"Bobby was dating LaToya Jackson," Williams says, "and she was the only girl on his mind. Her brothers abused drugs, as did Bunny, who got pregnant by a boyfriend and also dropped out of school in 1972 to marry her first husband. No surprise this James DeBarge abuse and torment led to some troubling times for James as well. That's not even a slap on the wrist for a wealthy musician — more like a wrist massage. "James and Janet started secretly seeing each other," says Bunny DeBarge. " "Respect to the old school!" See more ideas about chico debarge, r&b, r&b artists. September 10, 2007 @ 1:12 pmThe Rise and Fall of the Debarge Family (Episode 2)BY: MICHAEL A. GONZALES. "A white man with a black woman…we were a freak show." "It got even scarier when we stopped off in Detroit to perform at a record shop. As a teenager, Bunny DeBarge was sexually molested and physically abused by her father. "I knew I saw a star." Bunny DeBarge Short Bio. On an episode of the reality series Growing Up Hip Hop, James suddenly claimed he and Janet had a child. But there may yet be another chapter to El's story. "People might have bought Switch records, but they were really buying Bobby's voice.". "The night we wrote 'I Call Your Name' was a strange one," says Williams of the achy slow-jam, which was sampled in 2006 by Polow Da Don for Rich Boy's big hit "Throw Some D's." But the prospect of being split up "was very painful" for the close-knit siblings, according to their mother. She has also appeared in Dr Drew show Life Changers along with her mother Bunny. When Bobby and Chico got out of prison they both continued working on their solo music careers. Heroin became his main way to escape." From dating Latoya and Janet Jackson to allegations of sexual abuse and drug addiction - the DeBarge family has dealt with everything from prison time to AIDS. Bobby was such a great singer, and this is what we remember most about him. Info. The Debarge children, their mother, and father know whether or not there was sexual abuse at the hands of Robert Debarge Sr. (the father). Williams holds out hope for El's redemption, but a full-length interview is another matter. As El told the LA Times in 1985, the Jacksons and DeBarges had known each other for years by that point. "I don't think that I was at all . Victims of sexual abuse sometimes when in certain situations act out by engaging in sexual activity. The couple eloped back in 1984, but the marriage was over less than a year later and they divorced in 1985. He blamed his lack of involvement on a failed romance, but it wasn't his only source of sadness. It's long been rumored that Janet gave birth to a baby girl who was then raised by her older sister Rebee. DeBarge Family Recounts Rocky Musical Journey Bunny and Chico DeBarge open up about their lives and careers. But even if they were, it wouldn't prove that Janet was Tiffany's mom because biology doesn't work that way. In 2007 the singer found himself in handcuffs again, this time for possible domestic violence. El Debarge through the 1990s worked with various musical artist like Quincy Jones, David “DJ Quick” Blake and others. He was already a throwback in a world dominated by new jacks like R. Kelly and Jodeci, but no one could have predicted that H,M&S would be El's last solo release for 13 years.At Tramps, El briefly closed his eyes and sang the tortured lyrics of "All This Love," a massive radio hit he wrote and produced in 1983: "I've had some problems," he sang. Bunny, El, Tommy, Chico, and James DeBarge all battled addiction for years. The Debarges' musical legacy started with brothers Tommy and Bobby, who formed a funk group called Switch. He managed to complete a final album, It's Not Over, but realized that his life was ending. According to their mother, Etterlene, Motown didn't care about her kids' emotional welfare and eventually had them "fighting like enemies." 8,888 1,035. Daddy Debarge said he never sexually abused … He couldn't deal with their fakeness and people ripping him off. Grand Rapids-born Bobby DeBarge was the first in the family to succumb to drugs (in his case, heroin). magazine teen dreams, complete with flashy 1980s fashions and beaming smiles. Net Worth and Earnings. Yes, he did marry Janet Jackson, becoming her first husband, but that was his height of good times and it was short lived. Bunny would blame the siblings' professional woes and personal struggles on the ugliness they endured as children. "We never made daddy stand up. Jonathan "Chico" DeBarge was determined not to ride his famous siblings' coattails. As detailed by ThoughtCo, shortly after releasing his second album in 1988, Chico got busted for trying to traffic coke with his brother Bobby. Is it too late, though, to pick up the pieces? Bobby DeBarge was the first in the family to succumb to drugs, but certainly not the last. I am a little shaky on the child abuse because what some call child abuse, in my life could be perceived as discipline however I don't waiver when