Chico's DUI Conviction: Grief, Debt & Rehab

0:00On April 9th, former ex-pector star Chico, real name Yusuf Slimani, Jizka convicted of drink driving in a London court. The 55-year-old blew 40 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath last December, over the legal limit of 35. He now faces a 12-month driving van and a 600-pound fine, plus extra costs. He told the court he snapped after losing a third close friend to cancer, downing whiskey for six straight hours and breaking his sobriety streak. Chico swore he hadn't touched a drop since that night, and blamed the grief for pushing him over the edge. Back in 2005, he made it to the quarter-finals on ex-pector and dropped a number one hit, its Chico time. But lately, he's been drowning in debt with court cases piling up, which he says made everything worse. During the trial, he admitted not telling cops about possible meds when arrested, saying his mind was racing too fast. The judge sympathized with his losses, but made it clear, excessive drinking before driving is no excuse.

1:02Chico can cut his band by three months if he finishes a rehab course. But his worst fears hit home reputation trashed, work dried up. Tough break for a guy who's been through the ringer.