El Debarge Arrested Again for Drug Possession: He Needs Your Prayers Not Your Judgment

This news saddens me. Singer/songwriter/composer El Debarge has been arrested for drug possession for the umpteenth time. Read more on the story and my thoughts after the break...

"Rhythm of the Night" singer El DeBarge was arrested for drug possession in L.A. yesterday ... and cops believe El may have been trying to deal the junk. 

El was popped around 2 PM in Encino, CA ... after LAPD officers observed him participating in what appeared to be a drug deal with another man near the 101 Freeway. 

DeBarge was arrested for possession of narcotics with intent to sell. It's the 3rd time El has been arrested for drug possession since 2001. 

He was hauled to a nearby jail where he was booked and released on $30k bail. El is due back in court next month.  TMZ

This news definitely saddens me. I have been a huge fan of El Debarge and his family ever since I was a kid. He released his fifth studio album, Second Chance, in 2010 and claimed to have overcome his addiction with drugs. However, in February 2011, he canceled all tour dates and public appearances after going back to rehab after a relapse. He was last seen at the 2012 Grammy Awards where he was nominated for Best R&B album.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Debarge a little over a year ago and was awed by his humbleness. I did have a stan moment (lol) but I recovered. He is definitely a legend in music and I pray that he really gets the help that he needs, even if that means stepping away from music altogether. While the media and industry are ripping him apart for relapsing into old habits, that many others are glorified for (aka Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan), they should be praying or trying to help him. The same industry that will build you up one day, can turn against you the next, i.e. Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. El Debarge was one of the few artists who were last seen with Whitney Houston at Kelly Price's pre-Grammy party, hours before Houston died. Check out the video below.

I want El Debarge to win. Too many of our greats have passed on within the recent years from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston, Don Cornelius to Vesta Williams. Don't get caught up in what you see on TV or read on the blogs and in magazines. They may be celebrities, but they are also human and people just like us. All the talent, money and fame in the world means nothing without God. Addictions are serious matters and can be anything--drugs, alcohol, sex, food, money, bad relationships, etc. No one can overcome addictions without God, so pray before you decide to judge. As the saying goes, he who is without sin, cast the first stone.