North California emcee E-40 was recently removed from an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings due to a minor debacle. However, the Bay Area musician has now come out with allegations that his removal was due to racial bias.
Various videos circulating on social media show the Oakland act in a heated debate with security guards at the Golden 1 Center—an arena home to the Sacramento Kings. However, following the intense conversation, the rapper was forced to vacate the venue and his courtside seat.
Spokespeople of the NBA addressed the issue and, speaking with The Athletic, have claimed that E-40 was continuously standing, screaming and blocking the view of other seatholders. According to the league, this made the game uncomfortable and unenjoyable for many individuals. Unidentified sources have alleged E-40’s behaviour culminated in an intense argument between the rapper (real name Earl Stevens) and an unnamed woman in the crowd. The altercation eventually became one filled with profanity, and subsequently, Stevens was removed from the arena in the fourth quarter.
As the altercation hit social media, to calm the firestorm, E-40 issued a statement reading, On Saturday night, I was subjected to disrespectful heckling over the course of the Warriors-Kings game in Sacramento. 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.”
The lengthy statement proceeded to address issues surrounding race in America as the rapper highlighted how the Caucasian female wasn’t given the same treatment as himself. Bluntly highlighting the injustice, the artist wrote, “Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur, racial bias remains relevant. Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a White woman and immediately assumed I was at fault.”
Following the highly-publicised incident, The Sacramento Kings were forced to release their own statement, which read, “The Sacramento Kings take these claims seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances regarding the situation, as we do anytime an accusation like this is made.” You can view a news report addressing the fiasco in the video below.
