By Everett Scott
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Nearly three decades into his illustrious career, Hip-Hop legend E-40 added another career milestone when the RIAA certified his 2015 single “Choices” as a Gold Record. The video for“Choices,” which has more than 19 million aggregate views on YouTube, demonstrates E-40’s nationwide influence. It comes featuring more than 100 cameos, ranging from rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Cam’Ron, Bone Thugs ‘N Harmony, Nelly, MC Hammer to non-industry figures like the NFL’s Marshawn Lynch and Colin Kaepernick, comedian Cedric the Entertainer and even octogenarian sex expert Dr. Ruth Westheimer. “Choices,” a national smash hit with a remix adopted by the Golden State Warriors as the anthem to their 2015 NBA title run, is another in a long list of Gold- and Platinum-certified records by the rapper, including Big Sean’s E-40-featuring, triple platinum “I Don’t Fuck With You.” In the midst of unprecedented relevance at the age of 48, E-40 also featured on Hot 100 hits such as Yo Gotti’s “Law”, Ty Dolla $ign’s “Saved.”
“What’s happening at this point in my career defies logic. Name another 48-year-old rapper with one Gold record, let alone three in the same year. My fans stretch much further than the Bay Area, further than just the West Coast. I brought so much shit to Hip-Hop. I’ve been relevant in each generation and each decade and I’ve done it as an independent artist.Says E-40.
E-40 currently stars in a national Beats By Dre advertisement, alongside Warriors forward Draymond Green, featuring E-40’s smash hit “Tell Me When to Go”and reenacting the song’s iconic video. In addition to his career in show business, E-40 has branched out to become a respected entrepreneur in the adult beverages industry. His wine business, Earl Stevens Selections, distributes high-quality wine to stores across the country, including CostCo, BevMo, Ralph’s Market, and Vendome Liquor. He has made inroads into the pre-mixed cocktail business with Sluricane, a signature bottled-mix named after his 1995 hit “Hurricane,” with The Click, which was the best-selling beverage at BevMo when it was first released. Early 2016, E-40 released an eponymous brand of 40-oz. malt liquor. E-40 looks to continue his unprecedented longevity and success as an independent artist with his next album, scheduled for late 2016.
