Stevens is a founding member of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records.

[2][1] He grew up with his siblings raised by a divorced mother who worked three jobs, and he became interested in hip hop after hearing "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang.

[8][9][10][3] Stevens made his rap debut as E-40 in 1986 with his cousin B-Legit, sister Suga-T, and brother D-Shot in the group Most Valuable Players.

After impressing fellow students with a rap remix of the school song and a Grambling State talent show, Most Valuable Players released a single, "The King's Men".

[2] The EP was co-produced by Mike Mosley and Al Eaton and was released on Sick Wid It Records, an independent label founded by E-40.

Federal, a nine-track LP/14-track CD produced by Studio Ton and released by Sick Wid It Records in association with SMG (Solar Music Group), a regional distributor.

They moved back to Vallejo and teamed up with D-Shot, E-40's brother, to form the group MVP or Most Valuable Players.

His collaboration with southern rappers continued in 1998, when he was given guest appearances on albums by Southern rappers, including Lost by Eightball, and MP da Last Don by Master P.[2] In 2003 E-40 began hosting E-Feezy Radio, a weekly program on San Francisco hip-hop radio station KMEL that showcased Bay Area hip hop.

After the signing, he appeared on Lil Jon's single "Snap Yo Fingers", also featuring Sean P of YoungBloodZ, which became a hit reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Afterwards, his single "Tell Me When to Go", featuring Oakland rapper Keak da Sneak, became popular throughout the United States, and E-40 appeared on MTV's Direct Effect and BET's 106 & Park.

[16] Released through Sick Wid It/BME/Warner Bros. Records, the album was produced by Lil Jon, Rick Rock, and E-40's son, Droop-E.[17] On March 30, 2010, E-40 released two albums called Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift and Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift.

The volumes include Snoop Dogg, Too Short, Kendrick Lamar, Juicy J, Tech N9ne, Twista, Brotha Lynch, Andre Nickatina, 2 Chainz, & T-Pain as guests.

In 2019, he made a guest appearance in the music video of "West Coast", performed by G-Eazy, Blueface, ALLBLACK and YG.

[29] Along with former NFL player Chester McGlockton, E-40 opened a Fatburger franchise in Pleasant Hill, California, which has now been shut down.

[32] He is also a spokesperson for Landy Cognac, and he opened the now-defunct Ambassador's Lounge, a nightclub in Downtown San Jose.