a crowd by a security guard as he exchanged words with fans in the stands. While his words are not heard, cell phone footage does reveal that his ejection was shrouded in boos.
In his own words, the “Tell Me When to Go” emcee said he was subjected to disrespectful heckling throughout the game. “During the fourth quarter, I finally turned around and addressed one heckler in an assertive but polite manner. Yet, shortly thereafter, Kings’ security approached me, assumed that I instigated the encounter, and proceeded to kick me out of the arena,” he said in a statement released Sunday (April 16) morning. “Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that, despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur, racial bias remains prevalent. Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault,” he continued.
E-40 said being booted from the game was a jarring and humiliating experience. In the end, he noted, “I’m truly grateful for my fans and supporters who have reached out to express their concern and disappointment regarding these disheartening circumstances, and I hope those involved are held accountable for their behavior.”
Peep the raucous moment in the post below.
E-40 gets kicked out & Warriors lose Game 1!
(Via @linebackrschool)
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 16, 2023
Hip-hop artist E-40 says racial bias was the reason behind him being kicked out of Golden 1 Center midway through the fourth quarter of Golden State-Sacramento on Saturday night and he is requesting the Kings to investigate. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/15Lwl2lJZF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 16, 2023