it comes to the "hanky panky" of kids. "Michael was the star of the Jacksons, but I thought my kids made them look like crap," continues the woman who refers to herself - even on her MySpace page - as Mama DeBarge. Etterlene said that drugs are what paralyzed El’s music career for so long. James met her because his brother Bobby was dating La Toya. In 1984, James DeBarge eloped with an 18-year-old Janet Jackson, and the pair then lived for a time in the Jackson family compound. Mark, who formed part of the group DeBarge, was reduced to walking around on crutches due to "chronic debilitation in his legs." The drug abuse masked deeper scars. However, being a DeBarge didn't always give him a leg up. It began 1975, when Barry White fired a crew known as White Heat, one of his many backing bands, which included pianist/singer Robert "Bobby" DeBarge Jr., the second oldest of the 10 DeBarge siblings. They stayed together 21 years before divorcing in 1974. Released in 1978, Switch's self-titled debut featured the standout "There'll Never Be," which rode the Billboard R&B charts for 26 weeks, peaking at No. That statement would implicate Bobby as haven engaged in Homosexual activity or used needles to inject the drug heroin or both while in prison. In 2011 Bunny's daughter Janae tearfully confronted her about her ongoing substance abuse on an episode of Dr. Drew's Lifechangers. Is it too late, though, to pick up the pieces? Musically, Bobby could do it all — sing, write, produce. What my brothers and sister gave me was a beautiful musical legacy that has already been written in stone," he says. "My kids were fighting like enemies." She was 17 and romantically inexperienced. Overview ↓ Biography ↓ Discography ↓ Songs ↓ Credits ↓ Related ↓ Share on facebook; twitter; tumblr; Artist Biography by Greg Prato. Perhaps his problems resulted from alleged molestation by his father, as Bobby's sibling claimed. DeBarge was an American musical recording group composed of several members of the DeBarge family.In addition to various solo projects completed by members of the family, DeBarge was active between 1979 and 1989. I really feel the most sorrow for James DeBarge who was probably physically, mentally and sexually abused by not only his father, but also his brother Bobby who tried to kill him (his own words) all the time. For the Jackson family, it was a nightmare. "Bobby's last years were hell," Williams says. Eight of the 10 DeBarge siblings had music careers while all nine Jacksons had solo hits. Most recently, last July, the then 57 year old El was arrested for felony vandalism. According to Etterlene's memoir, The Other Side of Pain, her son Tommy, whose funk group Switch had a string of R&B hits, ended up on kidney dialysis. Motown released his self-titled solo debut in 1986, featuring the lighthearted pop hit "Who's Johnny." Such a talented and tragic family. Dressed in a fly sweatsuit and sneakers, he's just finished recording a new track called "Make You Feel Good" featuring rappers Jim Jones and Young Nic, which he plans to release on his own Innovator label as part of his new album, Lessons. He was charged with felony vandalism. DeBarge Family Recounts Rocky Musical Journey Bunny and Chico DeBarge open up about their lives and careers. El officially started dancing to his own drum beat after DeBarge released Rhythm of the Night, but he stumbled out of the gate. Lichters worked with former White Heat members Bobby DeBarge and Gregory Williams (a schoolmate of Bobby's) to launch the pioneering soul-pop group Switch. "It means that the DeBarge story is not over. ⭐BOBBY DEBARGE⭐ was one of the best-known singers in the 1970s and 80s. "My father sexually molested a lot of my brothers and sisters. I started singing along, and next thing you know we had a song. Bobby Had a lot of inner pain and it seems based upon what Chico, Bunny, and Mama Debarge are saying about living with Robert Debarge Sr. a lot of that pain came from childhood. « African American and Black American | If Chico say Daddy Debarge sexually molested his own children we have to accept that because Chico was there in the house. I don't speak a lot against her becasue she's the mother of my children. Then they came to Grand Rapids and eloped. We had to get a helicopter lift from the roof. After riding the heroin horse since his teens, Bobby died from complications of AIDS on August 16, 1995 at the age of 39. Janae came in the limelight for her connection with DeBarge family. Speaking by telephone from her home in Grand Rapids, Mama's voice is as soothing as peppermint tea, but she still harbors bad memories of Motown, which she's channeling into the book she's working on, titled The Other Side of The Pain. The reclusive soul man has recently been spending time in a California recording studio with Babyface. Shopping. Etterlene met Robert shortly after her father died. Music producer Bernd Lichters said he'd "never heard anyone sound quite like [Bobby], and with so much ease.". "I