Darius Rucker Has A History Of Run-Ins With The Law

Musician Darius Rucker is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, with hit records such as "One Love" and "Get Out Of My Mind." He has also enjoyed a solo career, delving into R&B with his first solo album, "Back To Then," in 2002 before deviating back to country with his sophomore solo project, "Learn to Live." His talents have earned him three Grammy awards. Yet, with so much success in music and Rucker's impressive $12 million net worth, he has still found himself in drama with the law on several occasions, dating back to the 1990s.

In 1997, he was involved in a parking lot fight at a convenience store. Rucker claimed she was hassled by drunk men, which led to a physical altercation. However, one of the men involved argued that Rucker allegedly assaulted him and threw him on the ground as he tried to diffuse the situation. The police declined to press charges in that case, but it wouldn't be the last time Rucker ran into some legal troubles.

When Hootie & the Blowfish released "Only Wanna Be With You" in 1994, it borrowed lyrics from Bob Dylan's 1975 records "Idiot Wind" and "Tangled Up In The Blue." Hootie's lead singer Darius Rucker previously shared with Rolling Stone in 2003 that while his group did get proper approval to use Dylan's lyrics from management, once their track blew up, Dylan's team began demanding more money. This almost led to a lawsuit, though they were able to resolve the matter. "It never got to the point where we were sued. When we first did that song, we sent it to the publishing company, and everything was fine. We played it for years and had a really big hit with it. Then they wanted some money, and they got it," the "Beers and Sunshine" star told the outlet.

In the end, Hootie & the Blowfish agreed to pay Dylan and his company, Ram Horn Music, $350,000 in August 1995 for using his music and lyrics in their hit single. It seems that their money feud didn't deter Dylan away from Rucker. Years after the potential lawsuit was settled out of court, Dylan co-wrote Rucker's 2013 single, "Wagon Wheel." This legal matter would pale in comparison to Rucker's 2024 run-in with the law that landed the singer behind bars.

Darius Rucker was taken into custody in February 2024 for driving with an expired tag and drug possession. While the incident may have come as a surprise to some, this case first unfolded during a year earlier, during a February 19, 2023 traffic stop. As TMZ reported, during that encounter, which took place in Franklin, Tennessee, police pulled Rucker over after witnessing the invalidated tag. They noticed that the car smelled like weed, which Rucker admitted to smoking the day before. Officers also located unidentifiable pills and a THC pen, which Rucker claimed was given to him by his girlfriend. Authorities let Rucker go but kept the pills to test them, which later turned out to be the psychedelic drug, psilocin, a Schedule I controlled substance. A warrant for Rucker's arrest was issued in December 2023, and he turned himself in on February 1, 2024. Rucker was charged with two counts of simple possession and one count of a registration violation before being released on a $10,500 bond.

Rucker previously opened up about his past drug issues. In a 2013 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Rucker explained, "Doing drugs and drinking every night — I've done that. Trust me, I've done enough for everybody. And it's just not how I want to live anymore." It seems that Rucker might be facing renewed challenges related to substances, but hopefully, he can overcome this latest hurdle.