Rick James' Son Tazman Johnson Locked Up on Fentanyl Charges

The cycle doesn’t always stop. Tazman Johnson, son of late funk legend Rick James, is currently in the Los Angeles County Jail facing serious drug charges tied to fentanyl possession. The arrest—which happened back in April on a felony warrant with no bail option—is the latest chapter in a troubling pattern that echoes his father’s own struggles with addiction.

Court documents reveal the full timeline. Tazman was initially arrested in March 2024 for possessing fentanyl, and was hit with misdemeanor charges for controlled substance possession and drug paraphernalia. Released on bond at the time, things went sideways when he failed to show up in court weeks later. A judge slapped a $10K bench warrant on him, which ultimately led to his April arrest. Last month, he entered a not guilty plea to both charges.

But the drug case isn’t his only legal headache. Tazman is also facing a burglary charge stemming from a 2019 arrest, adding another layer to his mounting legal problems. According to sources close to him, he’s currently enrolled in a program while incarcerated and is focusing on his music career—a potential glimmer of hope in an otherwise grim situation.

The parallel to Rick James is impossible to ignore. The legendary musician, who passed away in August 2004 at age 56, battled addiction for years before his death. When he died, cocaine and methamphetamine were found in his system. Rick had three children with two different women; Tazman’s mother is Tanya Hijazi. Whether family history, circumstance, or choice led Tazman down this road, the reality is stark: he’s now fighting his own battle with the criminal justice system while trying to build something meaningful through music—all from behind bars.

It’s a reminder that fame and talent don’t inoculate you from life’s darker currents. What happens next depends on the courts, his legal team, and Tazman’s own commitment to turning things around.