E-40 moments before being escorted from courtside during Game One of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on April 15, 2023 in Sacramento, California.
Loren Elliott/Getty Images
E-40 has cited "racial bias" after he was forced to leave his courtside seat during the the NBA playoffs game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night, April 15. Video footage from the night shows the Bay Area rapper, a well-known Warriors fan, speaking with security shortly before leaving the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, before leaving his courtside seat.
NBA sources told The Athletic that the rapper was "standing excessively" throughout the game, which led to a disagreement with a woman who said he was blocking the view for others.
A video surfaced during Game 1 of Warriors-Kings that showed hip-hop artist E-40 getting escorted out of his seat by security as he argued with Kings fans in the stands during the second half on Saturday night.pic.twitter.com/yNZEWEr9Dx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 16, 2023
E-40 issued a statement to The Athletic the morning after. It reads:
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.” He continued:
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 that I was at fault.
I’ve attended countless NBA games throughout my lifetime and have always prided myself in my professionalism, so the experience has been jarring. I was absolutely humiliated by the Kings’ security team and I’m calling on the franchise to investigate the appalling conduct that transpired.
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.
A spokesperson for the Kings responded to The Athletic, stating that they are looking into E-40's claims. “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.”
