Black Celebrity Men

The Dark Gable of R&B has return and he says he's 'bringing lightskin back!' B.C.M. favorite, El DeBarge handsomely graces the October issue of Ebony magazine. Just looking at the photos will make you fall in love with El all over again! In the article, El dishes on his infamous past that has led to his  triumphant return to music (and if you watched his BET Awards performance, he sang as if he never left us!); a past that, we all know included hardcore drug abuse, prison time, growing up in a dysfunctional family and an 'out-of-sight-out-of-mind' mentality from folks when others randomly asked, 'Where's El?' However, in the interview El shared things about his life that some people, like myself, never knew. For example, although I knew that the DeBarge family come from gospel roots, I had no idea that Bishop William Abney, who penned the gospel classic I Won't Complain is actually El's uncle! Or that El originally wanted to be a gospel artist. Little brother Chico also joined in on the interview. Now that I think about it, El talked more about his personal life than his new album Second Chance, which according to Billboard.com, has been pushed back to late November. Just in time for the holidays!

Oh, and remember when I made that comment suggesting someone give El (and/or his family) their own reality show? Well, it went from my mouth to God's ears because the currently single father of 12 (hey, that's the number he's claiming) has a reality show (network to be announced) in the works which will focus on how he's rebuilding his life, raising his kids and dealing with their mothers. Yall know I'mma watch!

Peep excerpts from his interview below:

EL ON HOW GOD PULLED HIM FROM FROM HIS DRUG ABUSE: 'I was in a drug coma. I went to sleep for about 22 years. I was crying to God, 'Lord, please help me get off this. I don't want to be like this.' I was never in denial about the fact that I had a problem. I just didn't know if I was going to ever get off of it, but I didn't give up. Drugs had me. When I came out of my addiction, when God saw fit to have me locked up in prison, that was really a rescue. He let me know right there in prison, 'I had you the whole time. I allowed you to go through this for such a season, for a reason. And you're in prison right now because I plucked you out of the situation. I'm the one who had you locked up for your own sake, But when you come out of here, watch what I do for you.'

EL ON WEANING HIMSELF OFF OF DRUGS: 'I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It wasn't about my career anymore, it was about my life. [Going cold turkey] is worse than what you see on TV or in the movies. They really don't want to make it graphic. It's nastier than that. It's bad, bad. You hurt past your body. You hurt from the inside out. Your hair hurts.'

EL ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER: 'I stayed out of my father's way growing up. My daddy had problems. I was so young when it all started. I was born into it. I didn't know the difference. My father gave all of us love. That was the disturbing thing about it. He was like Jekyll and Hyde. He would hug us and play games with us. The next thing you know, it was on and popping! Then he'd apologize. 'I love you. I'm sorry, and pray for your daddy.' He would always win our sympathy and our empathy. Always. You could tell he was dead serious. He would cry. He wasn't faking. That man had some issues.'

(CLICK ON EACH PIC TO SEE ITS FULL IMAGE)

HOW FREAKING HAPPY DO THEY LOOK?!

Just when you thought you'd have to wait a month or so to see exclusive pictures from T.I. and Tiny's big day, they're wedding reception pics have found their way onto Twitter! No surprise, right? From what I understand, no cameras were allowed at T.I. and Tiny's platinum wedding in Miami today, but that didn't stop a few of their celebrity friends/wedding guests from pulling out their Iphones and Blackberrys to tweet their own personal photos from the newlywed couple's reception and upload them on their Twitter pages. I'm sure there's a really good reason why T.I. and Tiny wanted no cameras at their wedding (Tiny's friend Kandi Burruss tweeted: "We're having so much fun! I wish I could tweet pics but I've been forbidden."). I don't blame them one bit! Had this been my wedding everybody's cell phone and camera would have been checked at the front door and given back to them after the reception. You don't wanna give up your phone for a couple of hours, you don't get in. Leave your gift at the door and vamoose! LOL!

