Nicole Richie was born in Berkeley, California. Her biological father is widely rumored to be Afro-Latino musician Pete Escovedo, brother of 1980s pop percussionist Sheila E. and son of famed Latin percussionist
Pete Escovedo, but this was directly denied by Nicole in the November 2005 issue of Jane magazine.

She used marijuana, cocaine, and heroin, was arrested three times, and had five car accidents. Not until
she went into drug rehabilitation in 2003 did Richie and her parents have an open conversation about her addiction.