Chico DeBarge facts for kids

Jonathan Arthur "Chico" DeBarge (born June 23, 1966) is an American R&B singer and musician. He was once part of the famous DeBarge family musical group DeBarge. As a solo artist, he had a big hit in 1986 with his song "Talk to Me," which made it into the US Top Forty.

Chico DeBarge's Musical Journey

Early Career and First Hits

Chico DeBarge started his solo music career with Motown Records in the mid-1980s. His first album, also called Chico DeBarge, came out in 1986. This album featured the popular song "Talk To Me," which reached number 21 in the US and number 7 on the R&B charts. The album itself reached number 90 on the Billboard 200 chart. He also released another song from the album, "The Girl Next Door," which was popular on the R&B chart.

Second Album and a Break from Music

Two years later, Chico DeBarge released his second album with Motown, titled Kiss Serious. This album included the hit R&B song "Rainy Night," which reached number 18 on the R&B chart. Other songs like "I've Been Watching You" and the album's title track also did well. After this, Chico took a break from his music career for a period of time.

Returning to Music and New Success

In the mid-1990s, Chico DeBarge returned to Motown Records to continue making music. He worked with Kedar Massenberg and his record label, Kedar Entertainment, which was known for its neo-soul music. His third album, Long Time No See, was released on November 18, 1997. This album was praised by critics and featured the song "Iggin' Me," which was played a lot on the radio.

The album also had three more popular songs: "Love Still Good," "No Guarantee" (which he sang with Joe), and "Virgin." A song not on the album, "Superman," was featured in the 1998 movie Woo, starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Tommy Davidson. "Superman" reached number 55 on the R&B charts.

More Albums and Collaborations

Chico DeBarge's fourth album, The Game, was released on October 26, 1999. It reached number 41 on the Billboard 200 chart. The first song from this album, "Give You What You Want (Fa Sure)," became one of his biggest hits, reaching number 71 in the US and number 11 on the R&B chart. A remixed version of this song featured the rapper Trina.

He also reunited with R&B singer Joe for the song "Listen To Your Man," which was popular on the R&B charts. In 2003, Chico released the album Free with the independent record label Koch Records. This album featured the song "Home Alone."

Recent Music and Performances

In 2005, Chico DeBarge contributed a song called "Hard Times" to the Beauty Shop movie soundtrack. In 2008, he appeared in the music video for Joe's song "We're Family."

His sixth studio album, Addiction, was released in July 2009. It included the song "Oh No," which was popular on the R&B chart. On October 2, 2010, Chico DeBarge performed with other artists like Glenn Jones, Lenny Williams, and Regina Belle in Tampa, Florida.

In March 2017, he shared that he was working on a new album and also on a future DeBarge family album. In September 2017, he released his first new song in eight years, called "Feel Good," featuring Jim Jones and Capone Noel. His 2003 album Free was also re-released with extra songs.

Chico DeBarge's Life Outside Music

Family and Personal Experiences

In 2003, while touring for a play, Chico DeBarge was involved in an incident where he was injured. The injury was serious but he recovered.

In 2007, he sought help for personal challenges. In 2009, he openly discussed his experiences, which inspired his album Addiction.

In April 2020, Chico DeBarge's eldest son, Dontae, passed away at the age of 35 in Los Angeles.

Chico DeBarge's Music Releases

Albums

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

Singles

• 1986: "Talk to Me"
• 1987: "The Girl Next Door"
• 1987: "I've Been Watching You"
• 1987: "Rainy Night"
• 1988: "Kiss Serious"
• 1997: "Iggin' Me"
• 1997: "Love Still Good"
• 1998: "No Guarantee" (featuring Joe)
• 1998: "Virgin"
• 1999: "Soopaman Lover"
• 1999: "Give You What You Want (Fa Sure)"
• 1999: "Give You What You Want (South Central Remix)" (featuring Trina)
• 2000: "Listen to Your Man" (featuring Joe)
• 2000: "Playa Hater"
• 2003: "Home Alone"
• 2009: "Oh No"
• 2017: "Feel Good" (featuring Jim Jones & Capone Noel)

See also

In Spanish: Chico DeBarge para niños