Bay Area rapper E-40 was ejected from the NBA playoffs game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night (April 15), and he is alleging that he was removed due to racial bias, ESPN and The Athletic report. Videos posted to social media depict the rapper speaking with security guards at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, before leaving his courtside seat. 

League sources told The Athletic that E-40 was allegedly standing excessively throughout the game, blocking the view of attendees behind him. One woman repeatedly yelled at E-40 to sit down, which led to a verbal back-and-forth between E-40 and the woman. After approaching E-40, security ejected him in the fourth quarter.

Following the incident, E-40 issued a statement to The Athletic, writing: “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.

The Kings issued their own statement to The Athletic, writing: “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.” E-40 is a Bay Area resident and avid Warriors fan.

https://pitchfork.com/news/e-40-ejected-from-nba-playoffs-game-blames-racial-bias