JellyRoll Biography

JellyRoll, born Jason Bradley DeFord on December 4, 1984, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter from Antioch, Tennessee. He began his music career in 2003 and rose to mainstream prominence in 2022 with the release of two singles, "Son of a Sinner" and "Need a Favor".

JellyRoll's early life was marked by struggles, including his parents' struggles with addiction and mental illness, and his own brushes with the law. He was arrested multiple times and spent time in jail for various charges, including possession of marijuana and aggravated robbery.

Despite his tumultuous past, JellyRoll found solace in music and began his hip-hop career, inspired by rappers like Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and 8Ball & MJG. He released several mixtapes and collaborated with other artists, including Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Haystak, and Tech N9ne.

JellyRoll's big break came in 2021 when he made his Grand Ole Opry debut and performed alongside Craig Morgan. He then scored his first number one on rock radio with the track "Dead Man Walking" and followed it up with his debut country single "Son of a Sinner", which reached number one on Country radio.

In 2023, JellyRoll made history by winning three CMT Music Awards for "Son of a Sinner", including Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year. He also won New Artist at the CMA Awards and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

In addition to his music success, JellyRoll has been making headlines for his advocacy work. In January 2024, he testified before the U.S. Congress in support of anti-fentanyl legislation, sharing his personal story as a former distributor of illegal drugs. He also released an album called Whitsitt Chapel featuring the single "Need a Favor".

In July 2024, JellyRoll was featured on Eminem's new album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) on the track "Somebody Save Me", which sampled his song "Save Me".