Witness recalls moments leading up to E-40's ejection from Kings-Warriors game in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Video shows the moments that Bay Area hip-hop star E-40 was kicked out of the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento over the weekend -- the Vallejo native calling this a case of 'racial bias.'

Tense moments can be seen in the video showing the disagreement between some Kings fans and Bay Area rapper E-40, also knowns as Earl Stevens, on Saturday night.

"I didn't see what happened but 40 is like an uncle to me so just make sure he was good and our guys took care of him so," said Warriors player Gary Payton II.

At one point a female fan who was involved can be seen recording the disagreement with E-40 on her phone. Minutes later Stevens is escorted out.

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Sources told Andscape's Marc J. Spears that Golden 1 Center security believed E-40 stood excessively thus blocking the view of fans behind him, refused to comply after a warning was given after many complaints and there was an effort by Kings & Warriors security to escort him out without further distraction.

However, a source close to E-40 told Spears that a warning was never given by Golden 1 security for standing excessively.

E-40 released a statement to NBA writer Marc Spears saying, "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 went on to say, "Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault."

The rapper saying that racial bias remains prevalent.

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BJ Singh is a Kings fan and an E-40 fan who met him a short time before this situation unfolded. Before this argument Singh said that E-40 was standing there in the front row with the man he went to the game with. Some fans told them to sit down.

"E-40 turned around and I think he used some words that I should not probably repeat but he used that towards the fans which is all documented on the video and so there was a back and forth between the fans that was behind E-40 and the person who was with him," said Singh.

Singh says the interaction continued, security got word of what was going on, and then spoke with E-40.

"They were trying to see if he would sit down and lay the problem to rest but that didn't happen E-40 never sat down," said Singh.

Singh says there was an argument and a short time later E-40 was escorted out.

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The Kings released a statement saying, "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."

Here is E-40's full statement:

"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.

Yes, 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.

I've attended countless NBA games throughout my lifetime and have always prided myself in my professionalism, so this experience has been jarring."

E-40 has courtside seats at Golden State's Chase Center next to the Warriors bench, and he even joined the team's contingent when it visited the White House this year to celebrate winning last season's NBA championship.

E-40 tweeted video showing he was in Sacramento on Saturday, the day of the NBA playoff game, for a bottle signing at Total Wine and More.

The Warriors trail the Kings 1-0 in the first-round series between the two teams with Game 2 Monday night in Sacramento.

ESPN contributed to this report.

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