E-40 has a message for Bay Area women who might be tempted to hand money to someone claiming to be a San Francisco 49ers player: check with him first.
The Bay Area rap legend made the comment while visiting the TMZ offices this week, where he spoke with Babcock about the allegations surrounding Daejon Love, a man accused of pretending to be an NFL wide receiver.
E-40, who famously goes by “40 Water” and has deep ties to Bay Area sports culture, offered a blunt test for anyone claiming to represent the Niners.
“If he don’t know Water, if he don’t know 40 Water, and he claims 49er, if I ain’t never heard of him or met him, he’s not a Niner,” E-40 said.
His comments come as Love faces allegations that he defrauded 26 women out of $1.3 million after allegedly claiming to be a 49ers player and promising that money given to him would be invested for substantial returns.
According to the supplied information, officials say Love instead pocketed the money. He is now facing criminal charges that could result in a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.
That makes E-40’s advice especially straightforward: if someone is claiming to be a 49er and E-40 has never heard of them, he says that should raise a serious question.
The Daejon Love allegations have become one of the most talked-about stories connecting sports, social media and alleged financial deception. Love’s case has also drawn attention because of the image he allegedly presented while claiming an NFL identity.
E-40’s interview wasn’t entirely about the controversy, though. The rapper also opened up about his Bay Area athletes Mt. Rushmore, discussed the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty and revealed details about an upcoming performance connected to the Stanford vs. Miami football game.
And there is a notable name behind that invitation: former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck, who E-40 says invited him to perform.
For E-40, the Daejon Love situation offered a chance to deliver a very Bay Area-specific warning. His message was simple: before trusting someone who claims to be a 49er, make sure the person actually checks out.
And according to 40 Water, he knows who to ask.
