E-40 helping the Miami Heat became an unexpected moment during the NBA All-Star Game weekend. But Keshad Johnson showed why before snatching the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest crown — through an electric one-handed slam in Inglewood.
The famed Bay Area Hip-Hop legend accompanied the competitor to the court. E-40 later became a prop for Johnson's sweet slam that ignited the Intuit Dome crowd.
Without dribbling, Johnson sprinted toward E-40's back…and cleared that hurdle:
Keshad Johnson CLEARS E-40 with ease for his first dunk 😤
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 15, 2026
The lights flickered and fans went wild for Johnson's throwdown. And that dunk propelled Johnson to the '26 slam dunk title.
KESHAD JOHNSON IS YOUR 2026 SLAM DUNK CHAMPION 🏆 pic.twitter.com/l31lfSi79p
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 15, 2026
But fans also lost their minds seeing the rapper born Earl Stevens on the floor. However, both share a notable connection.
Heat's Keshad Johnson's ties to E-40 revealed
The rookie is winning over Erik Spoelstra and the Heat fans down in South Beach. But Johnson's appearance was considered a California homecoming.
He shares a notable Bay Area connection to Stevens — as he hails out of Oakland, Ca. Johnson thrived at San Leandro High before starring for San Diego State and Arizona.
Stevens rose to fame in nearby Vallejo, north of “The Town.” He became an instrumental figure in the Bay Area's rap scene in 1986 during a time Hip-Hop watched New York and Los Angeles enter the forefront.
Stevens is now 40 years into his illustrious career as an artist — including landing in the forefront of the famed “Hyphy” movement during the mid 2000s that dominated Hip-Hop radio airwaves.
The now 58-year-old still shares no previous tie-in to the Heat. NBA fans know him as “Front Row 40” during Golden State Warriors games, which he claims as his favorite team in the league. He's also hung out with Warriors stars Steph Curry, Draymond Green plus posed in front of the Warriors' championships before.
Johnson and Stevens, however, catapulted Oakland into the top of Saturday's festivities. And on the same day another “Town” legend in Damian Lillard won his third three-point competition.
