Jelly Roll

Jason Bradley DeFord, known professionally as Jelly Roll, was born December 4, 1984, in Nashville, Tennessee's Antioch neighborhood.^[1] His mother, who struggled with addiction and mental illness but loved George Strait and Garth Brooks, gave him the nickname 'Jelly' because he was a chubby kid. She planted in him both a love of country music and an early understanding of suffering.

He wrote his first rap song around ages 9 or 10, and by middle school was distributing mixtapes in high school parking lots.^[1] When his parents divorced at 13, he began selling drugs to help support his mother, sometimes including mixtapes with his drug sales as a form of self-promotion. His first arrest came at 14.

Incarceration and Turning Point

Over the following years, he was incarcerated approximately 40 times for offenses ranging from drug possession to aggravated robbery.^[2] At 16, he faced adult charges for aggravated robbery involving a weapon, receiving over a year in custody and seven years of probation. He battled addictions to cough syrup, Xanax, and cocaine.

In May 2008, while incarcerated for drug dealing, he learned he had fathered a daughter, Bailee Ann. He later described the experience as a turning point, his 'Damascus Road moment.' He earned his GED in prison and was released in 2009.^[1]

Building a Career

From 2010 to 2015, he lived in a van while pursuing music full-time.^[1] A YouTube freestyle caught the attention of rapper Lil Wyte, leading to early collaborations. He built an underground following through mixtapes that blended rap with country and rock influences.

In May 2020, he posted 'Save Me,' his first fully sung track with no rap elements, which went viral and attracted BMG Nashville. The song established him as a voice for people in crisis: addicts, the incarcerated, those who had run out of options.

His 2023 album Whitsitt Chapel debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and earned him the CMA New Artist of the Year award.^[3] His 2024 follow-up Beautifully Broken debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Recognition and Redemption

In December 2025, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee granted him a full pardon for his prior convictions. At the 2026 Grammy Awards, he won three trophies, including Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken.^[3]

He has also pursued personal health goals, losing nearly 200 pounds from his peak weight of 540 pounds.^[1] He completed his first 5K in May 2024.

He donated $200,000 to $250,000 to build a recording studio at the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center where he once served time, and testified before Congress in 2023 in support of anti-fentanyl legislation.

He is married to Bunnie XO and has two children: daughter Bailee Ann and son Noah.