…Researched and contributed by Enitan Thompson.
Californian rapper E-40, whose real name is Earl Stevens, was recently ejected from the Sacramento Kings’ NBA game against the Golden State Warriors.
The incident occurred during the fourth quarter when E-40 became embroiled in a spat with another fan who was sitting near him.
The musician was sitting courtside at the Sacramento Golden 1 Centre for Game 1 of the NBA series when he was escorted out of the building by Kings’ security.
Reports suggest that E-40 was allegedly standing up too much and blocking the views of other fans who were sitting behind him.
However, the rapper refuted these allegations and stated that he was subjected to disrespectful heckling over the course of the game, which prompted him to turn around and address one heckler in an assertive but polite manner.
Racial bias allegations
Shortly after E-40 was escorted out of the arena, he took to his Twitter page to post a statement.
In it, he accused the Kings’ security team of racial bias, stating that they saw a disagreement between a black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that he was at fault.
Despite his success and professionalism as a musician and entrepreneur, E-40 claimed that this experience had been jarring and was yet another reminder that racial bias remains prevalent.
E-40 called on the franchise to investigate the “appalling conduct” that transpired and expressed his gratitude for the fans and supporters who had reached out to express their concern and disappointment regarding these disheartening circumstances.
The Kings responded to E-40’s statement, stating that they take these claims seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding the situation, as they do anytime an accusation like this is made.
Support from Klay Thompson
Warriors’ guard Klay Thompson also came out to defend E-40 after the incident, stating that the rapper had been their biggest supporter for years and deserved to be by their bench.
Thompson added that in his time knowing E-40, he had always been respectful and considerate of those around him.
He described the incident as “very weird to see” and hoped that it would be resolved soon.
Overall, the incident highlights the ongoing issue of racial bias and the need for constant vigilance against it.
It is essential to investigate these kinds of accusations and ensure that all parties involved are held accountable for their behavior.