Singer El DeBarge, a member of the family band DeBarge, was arrested in California after an encounter with police officers early Sunday morning. DeBarge, 61, was allegedly in possession of an illegal weapon and suspected narcotics and was without a valid driver’s license. The Grammy nominee sang lead vocals on “Rhythm of the Night,” “Time Will Reveal” and many other ’80s hits.
DeBarge, whose full name is Eldra Patrick DeBarge, was arrested at around 3:40 a.m. Sunday, Burbank police told TMZ. He was stopped at a gas station when police noticed he had expired tags. As they approached his vehicle, they noticed an expandable metal baton in plain sight.
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Since the baton is an illegal weapon, police searched DeBarge’s vehicle. They allegedly found pepper spray and suspected narcotics. The singer did not have a valid driver’s license, police said.
DeBarge was arrested and booked on possession of a leaded cane or baton, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement sources told TMZ they believe the narcotic he had was heroin. DeBarge posted a $25,000 bond and is due back in court in March.
The singer has had several run-ins with the law in the past two decades. After multiple arrests in the early 2000s, he was arrested for possession of crack and drug paraphernalia, breaking the terms of his probation, in 2008. He was sentenced to two years in California state prison. After serving 13 months, he said he was sober. However, while promoting his album Second Chance, he canceled public appearances after a relapseย and re-entered rehab. In 2018, DeBarge was arrested after allegedly smashingย a man’s windshield after an argument. He faced a felony vandalism charge.
Before his arrest on Sunday, DeBarge was slowly re-entering the public eye. In February, he performed a Tiny Desk Concertย for NPR Music, released as part of Black History Month. DeBarge’s setlist included “All This Love,” “Time Will Reveal,” “A Dream (Dedication to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.),” and “Love Me in a Special Way.”
The group DeBargeย was made up of DeBarge and his siblings, James, Mark, Randy, and Bunny. Bobby, who died in 1995, and Chico joined in the late 1980s after Bunny and El left. They released six albums between 1981 and 1991. DeBarge has released five solo albums, and scored a hit with the 1986 single “Who’s Johnny.”