was musically inclined," he says with a laugh, "so the children couldn't help but be talented." Bobby had a beautiful falsetto voice, and it was his voice that made switch so popular. ⭐BOBBY DEBARGE⭐ was one of the best-known singers in the 1970s and 80s. I don't hate my father, but he has a way of blocking things out of his mind. In an interview Chico said that he believes Bobby contracted AIDS while in prison. The dramatic conclusion to the DeBarge Family Saga. He could do little more than to put all this stress into his music, but then one day the music stopped. Regardless of why it began, the ending was drawn out and agonizing. Family members. DeBarge's Story Is Really Depressing. It's 2 a.m. one Saturday in Times Square, and perfectionist Chico has spent the night working at Quad Recording Studios. "My father sexually molested a lot of my brothers and sisters. El sang in various choirs during his childhood, and was trained privately by the vocalist Ricky Callier, who helped him to choose the path of his future career which would later add huge sums to the total size of El DeBarge’s net worth. Sure there were many groups who sampled the Debarge music/lyrics but, there wasn't any new material that was coming from the DeBarge family members. Sometimes when a person contracts HIV it turns into AIDS rapidly, and some times it takes many years for HIV to turn into AIDS. "We never made daddy stand up. In the late 1970s, the eldest brother of the ten DeBarge children, Bobby , led vocals for the gro James and Tiffany submitted DNA samples for testing and, shockingly, they weren't father and daughter. Dec 1, 2004 Ratings: +25,454 / 39 / -5. If Bobby was sexually molested by his father like Chico is saying it makes you wonder whether or not the alleged sexual abuse played a role in Bobby contracting AIDS. I dont know what to make of Etterlene/Mama DeBarge...She seems to be sort of off. The Debarge children were born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "When my daughter was born, I held her in my arms. ), As the Michael of the group, El received special treatment from Motown architect Berry Gordy, who saw El as a budding solo artist. In 1978, DeBarge … ", Even family friends could sense the trouble at home. From dating Latoya and Janet Jackson to allegations of sexual abuse and drug addiction - the DeBarge family has dealt with everything from prison time to AIDS. Bunny, El, Tommy, Chico, and James DeBarge all battled addiction for years. Jun 27, 2020 - Explore Mimi Conner's board "DeBarge Family" on Pinterest. She was 18. Bobby was the lead singer in the R&B group switch before he left the group. And Chico himself admitted that he didn't have the greatest singing voice. The Jackson 5 and DeBarge were successful Motown acts, and each had a member named Randy. Robert Louis "Bobby" DeBarge, Jr. (March 5, 1956 – August 16, 1995) was an American singer and musician.DeBarge was the lead singer of the Motown R&B/soul vocal group Switch and was noted for his impressive falsetto vocals. In 2008, she broke her silence issuing her autobiography, The Kept Ones, in which she talked about her father's abuse towards her and her siblings and her dealings with substance abuse. But since both singers claimed to be baby-free, it seemed safe to assume the rumors were poppycock. Though he stayed clean for a while, after the success of Switch II, Bobby began slipping. "If you weren't doing drugs, you weren't in.". But the DeBarges also had to cope with the callous self-interest of the music business. Tiffany contacted Mamma DeBarge claiming to be her not-so-mythical granddaughter. Today, Teri’s ex-husband Bobby DeBarge is buried in Garfield Park Cemetery in Grand Rapids. This was the year of Michael Jackson's Thriller, Prince's Purple Rain, and The Police's Synchronicity, but DeBarge was driving their fans every bit as crazy as those household names. Bunny DeBarge Short Bio. In unserer Zoohandlung mit mehr als 26.000 Artikeln finden Sie eine große Auswahl in den Bereichen für Hunde, Katzen, Kleintiere, Nagetiere, Fische, Vögel, Reptilien, Pferde bis hin zu Artikeln für Nutztiere und alles rund um den Bauernhof. They'd sing on the radio in Detroit on Sunday mornings and perform at talent shows. According to reports, the 35-year-old was found laying on the street with multiple stab wounds. He was a rising star at Motown, and she was struggling to break away from a notoriously insular family. Unfortunately, he was also "insanely jealous," according to Etterlene, and ordered her not to wear jewelry, makeup, or anything else that might attract another man. In fact, in 2010 he couldn't even locate his 3-year-old daughter because he "lost" her "to the system" while hooked on drugs. "Because he'd lost the Jacksons, we became his pet project." Both fathers Robert Debarge and Joe Jackon were accused of child abuse in addition to child molestation. There is also, the possibility, that he got it through using dirty needles to inject drugs right after he got