Some of the greatest African American musical talents were introduced to the world by Motown Records in the 1960s. Artists like Diana Ross, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana helped define an era of music and laid the groundwork for mainstream music for the remainder of the decade.
The Jackson Five were perhaps Motown’s greatest artists at the end of the 1960s. The Jackson family, led by a preteen Michael Jackson, rose to fame in the 1970s and for decades after.
What abuse did the DeBarge family have?
The DeBarge family’s pop success came to an end after Jonathan DeBarge’s incarceration in 1988. The two brothers weren’t the only ones in the family who struggled with drug use, according to Live About. According to reports, Randy, Marty, Tommy, and Bunny DeBarge’s siblings were struggling with drug and alcohol misuse at the time.
According to UPI, Jonathan and Bobby DeBarge and two other people were found guilty of selling cocaine in October 1988. The brothers received penalties of six years in prison.
Unfortunately, Bobby DeBarge got AIDS while he was incarcerated. In 1994, he and his brother were released. Bobby will succumb to the illness in 1995 at the age of 39. According to Musician Guide, Jonathan thought that the two defendants’ lengthy sentences were a result of racism.
