In preparation for his sixth CD, DeBarge called me from Chicago, where he now lives, and we were extremely frank about his family, his past association with Nona Gaye, drug addiction and trouble with the law.
As you rest of the parents in the music business?
It is very difficult, and I used to feel bad, because my relationship with my children once on the phone. I realized that if you need to do that and call the little time that you need to spend that with my children. That's all I had to refuse because I gave them elsewhere. Sometimes you will have to sacrifice. We hope that with me being a businessman I can sit back and relax only with children and watch them grow and blossom.
And how many children you have now?
I have 6 children, and they range in age from 20, 14, 13, 11, 10 and 3.
You Nona Gaye from actress for some time. Tell me about it.
I was with Nona, we had a relationship. It kind of ended a half years ago. This is not good, bChico Debargeut it to the end for the sake of my health. This is not good for any of us. We were not good with each other. It was about this time you were with her, that you were fighting substance abuse, is not it?
Around 2003 I got a knife and put for a while, because it was a lot of chaos around it. I became addicted to painkillers, I was prescribed. As a result, I went into a tailspin. I have a relationship, and then I got more addicted to street drugs like heroin, and it was a hell of battle. It was a rough battle.
This is what I want to talk, because I do not want to hide it. I want that message. You can take your mess and make this message. When I told you about the CD, I wanted to reveal everything that I experienced. I do not want to just go as a celebrity. I am a person who is normal and in the streets and deal with everyday life, like everyone else. I wrestle with the demons in my life, like everyone else.
So much in your life you have shared as music, and interviews. Is it so difficult is that open with people and not worry about what people's perception of your honesty will be?
I used to. I struggled with this because I was not sure who I was. I need people to test, approve and confirm who I was at this point, and I think that is what kept me on shaky ground. He kept me guessing and wake up every morning trying to hide from me, from the world, and all these feelings that I just do not want to admit.
I do not want to embrace the reality that I faced. Then I finally gave up searching for a voice authorization or someone, or opinion to identify me. " I did not do, because I was mad or not like what they want to say. It was more, that was more true to what I had to say about himself, and nobody knows me better than I do. I had to define themselves and say that I am okay, and I'm okay.
People need to talk, because people tend to define themselves by what they do, not who they are. It's really hard way, when are you coming from drug addiction and an identity crisis or chaos, as it is difficult to pick up and believe that you're gonna be okay. People put so many standards and stereotypes to you and say: "this is what you should be because you're from this family, you have to do it. Why do you this problem?" It's a bad choice. " It's a bad choice, but it is much deeper than just a bad choice. This CD talks wChico Debargehole a lot about me, finding myself and my recovery.
Last year you made headlines for being arrested on his way to a concert in Los Angeles. What really happened?
I was on my way to a radio station in Los Angeles was the early morning, the limo came to pick me up from the hotel to take me to the radio station to promote their performance at BB Kings later. I do not wake up because my manager called someone else to come pick me up. This man, who came to pick me were drugs around. I think that they are dealing drugs or any other. It was a lady, and when she gave me a ride, she said that she was tired and asked if I could ride. She pulled to the side of the road, and police watched us trade places and I get the driver's seat. They drove right now, because I think that we do not pull all the way over. They asked us for a license, and I did not know if they had been watching her all the time, or what, but when they checked the car, they found that drugs and money in the car. Originally they were going to accuse me of it, but because I have not yet gone, and her car, they were forced to dismiss the case because he was not my car, drugs or cash. She took the case and all. They dropped the charges, which do not have anything official.
Its problems are almost landed you back to prison. What did this experience teach you?
He shows me that I should change, and I must take this seriously. I have to change everything about the origin and association, because it is so easy someone would come pick you up and independently of them. You want to be like this job, and I do not want to come off as two lollipop shoes, but you really have to put that there, because once you're a celebrity, they try to blame you and you put in, because you have a name.
If I'm not living life, then why should I be? They have to respect that, because of who you are and what you need to do in life. It has nothing to do with you being famous, it's just in life. A man who works at the post office should be the same way. You have to be assertive.
Having time to yourself that you think of singers like Akon, and all the rappers, who use their experience in prison as a marketing tool to sell records?
As long as it is positive that it was cool. I do not think that we should praise her. They should have responsibility for themselves to tell myself the truth about that experience. They did not like, and they knew that it was anything that was productive. They would like for the day that came out that they can do it. With that being said, you're a singer, not to condemn, so you need to scratch this life.
It is not necessary around this type of lifestyle, if you do it here. It'El DeBarge and Chico Debarges not cool, and it should not be an image, your conceit, and your style. This is not a style to it. This style is quite blurred. This leads to imprisonment or death. You lose your freedom, your life and your health.
Because you're a convicted felon, you lose the right to vote, is not it?
She will not let me voice, but it does not mean I can not to vote for someone else's and only encourage them to vote and participate in these elections. This is what I really believe we will define the future of their children and their present. I want to pick the best man, and I believe that Barack Obama is the best man for not matter what color he is. He was best man at work, and I'm really proud of him and his family.
You do not have enough favor with the rest DeBarge family?
I miss it. I did some recently with my brother Al and my brother James. Bunny and Randy were there too. Only one was missing Marty, who here in Chicago. It is the center of Budweiser Fest. It was very nice and very electric. It is an honor to be around them. They still have it going on, and sound good. I hope that more dates with them in the future.
Your brother El DeBarge has recently been in trouble with the law again. You spoke with him?
I have not talked to him since that thing Budweiser, but I'm sure he does well. He makes Al and experiencing what he has to go, and he will be fine. He is a soldier and very stable.
