Since his debut in 1987 Vallejo, CA born Earl Stevens aka E-40 has been a pioneer on both sides of the musical spectrum: first as an artist who exerted originality and stood aloof to the rest of the rap pack, and second as a businessman whose hustler mentality paved the groundwork for the independent rap game as it is today. He'll be the first to tell you his ascension has been everything but a cake walk, but with persistence and a deaf ear to critics, 40 has built a multi-million dollar empire from the ground up. Rooted in the street grind, he went from selling tapes out of his trunk, to signing one of the first seven figure distribution deals through Jive for his own Sick-Wid-It Records. For the first time in a decade 40 is off Jive, opting to sign with Lil Jon's BME Records for his tenth solo album My Ghetto Report Card. The colossal conglomeration comes at a perfect time as the Bay Area is experiencing a musical rejuvenation fueled by the high energy, get loose and wild out hyphy movement, similar to the crunk phenomenon popularized by Lil Jon.

As the Ambassador of the Bay a lot rests on his back. With his new platform he has the opportunity to speak to the world and show that the Bay Area is alive and hungry, as well as prove what many have believed for years; that he is one of the best to ever do it. Devoted to his family and friends, his fans, his city, and his music, there couldn't be a more suitable or deserving man than E-40.

You came out with 40 Wata, 40 Fonzarelli, then Charlie Hustle, The Ballactican, and last time it was 40 Belafonte, what are you coming with this time around?
Spitary 40 Yay. Ya know, like Sydney Poitier. The reason I say that is because Sydney Poitier was an innovator, and that's what I feel am I am. Harry Belafonte was an innovator too. Actually they were like the first two black actors that got a big break and did they're thing. I was one of the first cats to show dudes how to go about they're independent hustle in the rap game, and I came with one of the most unorthodox styles in the game, so I fee like I'm on their page but in the rap category.

Is that something you would credit to your longevitity is that you've been able to successfully recreate yourself time and again?
Every time. You gotta keep up with what's happening. I feel like to continue in this rap game you have to press reset and reinvent yourself to adjust with the times. You can't continue to do the same thing you were doing 20 years ago ya dig? That's one thing about me, I've always been ahead of my time. I've always been early, I've never been late like FEMA, about being hip, with my ear to the streets, and what's going on around me. I've been a student of the game and trend setter at the same time, that's the way you gotta do it.

What do you think is you greater achievement what you've done in rap, or what you've done on the business side?
I think my greatest achievement was getting my first gold album. Wait, no I'll tell you what my greatest achievement was. Before I signed my deal with Jive in 1994, I had bought me a five bedroom house, and a brand new Lexus SC400 Coup. That was all independent money. That was from me making money selling tapes out the trunk of my car through City Hall Records, and letting that be the headquarters to collect and distribute the music all the One Stops across the nation. My second is my first gold album, that was one of the happiest moments of my life. Being a homeowner at such a young age, and getting a gold album, which is something I dreamed about as a kid. I used to dream about it, and I did it.

So you feel your business…..
Shoot, first of all my business ventures, I've been doing this real estate thing for quite some time. Realize this, when I was a youngster in the rap game all I used to think of was franchises, cause me just being a student of the game all the OG's and all the older mustaches on the soil used to be like, rule of thumb, get in and get out the game if you flea flicking, or regardless how you doing it, get yourself a franchise, or a barber shop, or some real estate, an empty commercial lot, a strip mall, just whatever. My whole thing was to do what they were saying, so once I caught me a break, I was like ok let me try something. I wanted a Popeyes Chicken (laughs). Then I said I burgers out sell everything pretty much, and my neighbor Chestor Mclaugton, he was Pro-Bowler for the Oakland Raiders, I went half with him, and got our first Fat Burger up and running in Pleasant Hills, second one up in Redwood City, third one we looking at Tracy.

A while you back you mentioned in a song about taking a small amount of money, and investing in vending machines.
Yeah that was (Hope I Don't Go Back�. The reason I came up with that title and song was because it wasn't actually me saying I hope I don't go back to selling yayo, it was me being the narrator for those who have the goals in life, and the are on the same page I'm on, and what I was taught. A lot of people felt that. One time I sung that song in Detroit, you know there's a whole bunch of hustlers on there, and I sung that at a club and they went so crazy because they feel me.

