Warriors Troll Kings, Stadium Security With Music Choice During Pregame Shootaround

Golden State tipped its cap to its playoff opener’s biggest off-the-court controversy.

With the stakes of the Warriors‘ first-round playoff series against the Kings heightened after a contentious Game 1, Golden State turned to a familiar face for background music before Game 2.

The Warriors were recorded shooting around to the music of rapper E-40 Monday afternoon before Game 2, two days after Golden 1 Center security removed him from his courtside seat in Game 1 due to "excessive standing."

E-40, 55, is a native of East Bay, Calif., as well as an avid Golden State fan and season ticket holder.

The rapper responded to his ejection by claiming Sacramento’s security acted unreasonably and demonstrated “racial bias” against him.

The Warriors are bumping E-40 during shootaround today 🔥

E-40, a Warriors fan and season ticket-holder, was removed from his courtside seat in Sacramento during Game 1 for what arena security claimed was "excessive standing."

🎥: @DaltonJ_Johnson pic.twitter.com/5q66mU3dv2

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 17, 2023

“Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that—despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur—racial bias remains prevalent,” E-40 said in a statement. “Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault.”

The Kings wound up winning Game 1, 126–123, to take a 1–0 series lead.