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Jelly Roll (singer)

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This article is about the 21st century Nashville-based musician. For the jazz musician of the early 20th century, see Jelly Roll Morton. For other uses, see Jelly roll.

Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll, dressed in black, sits and speaks earnestly into the microphone in formal proceedings
Jelly Roll testifying before the U.S. Congress in 2024 in support of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act
Background information
Birth nameJason Bradley DeFord[1][2]
Born (1984-12-04) December 4, 1984 (age 39)[3]
Antioch, Tennessee, U.S.[1]
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
Instruments
DiscographyJelly Roll discography
Years active2003–present
Labels
Spouse
Bunnie DeFord
​
(m. 2016)​
Children2
Websitejellyroll615.com

Jason Bradley DeFord (born December 4, 1984), known professionally as Jelly Roll (originally stylized as JellyRoll), is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter from Antioch, Tennessee. Beginning his career in 2003, he rose to mainstream prominence following the release of his 2022 singles "Son of a Sinner" and "Need a Favor".

"Son of a Sinner" won three CMT Music Awards in 2023.[5] That same year, he won for New Artist at the CMA Awards, and was nominated for Best New Artist at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

Early life

[edit]

DeFord was raised in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee.[6][7] His father was a meat salesman and worked as a bookie on the side; his mother suffered from mental illness and addiction.[8]

From his teenage years into his 20s, Jelly Roll was arrested several times and spent time in jail for various charges/felonies including possession with intent to distribute and aggravated robbery.[9][8] While imprisoned, he earned his GED at the age of 23.[8]

Career

[edit]

Jelly Roll launched his career in hip hop after being inspired by rappers such as Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and 8Ball & MJG. He sold mixtapes out of his car,[8] starting with a string of releases from his first project The Plain Shmear Tape in 2003 then following with the four part Gamblin' on the White Boy series from 2004 to 2011. His 2010 collaboration "Pop Another Pill" with Memphis rapper Lil Wyte reached over 6.3 million YouTube views.[10] This song led to the album Year Round by the hip-hop group SNO, of which Jelly Roll was a member. Over the next few years, Jelly Roll released many mixtapes and independent solo albums including collaborations with Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Haystak, and Tech N9ne.[11] Jelly Roll's 2013 mixtape Whiskey, Weed, & Women was originally named Whiskey, Weed, & Waffle House,[6] but was later changed after Waffle House threatened legal action over the use of their name and logo on the cover. The replacement cover featured a "cease and desist" stamp in place of the restaurant's logo.[12][13]

Jelly Roll made his Grand Ole Opry debut on November 9, 2021.[14] On July 7, 2022, he was invited by fellow country singer Craig Morgan to join him on stage at the Opry to perform "Almost Home".[15] On May 9, 2022, Jelly Roll scored his first number one on rock radio with the track "Dead Man Walking".[16] In January 2023, Jelly Roll scored his first number-one song on Country radio with his debut country single "Son of a Sinner", written by himself, Ernest, and David Ray Stevens. The track was the second single from his eighth studio album Ballads of the Broken and also peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.[17] In February 2023, he made history with a record-breaking 25th week at number 1 on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart.[18] Jelly Roll sold out Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on December 9, 2022, to 15,000 fans and was joined by Chris Young, Sam Hunt, Riley Green, Shinedown, Ernest, Struggle Jennings, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko.[19] In the summer of 2023, he completed a 44-city 'Backroad Baptism Tour'.[20] At the 2023 CMT Music Awards, Jelly Roll won for Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year, all for the song "Son of a Sinner".[21][22]

Jelly Roll released his ninth studio album Whitsitt Chapel featuring the single "Need a Favor" on June 2, 2023.[23] In November 2023, Jelly Roll won the award for New Artist of the Year at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards. In January 2024, Jelly Roll testified before the U.S. Congress, in support of anti-fentanyl legislation.[24] Explaining his perspective as a former distributor of illegal drugs, Jelly Roll stated before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee “I was a part of the problem. I am here now, standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution".[25]

In April 2024, Jelly Roll was sued by Pennsylvania-based wedding band Jellyroll for trademark infringement.[26] The case was later settled out of court.[27] In July 2024, Jelly Roll was featured on Eminem's twelfth album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) on the track "Somebody Save Me", which sampled his song "Save Me". He appeared in its music video released the following month.[28] On July 8, Jelly Roll made his first international appearance at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.[29] On August 23, 2024, Jelly Roll announced his tenth studio album Beautifully Broken. It was released on October 11, 2024.[30]