So it wasn't really vending machines?
Nah, it's just the little things you can do to be entrepreneur, and take baby steps in life.

It seems that's one of your strongest qualities as an MC, to where you can make these street anthems and drop jewels in there for people to grow with, and give them more than just street tales.
I really feel that way. I think I was put on this earth to teach, and to guide. I think god blessed me with that. I'm telling cats, (If you feelin down and out read proverbs�. I'm telling cats, (Don't buy an 85,000 car before you buy a house�.

I know your uncle St. Charles played a big role in your development, but was there anyone else?
My aunties, and my granddaddy and grand momma. God bless them, they passed away this year. This year was not a real happy year for me as far as family wise. They died like two months apart from each other. You know I'd call my auntie or grandparents, and tell them to give me some scriptures to read, and they'd give em to me. I'd write em down, highlight them in my bible, and read them. That's how I was taught, I'm one of those dudes who used to always observe the older mustaches.

You're kids don't have to go through a lot of the things you did. What kinds of things do you instill into them?
To be honest, and be solid. To stand the test of fortitude, and the motivation to go out there and get it that I got from my mom and dad. I try to teach them to be a leader not a follower, what I mean by that, you know I might say something about poppin some pills in a rap, but I'm not telling you to go do that, I'm just telling you a story about what cat's everyday way of living is. I'm not telling them to go and do it, because they see me saying it. Both of my sons is good listeners, and they pay attention to me. When I was a youngster, I used to tell my mom and dad, I'm not even talking back I just want to you to hear me out. So I sit and listen to my kids, cause if we said anything back to my parents we get our ass beat. If what they say don't make no sense, I'll tell them how I feel about it, and if it do, it's all gravity.

What traits of yours do you see in your sons?
They both are real artistic. My youngest one, he's into inventions. He's got some imagination, cause he comes up with these inventions (laughs). He reminds me of my brother D-Shot cause D-Shot always got inventions going on.

As father did you ever imagine this young your son would be making noise in the rap game?
I didn't know, he learned real quick just by observing. I know a lot of people that make beats, but there is a difference between just making a beat and knowing how to engineer, and make creative music that the kids and the older folks are feelin. He's been doing it time after time again, and he's making chulapas as a youngster, so I ain't mad at him.

Do you ever send him back like you need to go work on that?
Nah, I just give him my opinion, and he listens, and then sometimes I gotta listen to him cause I don't know it all. That's the thing you're never too old to learn. My momma says that to me today. You know you could learn from a baby.

You've always said E-40 is a character. What do you want people know about Earl, the man and the father?
I'm probably the coolest person that you'll ever meet in your life, and the most humble and just a good dude. I'm all laughs. I ain't no funny style, funny acting dude. I won't ever do anything to hurt anybody if they ain't trying to hurt me. I'm not scandalous, nothing shady. I just try to be the gospel, and be solid.

People assume you're a (gangster rapper� because your sound and style, and being from the Bay. If people really listened to your music what would they hear?
I think they would hear not a quadruple threat (laughs). Nah, they're gonna hear someone who covers all four corners of the game. I might be a preacher in one of my songs, getting highly spiritual. Then I might be on some young hyphy oow-wwop, on some going stupid, going dumb and riding the yellow bus ya smell me. Then I might be player in one of my raps. Then I might be a dope dealer in one of my raps, a dope dealer trying make good, doing whatever he gotta do to feed his family. I cover it all bruh bruh (laughs).

Time and time again people overlook or discredit you as a rapper. Why do you think people overlook you? And do you feel your finally getting the respect you deserve?
You know I always thought that anybody that is unorthodox, and different, real like steak, and ahead of they're time, anyone who's a trend setter, it's gonna take a while for other people to adapt, those who are tardy, lame, and late like FEMA. That's me right there, all across the board. What's so cold about it, some of my biggest fans, realize this, when they first heard me, they were my worst critics. They didn't like me, but my music grew on them real slow like sloe gin, it creeped up on them. That's how stuff goes sometimes. I'm not saying this is how my music go, but as an example, but you know you heard a song on the radio where your like (I'm tired of them playing that, I mean it's cool, but I really ain't trippin�, then next thing you know it becomes one of your favorite songs. That's me, like people heard my music and it slowly but surely grabbed their attention, and they feel in love with me and to this day they've had my back like a chiropractor. Some people fell in love with me from the gate. Some people that didn't fuck with me from the gate, and still don't fuck with me to this date. That's how it goes, and I'm willing to accept that. One day soon, they will catch on cause I do futuristic shit. Whenever everyone else goes left, I go right.

