E-40 (right) chats with San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames before the start of an April 8, 2025, game at Oracle Park. The rapper threw out the ceremonial first pitch, with Adames catching. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images
Feb. 13, 2026 1:02 pm EST
Multiplatinum rap star Earl “E-40” Stevens is taking one of his many monikers, “The Ambassador of the Bay,” to another level.
Stevens, a West Coast fixture in the hip-hop culture and a longtime supporter of the Bay Area, is joining the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul ownership for the men’s and women’s professional soccer teams, respectively. He will join a large ownership group that includes former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and musician Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, which performed before Super Bowl 60 last Sunday.
“Bringing my business acumen and sports fandom together as part of the Oakland Roots and Soul ownership group is truly special,” E-40 said in a statement. “This move is about investing in a sport that connects the world. I look forward to working closely with the ownership team to continue to amplify the fan experience while delivering successful results on the field.”
E-40 will perform at the Oakland Roots season opener against New Mexico United on March 14 in the USL Championship. The Soul plays in the USL W League.
He’s often seen at sporting events in the Bay Area. E-40 has been spotted courtside at Golden State Warriors games, and he is a vocal San Francisco 49ers supporter. He created the song “Niner Gang,” which derives from the popular saying for their fans, “Bang, bang, Niner Gang.” When the San Francisco Giants were making World Series runs in the early 2010s, E-40 attended home games and traveled to road games to support. He was also the featured performer when the Cal Golden Bears football team held “Bay Appreciation Day” in 2024.
E-40, a Vallejo, Calif., native, was honored by the city in October 2023. The city had a one-mile stretch of Magazine Street renamed “E-40 Way.”
With the Warriors back in San Francisco, the Raiders now in Las Vegas and the Oakland A’s now playing in West Sacramento, the soccer clubs have emerged as a source of pride and new alternatives for pro sports in Oakland. They’ve also been a leader in celebrating town culture and community.
Feb 13, 2026
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