out of prison. Now only Bobby really knew how he contracted the AIDS virus. El Debarge currently has 10 children; he had his first child when he was 14 years old. BigSixxRaven bigdaddiproductions.com. In the late 80s, Latoya Jackson came clean with a "tell all" of everything Joe did to them. The siblings allegedly witnessed and experienced monstrous abuse by their father, which on its own could send anyone to a dark place. Mark DeBarge Bass, Gesang. One night, he started fooling around on the Fender Rhodes. This post is hidden because you reported it for abuse. ", 1980s PSAs told kids to just say no to drugs, but that was much easier said than done for the DeBarge family. In short, it was a big family. "At first I didn't think he would like me, because I was so dark," Etterlene recalls. When the DeBarges weren't doing drugs, they were doing time for drugs. Both fathers Robert Debarge and Joe Jackon were accused of child abuse in addition to child molestation. The devil had his chance to destroy me. Bobby had died years after the album was released and El was working as a solo artist. He became addicted during the heyday of Switch and years later, 1988, was sentenced to five years in prison for drug trafficking. Although I was saddened to hear about how some of the family … Thankfully, Radar Online stepped in to play Maury Povich. "There are a lot of snakes out there," she observes. "You know what us being in the studio tonight means?" His family placed him in hospice, and in 1995, at just 39 years old, Bobby DeBarge died from AIDS-related health problems. In 1992, he laced Quincy Jones' majestic "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)." DeBarge also just found out a major film studio is going to produce a miniseries about her family, a la the 1992 ABC five-part series on the Jackson family. He met Etterlene Abney, who is African American, in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1950s.They married … "Drugs happened," mother Etterlene DeBarge told Atlanta Daily World of the musical family's addiction. Born to a white father and a mother with black and Native American roots, Chico always received unwanted attention. "Bobby was always very sensitive and withdrawn," says Williams, "and there was a lot of abuse at the hands of Mr. DeBarge. Before long Bunny, Mark, Randy, El, and James made the journey west. El Debarge has a beautiful falsetto voice also, with his voice he helped make Debarge famous. Back in the 1960s, when Gordy's hit factory was still run like a mom 'n' pop shop, the "old" Motown was renowned for artist development that included everything from dance lessons to etiquette classes. As reported by Jet, the 25-year-old singer had allegedly "pulled her hair, dragged her to the floor, and hit her" when she refused his advances at a hotel. This resulted in another drug-related arrest in 2007. Tap to unmute. Bobby knew his life was basically over." If Chico say Daddy Debarge sexually molested his own children we have to accept that because Chico was there in the house. ", Part of the reason El wasn't around his kids was his crippling drug addiction, which led to bouts of homelessness and a 13-month prison stint. Sometimes in life you have to go through the fire of life, and get tested by situations and circumstances that will mould you into who you are destined to be. Although he had split with "the boys' mother" by the time his children had moved to Los Angeles, he says he "wasn't tickled to death about it," preferring they further their education instead. "El was lonely without his brother [Bobby]," his mother continues. All parties involved have denied the story for decades. Slightly buzzed from a vodka cocktail, Chico glances out of the studio window and watches a taxi zoom down Broadway. Etterlene DeBarge, best known as Bunny DeBarge, was born on 15 March 1955 in Detroit, Michigan USA, under the sign of Pisces. As Entertainment Tonight mentioned, Janet was expecting her first (real) baby. Read on to find out more about his career, family, and struggle with substance abuse. The marriage was annulled after several months amid allegations of James' drug abuse. Debarge consisted of brothers El, Randy, James, Mark, and sister Bunny. DeBarge Family Recounts Rocky Musical Journey . Tommy grew up to become a recording artist, vocalist, and author. 57 year old El was lonely without his brother [ Bobby ], '' says... Our October 2007 issue full-length interview is another matter years by that point worked with musical. `` who 's Johnny. see sidebar ] Times of the DeBarge family ( Episode 1 ):... Problems resulted from alleged molestation by his father and a mother with black and Native roots! Pop star one brother 's dessert might be another brother 's death to,. But sometimes Chico can be his own financial needs were just the tip of the iceberg make classic! A slap on the ugliness they endured as children. `` and Etterlene going on 18, produce Park in... 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