SACRAMENTO — Several Golden State players voiced support for E-40 one day after the Bay Area hip-hop legend was tossed from Game 1 of the Warriors-Kings series as a result of what he said was “racial bias” from security guards.
Klay Thompson on Sunday said it was “very weird to see” E-40, a devout Warriors fan, get kicked out from his usual seats near the team’s bench in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Kings.
“In my time, knowing him, he’s always been respectful,” Thompson said after a team meeting. “He’s always been considerate of those around him.”
Several videos that circulated social media Saturday night showed E-40, whose real name is Earl Tywone Stevens Sr., talking to Golden 1 Center security before leaving his baseline seats. At one point, a member of the Warriors security team steps in to help de-escalate the situation before E-40 was escorted out through the tunnel, with Golden State forward Andre Iguodala trailing behind.
E-40 released a statement Sunday, saying he had been “subjected to disrespectful heckling” during the game. The 55-year-old rapper “turned around and addressed one of the hecklers in an assertive but polite manner” in the fourth quarter. It was then when arena security approached him believing he instigated the situation.
“Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that — despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur — racial bias remains prevalent,” the rapper’s statement said. “Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault.”
E-40 said he was “absolutely humiliated” after being prematurely removed from the Warriors’ 126-123 loss and requested the team look into the matter.
One fan in attendance, who spoke to Bay Area News Group and asked not to be named, said a female Kings fan was yelling at E-40 to sit down throughout the game, leading the artist to turn around and deliver a retort. A separate source said arena security received several complaints that E-40 stood excessively, blocking the view of fans behind him, and he refused to comply with a warning.
The Kings released a statement, saying they take “these claims seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances regarding the situation.”
Gary Payton II said he didn’t see what went down before security approached E-40. Payton can be seen on video attempting to approach E-40 as the situation appeared to escalate.
“E-40 is like an uncle to me, so just making sure he was good,” Payton said. “Our guys took care of him. Besides that, I don’t really know what went down.”
Payton said he hasn’t talked to E-40 yet, but echoed Thompson’s assessment.
“It’s a little weird,” Payton said. “I guess it’s a little playoff intensity, playoff atmosphere. Fans [are] gonna be fans, so I really didn’t expect it.”
Thompson called the incident “unfortunate” and said he hoped the situation would get resolved as soon as possible.
“I love E-40. He’s been our biggest supporter for years,” Thompson said “I hope they right that ship because he deserves to be there by our bench.”
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