The Bay Area rapper E-40 was ejected from the Golden 1 Center by arena security guards on Saturday night during a NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings. Video circulating from the night shows E-40 being removed from his courtside seats during the fourth quarter of the game. In a statement (shared by sports reporter Shams Charania), E-40 called for the Kings franchise to investigate the security team on account of racial bias.
“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,” E-40 wrote in his statement. “Yet, shortly thereafter, Kings’ security approached me, assumed that I instigated the encounter and proceeded to kick me out of the arena.”
“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 wrote. His statement continued:
I’ve attended countless NBA games throughout my life and have always prided myself in my professionalism, so this 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.
Local paper The Mercury News said one fan in attendance, who asked not to be named, said that a female Kings fan was yelling at E-40 throughout the game to sit down, and that profanity was exchanged between the two parties.
Neither franchise has commented publicly on the situation yet.
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