Two of the greatest artists in 80s R&B history were just arrested by police in Burbank, California. NBC Los Angeles reported that police brought in brothers James and Chico DeBarge on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. During a routine traffic stop, authorities pulled over a Chevy Tahoe towing a Nissan SUV around 1:30 a.m. According to the police report, neither vehicle had license plates, prompting the stop.
James was manning the Tahoe, while Chico was inside his Nissan. Authorities allegedly found fentanyl and meth in the vehicles and arrested both men, according to TMZ. Additionally, Chico was booked on an outstanding warrant, though details are yet to surface about it.
The brothers are famously a part of a massive family filled with talented musicians and singers. Some of that group eventually split off to make DeBarge. They’re best known for records like “I Like It” and “Rhythm Of The Night”.
Both James and Chico have famously struggled with drugs in their lifetimes. James had his marriage to Janet Jackson annulled due to his struggles with painkillers and sleeping pills. In 2012, he was arrested on drug charges and assault with a deadly weapon.
Chico and James DeBarge Arrested on Suspicion of Drugs and Traffic Violations
Chico also had a stint with the family band, but he’s best known for his solo work. However, a prison stint in 1988 halted all of his momentum as a burgeoning star in R&B. Authorities found a kilogram of cocaine in their luggage as he, along with his brother, Bobby, and two other men, were on their way to Michigan. Consequently, he went to prison for drug trafficking until the mid-90s, when he continued his career at Motown.
Drug addiction continued to play a massive role in the life of Chico DeBarge, with a number of arrests throughout the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. In 2009, the R&B singer admitted to his struggles with heroin, cocaine, and prescription pills, making his album Addiction to tackle his woes.
In an interview at the time, Chico DeBarge recalled being hospitalized after a stabbing in Philadelphia. To cope with the pain, he was prescribed OxyContin to cope with the pain. However, the exposure led him down a dark path of addiction that he struggled with for years.
“They say you never stop recovering, but I don’t believe that,” he said. “I believe something can be finished… I think it’s prison emotionally and mentally. It’s an affliction. Affliction is the real problem. Addiction was the problem [affliction] created.”
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