Do you see signing with Jon and BME as taking your career to the next level, or was the situation the best out there?
Honestly, it's a window of opportunity. It's a little bit of everything. It's a second wind, it's me playing a long ass game of basketball, and getting my second wind out of no where. My contract was up with Jive records, I did like 10 years with them and I don't regret any bit of it, but it was time move on. I seen a window of opportunity, and me and Jon got together and made magic happen. You got two talented and creative people coming together and we can't help but to make magic, and that's what this album is about. Those who get a dose, are gonna get they're moneys worth and more.

People are curious how much of the southern influence your gonna have this time around?
It's gonna be well balanced album. It's called My Ghetto Report Card. People are gonna be surprised, so I'm not really gonna speak on it. I know how people feel, like a lot of people, when they heard (Tell Me When To Go� they were like ok, we thought it was gonna be some type of south song, but he stuck with something he been doing for years.

I wouldn't have even known Jon produced it if I didn't hear that.
Lil Jon produced that, and he is definetly with the hyphy movement. He loves that shit. He's an observing dude, and he knows that what we're trying to do out here in the Bay is what he did to Crunk. He knows what we're doing is what Bun B, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Swisha House and Rap-A-Lot did to Houston. You know Houston got their own little movement, they sippin the syrup, they ridin on blades, they drive sideways, they got they Styrofoam cups and screw music. They got their own thing, just like out here we got the Scrappers, the dreadlocks, the gold teeth, side shows, the dance, there are so many phases of the hyphy dance it's remarkable, ghost riding the whips, the hyphy train, just the whole movement of high energy and cats having a good time. It's a feeling. It's high energy. It's the Bay man, it's what we got going on. The music, it's a certain sound, the drum patterns, it make people do that dance. That's why I did (Tell Me When To Go� with Keak. Dane Fang came through on that one too.

You put Keak da Sneak, one of the Bay's brightest stars, on the first single, do you feel the responsibility to introduce the world to what's bubbling out here, and basicly kick in the door and let everyone in?
I feel like I have the Bay on my back. I think they all counting on me. There are some people wishing for my downfall, but that comes with the package. Overall, the haters are out numbered, there are far more people who love me than those who don't like me at all. The love out weighs the hate for E-40. I'm not on my own scotrum or nothing like that, but I will say this, I'm a hard worker, I'm a hustler, I'm about mine, I love the Bay Area, always spoke highly about it, and never moved out. Those who have, that's they business, I can't be mad at them. People try to say well Too $hort ain't in the Bay, well so what, he's the Godfather. I came up under him so I pay all homage to him. I love him, and I'll never say nothing bad about him, and anybody that does say something bad about him around me, I'm gonna let them know I feel about it. I hope that the next person coming up, when it's time to talk about E-40 and what I've done and what part of history have I left for them to grow up on, I hope they speak highly of me like I do when Too $hort's name is brought up. I do feel like I have a responsibility. I do have to let the world see, and let them know this is where everything starts, from poppin the collars, to jackin the slacks, to brushing the shoulders off, all the words, everything we do, they just snatch it. This is where the independent labels put it down first, and a lot of Southern rappers let that be known. They pay homage, and let it known that the Bay Area boys put it down on the independent hustle before anyone. With the exception of a few other people, like I said Rap-A-Lot was putting it down way back in the day, Suave House. Luke Skywalker and them. Also Magic Mike with Cheetah records, this man had an indepdent label with bass music. There was three Magic Mike's that I know of. One was with Master P, another one was from Miami, who did bass music, this man had gold records back in the day, he got to still be rich cause he was getting all independent chulaupa with gold records. Then you had you Magic Mike and Calvin T from Richmond, CA who I grew up on. I grew up on Too $hort and Freddy B, Magic Mike and Calvin T, KRS-One, and Ice Tee. There it is.

(Written by Corey Bloom - Synthesis Magazine issue #4)

No tags for this post.

Related posts

  • No related posts quite yet.
Be Social:
  • This scrumptious piece of content has relatives in Music