*Even though El DeBarge made it to the stage and performed in New Orleans at the Essence Festival (pictured in photo), there’s still some lingering controversy about the recent Urban Legends show where he performed at or didn’t perform at, depending on one’s point of view, in Ontario California that still got folks scratching their heads over.
Well, Morris O’Kelly’s Mo’Kelly Report has uncovered some info that may be helpful in sorting things out. maybe.
Mo’Kelly is only reporting this…take it however you like. In the hours after the somewhat controversial performance of El DeBarge at the Urban Legends concert in Ontario, California at the end of June; speculation abounded as to whether sobriety, a rogue promoter or manager was the real issue which needed to be discussed.
(See background info and video HERE.)
Allegedly El was set to perform and then the family was to “surprise” him; joining him on stage. Evidently somebody didn’t want that to happen. Whether it was a substance issue, a promoter issue or a manager issue…it’s not yet resolved.
Preceding a long thread on Etterlene DeBarge’s (mom) facebook page, her status had this to say…
But Bunny (Sis) had THIS to say in rebuttal about the night.
Read/learn more at mrmokelly.com.
Who is writing these articles? “Dissention”–really.
OMG, I was thinking the SAME thing!
“where he performed at or didn’t perform at”
Seriously? No one proofreads these artilces before publication? Not one person??? Just wow.
It requires you to actually READ the whole article before commenting. It usually answers most of your questions.
what had happened?? i hate going on an Easter egg hunt for information. i want my information in a one-size-fits-all environment, not ala carte. don’t have the time nor the inclination to go digging under rocks for kernels of information.
I followed the yellow brick road and read the report and comments of those that were at the concert. ‘Sounds’ like it was a toss up between El being ‘high’ as well as bad management promotion. As black folks, once again, our bucks are just as important as anyone else’s, and we must demand excellence from these promoters….not secon or third hand treatment! Boycott or close these concerts down UNTIL they show us some respect! My prayers to El during his recovery………
Peoples – you have to take the information that’s posted on this site for what it is, no more, no less! I love “what had happened!”
All I can say on this; is his new album is through the roof – awesome album, and I wish him the best battling his allege substance abuse!
I was at the concert and it was the worst produced show I have ever seen. The sound was awful and Faith Evans complained about it. It appeared as though none of the artists had been allowed a sound check. The MC/promoter repeatedly insulted the audience including saying we paid $99 but were getting $200 worth of entertainment so we should be more appreciative. There was some bogus award given to Pickett Concert Series (the promoter) in the middle of the concert. El and Chico were on the bill. No mention was made of why Chico DeBarge did not perform. My opinion is that the promoters didn’t sell enough tickets to make any money so were going to use the fact that El was late as an excuse not to pay him. El wanted to go on anyway as he didn’t want to disappoint his fans or miss a show so he walked onstage by himself and had to get his earpiece, etc. on his own with stage hands moving all around him. El tried to perform but was repeatedly stopped by the promoter staff. Chico wasn’t going to walk onstage without getting paid and I don’t blame him. It was a total fiasco. BTW – El killed it at the Essence Awards last weekend. There’s video of that but no one has mentioned or posted it along with Mo Kelly’s report.
So if El is high/drunk “some” of the time that’s ok for a recovering addict just out of rehab for the second time?
It doesn’t matter if he “killed it” in every performance if he still gets high. He will end up like Rick James and dead in short order.
But I guess that doesn’t matter as long as he “killed it” at Essence.
RnB lover…you’ve made this same comment everywhere the story has been posted. You are more concerned with celebrating his music than dealing with authenticity of the addiction issue.