Take it from Jelly Roll, the former drug dealer turned country music star: “Fentanyl will make the Sackler family look holy.”
The “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor” singer appeared before Congress on Thursday and delivered an impassioned five-minute statement urging lawmakers to pass an anti-fentanyl trafficking bill. Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, addressed the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, channeling his own experience with addiction and reciting chilling statistics about the toll fentanyl has taken on American lives.
“In these five minutes I will be speaking…someone in the United States will die of a drug overdose,” he began, “and there is almost a 72% chance that during those five minutes, it will be related to fentanyl. .”
Jelly Roll, who said he has no political affiliation, told his congressional audience, including U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), that the country needs to take more steps to care of people struggling with addiction and prevent more fatal overdoses.
“America is known to bully and shame drug addicts,” he said, “rather than trying and trying to understand what the real root of the problem is that affects them.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported in December that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, caused more than 60% of all accidental drug or alcohol overdoses in 2022 and continues to disproportionately kill Black Angelenos.
Jelly Roll advocated for the passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act on Thursday. The bill, introduced by Scott, seeks to respond to international fentanyl trafficking by imposing sanctions and anti-money laundering measures “in an attempt to target the illicit fentanyl supply chain from China and Mexico,” ABC News reported.
The 39-year-old musician, who faced prison time in his youth for robbery and drug charges, told Congress that he was part of the problem but is now committed to being “part of the solution” in the fight against fentanyl. . .
The Grammy nominee also said in his testimony that the spread of fentanyl comes at a personal cost. Sober, Jelly Roll revealed that the mother of his 15-year-old daughter struggles with drug addiction.
“Every day I can look into the eyes of a victim, in my home, of the effects of drugs,” he said. “Every day I have to ask ourselves, my wife and I, if today will be the day I have to tell my daughter that her mother became part of the national statistic.”
Citing the crack, cocaine and opioid crises, Jelly Roll warned Congress that “history repeats itself” and urged politicians of both parties to take a proactive approach in passing the bill.
“I truly believe in my heart that this bill will stop the supply and can help stop the supply of fentanyl,” he said. “I encourage you to take it out of this room, take it to your colleagues and your constituents and give them as much as you can.”
Times staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.
