Hootie & the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker opened up for the first time about his arrest in February, claiming that the drugs found on him during a traffic stop belonged to friends.
Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker has finally spoken out about his February arrest, breaking his silence on the incident that landed him in jail. In a recent interview with the "Today" show, Rucker revealed that he was pulled over for expired tags, and during the stop, police noticed a strong odor of marijuana and found a jar of un-stamped pills.
Rucker stated that he handed over a small marijuana blunt to the officers and claimed that he did not know what the pills were, as they had been given to him by his girlfriend. Despite these claims, the pills were later identified as psilocin, also known as magic mushrooms, by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Rucker explained that he was initially released during the 2023 traffic stop, pending identification of the pills. However, a warrant was issued for his arrest in December, and he turned himself in nearly a year after the initial incident.
"It was funny because I was going to a friend's house, they were moving and asked me to take some stuff," Rucker told the "Today" show. "And I did and got pulled, got stopped. And the crazy thing was, they let me go."
"And it was a year later that I get a phone call that said there was a warrant for my arrest," he continued. "So I went down. Fifty-seven years, I've never seen the inside of a jail cell."
Rucker's lawyer, Mark Puryear, issued a statement at the time of the arrest, saying that the musician was "fully cooperating" with authorities.
The arrest came as a surprise to many fans, given Rucker's clean record and wholesome image. However, his legal troubles have not overshadowed his successful career.
After releasing four more albums with Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker embarked on his solo journey as the group took a hiatus in 2008. Since then, he has released many hit songs in the country music world, including "Wagon Wheel," "Come Back Song," "Alright," and "Don't Think I Don't Think About It."
Rucker's career success began when he was a member of Hootie & the Blowfish. The group reunited for a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album "Cracked Rear View," which began in May. According to Rucker, "Cracked Rear View" is one of the "top 10-selling studio records of all time."
Despite his recent legal issues, Rucker remains a respected and beloved figure in the music industry. His fans will undoubtedly continue to support him as he navigates this challenging time in his life.