Jelly Roll made his television debut on the television drama series Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone. The episode was released in September 2024 and featured Jelly Roll performing a rendition of "I Am Not Okay".[31]

On September 28, 2024, Jelly Roll was the first musical guest of the 50th season of Saturday Night Live performing "Liar" and "Winning Streak."[32][33]

Personal life

[edit]

Jelly Roll has been married to his wife Alyssa DeFord, known as "Bunnie XO", since 2016. The couple renewed their wedding vows in 2023. He has two children from previous relationships: daughter Bailee (b. 2008), whom he and Bunnie have full custody of, and son Noah (b. 2016).[34][35]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Jelly Roll discography

Studio albums

Collaborative albums

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2023 Country Music Association Awards Male Vocalist of the Year Himself Nominated [36]
New Artist of the Year Won
Single of the Year "Need a Favor" Nominated
Music Video of the Year Nominated
Musical Event of the Year "Save Me" (with Lainey Wilson) Nominated
CMT Music Awards Male Video of the Year "Son of a Sinner" Won [37]
Male Breakthrough Video of the Year Won
CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year Won
2024 Grammy Awards Best New Artist Himself Nominated [38]
Best Country Duo/Group Performance "Save Me" (with Lainey Wilson) Nominated
iHeartRadio Music Awards Artist of the Year Himself Nominated [39]
Best New Pop Artist Won
Best Alternative Rock Artist Nominated
Best New Alternative Rock Artist Nominated
Country Artist of the Year Nominated
Best New Country Artist Won
Rock Song of the Year "Need a Favor" Nominated
Favorite On Screen (Socially Voted) "Save Me" Nominated
People's Choice Awards The Male Country Artist of the Year Himself Won [40]
The New Artist of the Year Nominated
People's Choice Country Awards The People's Artist of 2024 Himself Pending [41]
The Male Artist of 2024 Pending
The Social Country Star of 2024 Pending
The Song of 2024 "Wild Ones" (with Jessie Murph) Pending
The Collaboration Song of 2024 "Chevrolet" (with Dustin Lynch) Pending
The Crossover Song of 2024 "Lonely Road" (with Machine Gun Kelly) Pending
The Music Video of 2024 Pending
MTV Video Music Awards Best Collaboration "Wild Ones" (with Jessie Murph) Nominated [42]
Video for Good "Best for Me" (with Joyner Lucas) Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Jelly Roll biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  2. ^ "ADDICTION KILLS". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  3. ^ Piccotti, Tyler (April 6, 2023). "8 Things You Might Not Know About "Son of a Sinner" Singer Jelly Roll". Biography. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (September 16, 2021). "Nashville Native Jelly Roll on Shifting From Hip Hop to Country-Rock: 'I Want to Change The Way Music Is Done on Those Streets'". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Hall, Kristin (April 3, 2023). "'Son of a Sinner' Jelly Roll reigns at CMT Music Awards show". APNews. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Dodero, Camille (June 14, 2013). "The Story of the 450-Pound Rapper Who Loved Waffle House Too Much". Gawker.
  7. ^ Dowling, Marcus K. (March 9, 2023). "Jelly Roll on his three 2023 CMT Music Award noms: 'A nomination calls for a celebration'". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 9, 2023. I'm just a kid from Antioch, Tennessee
  8. ^ a b c d "Meet Jelly Roll, the Rapper Turned Country Singer Rousing Nashville". The New York Times. April 26, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  9. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (September 16, 2021). "Nashville Native Jelly Roll on Shifting From Hip Hop to Country-Rock: 'I Want to Change The Way Music Is Done on Those Streets'". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "JellyRoll Feat. Lil Wyte POP ANOTHER PILL – YouTube". YouTube. March 19, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  11. ^ Will, Ill (January 17, 2023). "Jelly Roll On The Importance Of Tech N9ne: 'His Energy Is So Pure'". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Paine, Jake (April 5, 2013). "JellyRoll Responds To Waffle House Cease & Desist, New Mixtape Artwork & Title". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  13. ^ Tishgart, Sierra (June 14, 2013). "Waffle House Screwed Over Its Biggest Fan, a Rapper Named Jelly Roll". Grub Street. New York Magazine. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  14. ^ Decker, David (October 15, 2021). "Jelly Roll Blows the Roof off the Fillmore Auditorium". Digital Beat Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  15. ^ Seller, Christine (July 7, 2022). "Craig Morgan Brings Jelly Roll To Tears With Heartfelt Gift At The Opry: "This Is A True Testimony That God Is Real"". Music Mayhem. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  16. ^ Wendowski, Andrew (May 9, 2022). "Jelly Roll Scores First-Ever No. 1 Radio Hit With "Dead Man Walking": "The Losers Win Again Baby!"". Music Mayhem. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Holthouse, Jerry (January 9, 2023). "Jelly Roll Scores His First Number One". Nashville.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  18. ^ Zellner, Xander (February 8, 2023). "Jelly Roll Breaks Record for Most Weeks Spent at No. 1 on Emerging Artists Chart". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  19. ^ Watts, Cindy (December 12, 2022). "Pics: Jelly Roll Sells Out Nashville's Bridgestone Arena with Chris Young, Sam Hunt, Struggle Jennings and more". CMT. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  20. ^ Liptak, Carena (February 20, 2023). "Jelly Roll unleashes plans for Backroad Baptism Arena Tour". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  21. ^ Lipshutz, Jason; Unterberger, Andrew (April 5, 2023). "Jelly Roll Keeps Winning After CMT Music Awards With Big 'Son of a Sinner' and 'Need a Favor' Gains". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  22. ^ France, Lisa Respers (April 3, 2023). "Jelly Roll reigns among first-time winners at the CMT Music Awards". CNN. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  23. ^ Patton, Alli (March 18, 2023). "Jelly Roll Confirms Highly Anticipated New Album "Whitsitt Chapel"". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  24. ^ "Jason "Jelly Roll" DeFord Opening Statement". C-SPAN. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  25. ^ Shapero, Julia (January 11, 2024). "Jelly Roll urges Congress to pass anti-fentanyl legislation".
  26. ^ "Pa. wedding band Jellyroll suing country star Jelly Roll, claiming trademark infringement". WHYY. April 17, 2024.
  27. ^ Pa.-based wedding band Jellyroll settles lawsuit with country star Jelly Roll over name, attorney says NBC10 Philadelphia. July 10, 2024.
  28. ^ Horvath, Zachary (August 21, 2024). "Eminem & Jelly Roll Drop Tear-Jerking Music Video For "Somebody Save Me"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  29. ^ Savoie, Dan. "Breaking Borders: Jelly Roll's Epic Canadian Debut Rocks Niagara". 519 Magazine. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  30. ^ Chan, Anna (August 23, 2024). "Jelly Roll Announces New Album: Here's When 'Beautifully Broken' Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  31. ^ Alexander, Bryan (September 20, 2024). "Jelly Roll makes 'Tulsa King' TV debut with Sylvester Stallone's mobster: Watch them meet". USA Today. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  32. ^ Saturday Night Live (September 28, 2024). Jelly Roll: Liar (Live) - SNL. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via YouTube.
  33. ^ Saturday Night Live (September 28, 2024). Jelly Roll: Winning Streak (Live) - SNL. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via YouTube.
  34. ^ Peake, Amber (May 28, 2021). "Who is Jelly Roll's wife, Bunnie? Rapper shares sweet family snap". The Focus. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  35. ^ "Jelly Roll Opens Up About the Day He Found Out He Was a Dad — While Sitting in Prison (Exclusive)". Peoplemag. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  36. ^ Avila, Daniela; Michaud, Sarah (November 8, 2023). "CMA Awards 2023: See the Complete List of Winners". People. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  37. ^ "Search winners: Lainey Wilson". Academy of Country Music. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  38. ^ "Grammy winners 2024 – the full list". BBC News. November 10, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  39. ^ Grein, Paul (January 18, 2024). "Taylor Swift Leads 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards Nods, With Jelly Roll, 21 Savage & SZA Close Behind: Full List". Billboard.
  40. ^ VanHoose, Benjamin (February 18, 2024). "Taylor Swift, Barbie and Grey's Anatomy Score at 2024 People's Choice Awards: See the Full List of Winners". People. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  41. ^ Grein, Paul (August 14, 2024). "Zach Bryan, Beyoncé & More Lead 2024 People's Choice Country Awards Nominations: Full List". Billboard.
  42. ^ Blistein, Jon (August 6, 2024). "Taylor Swift Dominates 2024 MTV Video Music Award Nominations". Rolling Stone.
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