Earl Tywone Stevens, born November 15, 1967, records as E-40. Raised in Vallejo, California, by a mother working three jobs, he formed the group Most Valuable Players with his cousin B-Legit, his sister Suga-T and his brother D-Shot while at Grambling State University. The group became The Click and released records through Sick Wid It, the independent label Stevens founded and still operates. His 1995 album In a Major Way moved him beyond the Bay Area underground, and "Tell Me When to Go," produced by Lil Jon in 2006, made him a national figure and helped export hyphy. He has released more than 25 studio albums, invented or popularized a long list of slang terms now standard in rap, and built businesses in wine, spirits and food alongside the music.