Earl Stevens (born November 15, 1967) best known by his stage name E-40, is a Bay Area rapper, part of the Bay Area rap group The Click and founder of Bay Area hip-hop record label Sick Wid It Records. The "40" in "E-40" was chosen by Earl as a reference to "40s" - 40 ounce bottles of malt liquor. The "E" was simply derived from Earl Stevens's first name. After the release of The Click's first album Down and Dirty, E-40's local solo debut was released.
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