The Life & Times of Chico DeBarge

Real name: Jonathan Arthur DeBarge. (Chico is his nickname.)
Born: June 23, 1966.
Raised: In the Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan areas.

Chico DeBarge is a member of the legendary DeBarge family of singers and musicians, which was active as a group from the late 1970s through the late 1980sh. His older siblings include singers El DeBarge and Bunny DeBarge, plus Tommy & Bobby DeBarge (who were also in the band Switch). Chico is also the uncle of pop singer Kristinia DeBarge. Kristinia's father is James DeBarge, who was Janet Jackson's first husband in the mid-1980s. When Chico was a teenager in the early-to-mid-1980s, many of his older brothers - as the pop/R&B band DeBarge - had a string of hits, including "I Like It" and "Rhythm of the Night."

Chico was signed to his hometown label, Motown Records, in the mid-1980s and released his self-titled debut album in 1986. Although the album included the Top 10 R&B/Top 21 pop hit "Talk to Me," it only peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard albums chart. In 1988, Chico's second album, Kiss Serious released. In the late 1980s, Chico and older brother Bobby were arrested in Grand Rapids, Michigan for drug trafficking. They were tried an convicted and wound up serving five years in prison. Around the same time, Chico's brothers Randy, Marty and Tommy, and sister Bunny all struggled with alcohol and drug abuse.

While Chico and Bobby were in prison, Bobby found out that he'd contracted AIDS, ostensibly through heroin use. The brothers were released from prison in 1994 after serving their five-year sentences, but in 1995, Bobby DeBarge died from complications of the disease. He was 39. Chico made a musical comeback in 1997 with his second album, Long Time No See. Although the album only peaked at No. 87 on Billboard's album chart, it managed to ride the wave of the neo-Soul phase and generated two successful singles, "Iggin Me" and "No Guarantee," both of which received significant airplay and helped revive Chico's career.

Chico's career took a few more odd turns after the success of Long Time No See. In the fall of 2003, Chico was stabbed outside a Philadelphia nightclub by South Philly Italian mafioso John "Johnny Gongs" Casasanto after an argument. He later became addicted to the painkillers that he was prescribed after the stabbing. In interviews, he's said that as a result of that addiction, he started using harder, "street" drugs, like heroin. He supposedly cleaned up his act, but in 2007, he and his limo driver were arrested in Los Angeles for drug possession. The charges against him were later dropped due to lack of evidence.

Chico has six children.
Unlike most men in his family, Chico sings tenor instead of falsetto.
Chico used to date singer-actress Nona Gaye. The relationship ended in mid-2007.

2009: Addiction
2003: Free
1999: The Game
1997: Long Time No See
1988: Kiss Serious
1986: Chico DeBarge