Bay Area rap legend E-40 was ejected from the Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors Western Conference First Round Playoffs game on Saturday, April 15.
E-40 is pictured above yelling at security before being escorted from the arena.
The 55-year-old rapper, born Earl Stevens, is a regular fixture at Warriors’ games. But on the King’s home court, he was just another ticket holder causing a disturbance.
The ruckus began when E-40 got into it with a female Kings fan sitting 2 rows behind him. Cellphone video shows E-40 and the woman pointing and yelling at each other.
E-40 said later that the woman started it, but security at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, escorted him from the arena.
READ ALSO: Shannon Sharpe and Ja Morant’s Dad Hug It Out After Confrontation (Video)
In a statement to PEOPLE after the game, E-40 said he was “subjected to disrespectful heckling” throughout the game, which took place in the Kings’ home arena.
E-40 said he “turned around and addressed one heckler in an assertive but polite manner,” but then arena security came over and “assumed I instigated the encounter”.
“Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that — despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains prevalent,” E-40’s statement read. “Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault.”
In a Twitter video, former NBA star and current ESPN analyst Jalen Rose said E-40 “should be receiving an apology.”
My brother @E40 should be receiving an apology. pic.twitter.com/qztCSG2HAl
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) April 16, 2023
Warriors guard Klay Thompson told the AP the situation was “unfortunate.”
“I love 40,” Thompson said. “He’s been our biggest supporter for years. I hope they right that ship because he deserves to be there by our bench.”
The Kings won the game 126-123 to take a 1-0 lead over the Warriors in the series. Game 2 is tonight, April 17, in Sacramento. E-40’s rep told PEOPLE the rapper will not attend tonight’s game.
Rapper E-40 gets kicked out of Kings-Warriors game ? pic.twitter.com/XTUQPV147Q
— FootBasket™.com (@FootBasket) April 16, 2023