Jelly Roll Discusses Success and Stereotypes
Five years ago, the recording artist known as Jelly Roll was nowhere to be found on the national scene. Now, the guy is everywhere. But to hear him tell it, he is lucky to be anywhere. “I’m surprised I didn’t get killed to be honest” Jelly says, referring to his sordid past. Against all odds, the former convict transcended his circumstances and transformed his life. He is now one of country music’s marquee stars.
The feel-good phenomenon, whose real name is Jason DeFord, is a Nashville native. However, his musical inclination always leaned toward hip-hop and rock. Neither of which entirely embraced him. At long last, Jelly showed he was a country boy at heart and decided to put his heart into country music. He explains it like this: “I tell people, Jason DeFord changes, I’m just pulling Jelly Roll along… The music didn’t change. The man did.”
Growing up in the tough Nashville suburb of Antioch, Jelly always had an affinity for Music City’s signature sound. He just took the long way around. “I always wanted to be in Country music,” states the singer. “From Antioch to Music Row is 30 minutes but it took me almost 40 years to get there.” DeFord’s meteoric rise is nothing short of extraordinary. He has gone from being a niche performer to a regular fixture on the Grand Ole Opry to selling out arenas. And when Saturday Night Live opened its momentous 50th season, they tapped Jelly to be their first music guest.
One could say that Country music now belongs to Jelly Roll. More importantly, Jelly Roll now belongs to Country music. “Country music has given me a place to call home,” says DeFord. However, there was a time when Jelly didn’t know if the feeling was mutual. Quite simply, he was afraid that country music would not give him a fair shot because he is not the prototypical country artist.
DeFord’s fears were alleviated at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards when he was named Best New Artist at the age of 39. “I represent overcoming”, he says. “I represent the guy who wasn’t supposed to make it, making it. I think that’s how we all feel…that there is a glimmer of hope when a guy like me makes it through the cracks.”
In 2024, Jelly was named both the TouchTunes artist of the year and the Male Country Artist of the Year at the People’s Choice Awards. It has been a whirlwind journey for the convicted felon turned double Grammy nominee. He continues to serve as a beacon for those who never got a shot and as an example to those who might get one. This is Jelly Roll discussing success and stereotypes.
“I’ve spent my whole life being judged”
It’s been amazing the way country music has opened up to me. It’s funny, I’ve spent my whole life being judged; my whole life being treated a certain way for how I looked or where I’m from. I’ve been stereotyped. And then for the first time in my life, I stereotyped something.
“There’s just no way”
I also had a bunch of record companies in town tell me I was just fucking crazy. There’s just no way. I’d come to Nashville and meet with the record companies and tell them, ‘hey, I want to play the Grand Ole Opry, I want to take this song to radio. This is what I want to do’. And they told me, ‘hold on, you want us to take an artist with a nickname, a criminal background, and face tattoos to country radio’? They were like, ‘get the hell out of here.’
“A Nashville Kid”
I was told by every label in Nashville that this place wasn’t for me, but I wanted to play the Grand Ole Opry. I was a Nashville kid that grew up loving country music… I think they felt a real authenticity from it. I think the people knew it wasn’t a cash grab.
“It’s just been awesome!”
My plan was to do country music, that’s what I wanted to do. I tell my wife, ‘what if they don’t like me because of my tattoos or taking a nickname to traditional radio, whatever’. My wife said, ‘don’t worry, they’re gonna love you’. And I was ‘I don’t know’. And they’ve just loved me! It’s just been awesome! It’s kind of the pot calling the kettle black for a second because I just assumed.
“I could have never guessed”
I could have never told myself in my juvenile cell that this was going to happen. I could have never guessed…I’ve been in jail 40 times in my life. I never made it out of the ninth grade. I’m really a street kid that had absolutely nothing going for him.
“I know who I am “
I’m not driven by hate and I’m not bothered by it neither. I’m driven by love. That don’t bother me, I know the impact I’ve had on this life. I know how many people I help with my music. I know how genuine my spirit is. I know who I am as a human, I don’t care what a stranger says about me.
Jelly Roll has endured a gruesome gauntlet to stardom, and it has made him the man he is today. A revolutionary artist, a passionate philanthropist, and the personification of perseverance. DeFord calls himself “a voice for the voiceless.” But he also brings hope to the hopeless. His message is pure, and it resonates through his music. Case and point, Jelly’s powerful performance from The Voice Season 25 finale with his epic anthem “I Am Not Okay.”
