E-40
A Bay Area rap pioneer who turned a unique slang-heavy flow and entrepreneurial hustle into a decades-long, self-made empire.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American rapper·Birthday: November 15·Generation X
Biography
Earl "E-40" Stevens is far more than a rapper; he's a cultural architect from Vallejo, California, who built a self-sufficient world around his music. In the late '80s, he co-founded the Click and Sick Wid It Records, creating an independent pipeline for the Bay Area's distinctive hyphy sound. His flow—a conversational, winding cadence packed with inventive slang—was initially an underground phenomenon. The 1995 album 'In a Major Way' broke through, but E-40's genius lay in his adaptability and business acumen. He became a master collaborator, working with artists from every hip-hop region, all while maintaining his unique identity. Beyond music, he's a savvy entrepreneur with ventures in wine, food, and spirits. His longevity stems from an authentic connection to the streets that birthed him and an uncanny ability to evolve without chasing trends, making him a respected elder statesman and a still-vital creative force.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
E-40 was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When E-40 Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
E-40's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the independent label Sick Wid It Records in the late 1980s, fostering the Bay Area rap scene.
- Released the critically acclaimed solo album 'In a Major Way' in 1995, a landmark West Coast record.
- Has released over 25 studio albums, maintaining a prolific output across four decades.
- Successfully launched his own line of alcoholic beverages, including Earl Stevens Selections wine and Sluricane malt liquor.
Did You Know?
He is credited with popularizing numerous slang terms like "fo' shizzle" and "yadadamean?" into mainstream culture.
He was a standout basketball player in high school and played at a junior college.
He made a cameo appearance as a bartender in the 2006 film "Rocky Balboa."
His nickname "40" came from his speed in handling money and his prowess in 40-ounce malt liquor drinking contests in his youth.
“I'm a businessman, first. Music is my passion, but business is my occupation.”
