Jelly Roll broke down in tears onstage at the CMA Festival while discussing his past drug addiction and jail stints.
The country music star, 39, has reformed his life after battling substance abuse and a decade spent in and out of jail for various offenses.
Credit: Tiktok/jonnyonair
Credit: Getty
Credit: Tiktok/jonnyonair
Jelly Roll – real name Jason Bradley DeFord – got choked up while reflecting on his past during his headlining performance at the festival on Saturday night.
In a TikTok shared by a concertgoer, the country music star gave an emotional speech while introducing his next song, Son of a Sinner.
“I was in that juvenile facility. I was in and out of jail. I was in and out of drug addiction and tonight I am headlining CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee,” Jelly Roll said.
He took his hat off, looked up and around at the audience at the Nissan Stadium, and started crying.
Clearly overwhelmed with emotion, Jelly Roll took his hat and covered his face with it while he sobbed.
“I’m here to tell you that whatever you want to do in your life you can do it I don’t give a f**k what anybody says to you,” he eventually went on.”
“I dedicate this song to all the people that live between right and wrong. This song is called Son of a Sinner.”
Jelly Roll first spent time in a juvenile facility aged 13 after being caught with weed, according to the Guardian.
He told the outlet in November 2023 that he had tried most drugs by 15 – pills, cocaine, acid, mushrooms, meth.
At 16, he was charged with aggravated assault after trying to steal weed from someone while armed and was slapped with an 18-month sentence.
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He spent the next decade in and out of prison for aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell cocaine.
His probation ended in December 2016, according to prison records.
“Jail was like a high school reunion for me. You go in there, it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re still here, what’s up dude,'” he told the Guardian.
“The rotating door of the judicial system, it’s rough, man.”
Jelly Roll left prison for the last time at 25 and started building a music fan base, boasting a billion views on his YouTube channel before signing a record deal.
Jelly Roll’s Weight Loss Journey
Jelly Roll opened up about his weight loss journey earlier last month.
In a recent interview with People, Jelly Roll revealed how much weight he has lost as he geared up for his United States arena tour later this year.
“I’m probably down 70-something pounds,” said.
“I’ve been really kicking a**, man. I’m doing two to three miles a day, four to six days a week.
“I’m doing 20 to 30 minutes in the sauna, six minutes in a cold plunge every day. I’m eating healthy right now.”
He admitted his goal is to lose another 100 pounds.
“If I feel this good down this weight, man, I can only imagine what I’m going to feel like by the time I go on tour,” he concluded.
The musician – who is married to model and entrepreneur Bunnie XO – has reflected on the kinship he feels with the young offenders and recovering addicts he counts as his fans.
He admitted he cries almost every night he’s onstage, usually while celebrating people in the audience who are in recovery.
“It’s sad to say this, but there’s just not a lot of people that write the kind of songs I’m willing to write and talk about the topics I’m willing to talk about, but yet they’re so common,” he said.
In April this year, Jelly Roll revealed he has lost 70 pounds since overhauling his diet and fitness regime.
He said he’s “eating healthy,” walking three miles four to six days a week and doing 20 minutes in the sauna.
The rapper added that he plans to lose 100 pounds.
Credit: Getty
Credit: AFP