Hootie & The Blowfish’s Darius Rucker Opens Up About Arrest In Tennessee: “I Think Somebody Wanted To Make An Example Out Of Me”
Darius Rucker is opening up about his arrest earlier this year. The Hootie & the Blowfish founder was arrested in April on misdemeanor drug charges in Tennessee.
“It shocked me,” Rucker told People in an interview. “My friends who were in the police department were like, ‘Have you pissed somebody off up here? Because this is crazy that they’re doing this a year later.’ But I think somebody wanted to make an example out of me, and they did.”
More from Deadline
Darius Rucker Arrested In Tennessee On Three Counts, Bails Out For $10K
'Big Sky: Deadly Trails': Lyle Lovett and Darius Rucker To Guest Star In Season 3 Of ABC Series
Darius Rucker Talks About An Uncomfortable Racial Moment In Country Music Ahead Of CMA Awards
Rucker continued, “I’m handling it with my lawyers. And paying the price, and we’ll move on with our lives. It sucks. Fifty-seven years, never seen inside of a police car or jail, and I get busted for that.”
RELATED: Darius Rucker Arrested In Tennessee On Three Counts, Bails Out For $10K
The singer had previously been pulled over in February 2023 for expired tags. During the encounter with authorities, they found marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his car (Recreational marijuana is not legal in Tennessee). He was released without charges, but a warrant for his arrest was issued in December 2023.
RELATED: Darius Rucker Talks About An Uncomfortable Racial Moment In Country Music Ahead Of CMA Awards
Rucker is working on his new memoir, which includes his past issues with substance abuse, to which he says, “I hope my journey pleasantly surprises people and makes them go, ‘Wow.’ Not a lot of people know a lot about me. They know my music and what I do, but they don’t know how you got there.”
Best of Deadline
'Knives Out 3': Everything We Know About The Second Rian Johnson Sequel
2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2024: Photo Gallery & Obituaries
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.