Anyhoo, below are photos taken from the Twitter pages of Atlanta morning radio show host Ryan Cameron, comedian Lil Duval, celebrity stylist Leah Taylor, rapper Diamond, and T.I. and Tiny's wedding photographer Rob Ector. So, fortunately for all of you who've been wanting to catch just a little glimpse of the couple's special day, they were kind enough to share. A few of the pics are a bit blurry and grainy, but hey, it's better than nothing!

It looks like a good time was had by all! And that's all that really matters, right?

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT T.I. & TINY PARTYING IT UP AT THEIR WEDDING AFTER-PARTY AT CLUB CAMEO!

The ceremony was officiated by former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young and began with El DeBarge singing several songs. Tiny walked down the isle to a bridal processional sang by Jamie Foxx. After the ceremony, the couple made their arrival to the wedding reception in a horse-drawn "Cinderella carriage" as fireworks exploded overhead.

Celebrities in attendance included: Bow Wow, Angela Simmons, El DeBarge (we all know T.I. and Tiny love grooving to El--to see why, click here!), Usher (looks like he was a groomsmen), Chilli, Young Dro, Jamie Foster Brown, Nelly and Ashanti, Jamie Foxx (who serenaded guests); and Monica, Toya Carter and Kandi Burruss who also served as Tiny's bridesmaids.

I'm pretty sure more pics will surface in the coming days and later on in an official pictorial with whichever popular Sister 2 Sister magazine they've been sold to.

MORE TWEET PICS WHEN YOU CLICK THE RED LINK BELOW.

Thursday, July 1st marked the fifth anniversary of the death of Luther Vandross at the age of 54 from a heart attack after suffering a massive stroke in 2003.

I loved me some Luther. I remember when I was younger I wanted him to be my uncle. I think one of the reasons I loved and admired him so much was because my parents use to play his music ALL THE TIME when I was a kid; especially at their house parties. One of the first Luther songs I ever heard and learned verbatim was Bad Boy/Having a Party. I think it was one of their favorites too because they'd play that song 4 or 5 times during their parties and I'd be in my room (because I was too young to be partying with the grown folk) dancing my ass off. It wasn't until they were clearing everyone out of the house that I was allowed to come out of my room and really jam to the song like I wanted too.

But to this day I don't have a favorite Luther Vandross song (same goes for Michael) because he had just too many. I can't even begin to tell anyone what my favorite Luther Vandross song is because there is no such thing as far as I'm concerned.

Needless to say, I was sad as hell when I learned of his passing. My mother was too...considering the fact that my father has just passed from cancer 5 months before. I watched Luther's funeral online and boo hoo'd the entire time. And I still cry when I listen to certain songs; specifically Dance With My Father. With singers like Luther, Jackie, Marvin, Michael and Teddy P. gone, I can only imagine the "sweet sounds coming down on the nightshift."

I hope singers like El DeBarge continue to take care of themselves so that we can continue to enjoy their voices while they're still here.

Did El De DeBarge do his thing or what? He just won't stop. He had me sounding like a cross between a wild hyena giving birth and a screeching ass cat as I tried to sing along with him during his medley of all of my favorite DeBarge songs (All This Love, I Like It, Time Will Reveal, and Rhythm Of The Night). I had a headache by the time he was through! LOL! Seriously, every performance I have seen from him in the past several months has been outstanding to say the least. His surprise performance at the B.E.T. Awards was no exception. He continues to make me proud. The audience reaction to his songs and the way they sang along with him overwhelmed me so I know he had to have felt their love too. The cameraman even caught T.I. and Tiny jamming to El (peep the image on the right)! I hope they show that same support when his next album drops. As I watched him perform last night, at first I was like, 'Wow, he's small!' But then I couldn't help but to notice how strong of a man he is to be able to overcome the life changing obstacles he's faced in his past. I've talked about that before in a previous post so I want go there again with yall in this one!

Besides, I have other news to report. This fall, El will release his first album in 16 years aptly titled Second Chance. According to EURWeb.com, his long-awaited fifth solo album, Second Chance tells his story of redemption, which followed a period of personal turmoil for the immensely talented singer and songwriter. El says, “I want the world to know that everybody deserves a second chance. I wrote Second Chance to commemorate all the struggles I went through, and I feel it speaks to struggles in the souls and the hearts of people who are going through what I went through and who want a second chance.”

