The Sacramento Kings are up 2-0 on the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but the Kings took an L when E-40 was controversially ejected from Game 1 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, April 15.
The following day, E-40 released a statement explaining that he felt he “was subjected to disrespectful heckling” and was met with “racial bias” when Golden 1 Center security “assumed that I instigated the encounter and proceeded to kick me out of the arena” (as reported by Shams Charania):
Hip-hop artist E-40 says racial bias was the reason behind him being kicked out of Golden 1 Center midway through the fourth quarter of Golden State-Sacramento on Saturday night and he is requesting the Kings to investigate. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/15Lwl2lJZF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 16, 2023
E-40 issued another statement, this time alongside the Kings, on Wednesday, April 19, and it was determined “that there was a miscommunication regarding the circumstances” and clarified that E-40 “did not stand excessively from his ticketed courtside seat.” Here it is in full:
E-40 and the Sacramento Kings release a joint statement, stating that an unfortunate misunderstanding led to his ejection from Golden 1 arena during Game 1 between the Warriors and Kings. It goes on to say that E-40 did not stand excessively from his seat. Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/tZXFAK4yzC
— jordan (@jrosethereturn) April 19, 2023
But today, April 20, E-40 had the final word. He dropped “Front Row 40” along with a video directed by Jae Synth. The visual finds E-40 reclaiming his rightful place courtside. “Front Row 40, four-seat Earl / Feet on the wood, me and my girl,” the Bay Area icon raps as footage cycles through of E-40’s past front-row adventures.
E-40 boasts about people saying “they watch the games just to see what I’m gonna wear” and “text me and say they see me on the Jumbotron.” Of course, the video wouldn’t be complete without a clip of Steph Curry dapping up E-40.
It’s likely that E-40 will be in attendance to root on his Dubs in Game 3 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, but it sounds like 50 Cent might be a game-time decision. The Warriors will need all the juice they can get from their home crowd; they’ll be without Draymond Green, who was suspended for tonight’s Game 3 after stomping on Domantas Sabonis in Game 2. The game tips off at 7 p.m. local time.
Watch “Front Row 40” above.