As E-40 gets ready to drop his forthcoming double album,The D-Boy Diary Books 1 &2, the Bay Area legend has another accomplishment to add to his repertoire. The RIAA has just deemed his 2012 single, “Function,” Gold status. Serving as the lead single from Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil Vol. 2, the track boasts special features from YG, IAMSU! and Problem matched by a bass-thumping League of Starz beat. “Function” also marks the second Gold plaque the 48-year-old OG rapper has earned this year (“Choices” was certified in May).
“‘Function’ changed the sound of the West Coast,” E-40 said in a press release. “The energy rejuvenated memories of 2006. I put myself, YG, Problem and IAMSU! all on one song with two of us representing Northern California and two of us representing Southern California. We went gold independently and sold over 500,000 singles, now that is an accomplishment!”
CEO and Founder of RBC Records, Brian Shafton, has been a consultant for E-40 and Sick Wid It Records since 2004, and explained why this certification is such an impressive accomplishment.
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“Going Gold as an indie artist is a major feat,” Shafton said in a press release. “Not only does the artist have to deliver a hit record, but he also must market his material with an indie budget. It doesn’t happen often in this era. Some may even call such an accomplishment a fluke but when it happens to the same artist twice in a year, it is a major achievement. The industry is officially on notice with this tremendous movement.”
E-40 (real name Earl Stevens) catapulted to fame after stepping on to the Oakland Hip Hop scene in the late ’80s. He’s released an unbelievable 25 solo albums since, culminating with 2014’s Sharp On All 4 Corners: Corner 2. On November 18, he will unveil his 26th and 27th albums when The D-Boy Diary Books 1 & 2 hit the shelves. Last month, he dropped the lead single, “On One,” with AD and popped up on Big Scoob’s “Bi**h Please” late September. Like a fine wine, E-40 just gets better with age.