I wish this brother nothing but the best.

The album is co-written and co-produced by super-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds and more.

So, don't be surprised if Eldra becomes an upcoming recipient of B.E.T.'s Lifetime Achievement Award! I called it first!

In the meantime, check out photos from El's performance.

Click HERE to watch a touching, behind-the-scenes look at the making of El's Second Chance album, and click the red link below to watch El's B.E.T. performance and see more pics!

(El DeBarge performing at the Conga Room in Los Angeles last month)

I was surprised as hell when I saw him co-host TVOne's Way Black When last month. I was also happy to see him looking so healthy, handsome and in his right mind. That's a good look, El. Keep it up. And he's wasting no time getting back on his grind after his year and a half incarceration on vandalism, drugs and domestic violence. He talked to EURweb.com about his drug abuse and how God and his family continue to help him in maintaining his sobriety:

“Things are fine right now. My challenges were basically a drug addiction that sat me down for a minute and made me stop writing, and made me not participate in my own self. I got tired of that, I got tired of being stuck on stupid. I went through something, I learned from it and I got a great story to tell. It’s a testimony, it’s not misery anymore....People were reaching out to me. And really, actually it was God. It was a spiritual intervention that took place in me. I just didn’t want to do it anymore and I had to just lay back, go somewhere, take a vacation and just chill and just get my thoughts together – get my will power together because that’s what was missing and that’s where I’m at right now.”

PREACH, ELDRA!

These days, El, is extra-busy. He's working on a new album. Recently, he made an appearance on Brian McKnight's talk show where he talked about the ups and downs of his personal life and professional career. What surprised me the most about this interview was El's reasons for using drugs in the first place. He told Brian:

"I started doing drugs because I chose to do it. It wasn't any pressure from anybody. I just said one day, 'I'm tired of being responsible. I'm tired of being the one to carry the load all the time. What's the cheapest way out of this? What's time out of mind for me?' I needed some kind of cop out. And when I started doing drugs, I didn't realize they were going to catch me like it did. It's nothing to play with. And I knew one day I would have to go to prison...something had to stop me. I just knew it in my spirit. Something told me, 'I'm going to end up going to prison because I can't seem to shake this thing.' But that was God's way of intervening in my life cause that was the worst thing that (going to prison)could have ever happened to me. But it gave me time to get my willpower back. I got my willpower back now. I feel brand new."

Of his first performance (at the Conga Room in Los Angeles) since being release from jail, El admitted that he was scared as hell at what the audience's reaction was going to be. He said,

"I was scared because I saw all of the opening acts that came on before me and people were talking during their acts. But as soon as I hit the stage, you could hear a pin drop. People were looking at my throat! I could see people going, 'Okay, I'm waiting on him to hit a bad note.' I was like, 'Oh, my God! What am I doing up here?!' But by the help of God, I made it through. And then they embraced me and I could feel the love coming from the audience and it gave me so much strength and then I started getting geeked up! I got standing ovations after each song. I was like, 'Wow, this is incredible.'"

He also sang my favorite DeBarge song of all time, Time Will Reveal (Love Me in a Special Way is a close second) and I damn near cried! El wrote the song when he was just 16 years old! I almost forgot how talented this man really is. Let's all remember to give him his props and accolades while he's still here.

El DeBarge was sentenced to two years in state prison Tuesday for violating his probation on a 2007 drug case in which the singer was found in possession of crack cocaine. The former R&B crooner, born Patrick Eldra DeBarge and best known as the former lead singer of the ‘80s group DeBarge, was immediately taken to California State Prison in Lancaster to begin his sentence, reports TMZ.com. The ruling follows DeBarge’s arrest on Monday in Los Angeles. In that case, he was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Am I the only one who still bump some of DeBarge and Switch's greatest hits such as: I Call Your Name, Love Me in a Special Way, All This Love, Time Will Reveal, I Like It and Rhythm of the Night.
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