E-40 expressed renewed interest in releasing a book of slang in an interview with the Associated Press. The influential rapper believed fans would be shocked to learn just how many words and phrases he invented.
“If I do the book of slang, it’s going to hurt people’s feelings,” E-40 said. “Because they think that their favorite rapper made the words up, and it came from me. Or if it didn’t come from me, I got it from the soil — the trenches where most rappers that are from the urban community get their s### from.”
E-40 intended to release a book of slang more than two decades ago, but it never saw the light of day. Years later, he still wanted to document the origins of his slang.
“I’ve been around for more than half a century,” E-40 said. “I know all this. I’ve got receipts to back it up. One day, I want to sit down and go word-for-word of all the words I’ve coined. I want to go to the year, the song, everything. I want to ask, ‘Who said it before me?’ If they try to lie about it, I’ve got receipts. I was the first rapper screaming ‘Tycoon.’ That’s one of many. ‘Slappin.’ ‘Choppers.’ I’ve got so many of them. Just for that, I’m going to do a book of slang. The real way in 2024 style.
E-40 released his latest album Rule of Thumb: Rule 1 on Friday (November 17). The 23-track project includes collaborations with NBA YoungBoy, Too $hort, Gucci Mane, LaRussell, Larry June, B.G. and more.
The Bay Area legend also dropped Goon with the Spoon, a new cookbook with Snoop Dogg, on Tuesday (November 14). E-40 told the AP he linked up with Snoop Dogg for the book because “teamwork makes the dream work.”