Few artists had a more unexpected 2023 than Jelly Roll, the face-tattooed former Southern rapper turned country singer who became one of the year’s most promising new crossover pop stars.
Their album “Whitsitt Chapel,” which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s all-genre chart in June, is a collection of pop-rock anthems with country flourishes, and spawned a pair of hits: the introspective “ Need a Favor.” ”, and the new version of her viral hit “Save Me”, with Lainey Wilson. He is nominated for two 2024 Grammy Awards at next month’s ceremony: best new artist and best country group/duo performance.
At 39 years old, with many mixtapes under his belt, Jelly Roll (born Jason DeFord) isn’t a traditional new artist nominee, but his creative renaissance and move from underground circles to the spotlight make him eligible under the guidelines of the Grammys. His competition includes budding pop, rap, dance, R&B and country artists: Gracie Abrams, Fred Again…, Ice Spice, Coco Jones, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét, The War and Treaty. But Jelly Roll might have the most fascinating story of all.
In addition to its success on radio and streaming, it has also become something of a pop culture phenomenon. His Hulu documentary, “Jelly Roll: Save Me,” highlights the intense emotional connection between him and his fans, who identify with his tough stories of struggle. (Jelly Roll spent about a decade in and out of juvenile halls and prisons starting when he was 14.) When he won new artist of the year at the CMAs in November, his acceptance speech, part Tony Robbins, part The Rock, it was wild. viral. And he was able to appear alongside WWE favorite Randy Orton on “Monday Night Raw.”
Jelly Roll recently appeared on the New York Times video show Popcast (Deluxe) to talk about his big year and how he plans to build on it. These are edited excerpts from that conversation.
JON CARAMANICA When you started making music outside of Nashville in the 2000s, you were a rapper. Who were the people you looked to for inspiration during this rich era of Southern hip-hop?
JELLY ROLL Cash Money Records dominated our mom-and-pop stores. Unlimited. I mean, man, I remember sitting in a state building where they make you go from group home to group home, chained up, and they have the TV on BET. It could have been the “Bling Bling” video. We were in love with southern rap like 8Ball & MJG, Three 6 Mafia, UGK, Outkast, Dungeon Family, Geto Boys. Even the previous face of Swishahouse, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall. Of course, locals like Haystak. We were getting ready to get our feet wet by putting out mixtapes. So we used all the references we could.
CARAMANICA Were you listening to this for the attitude or the narration?
JELLY ROLL The lyrics, the narration and the feeling. I think about that whole 8Ball & MJG song. [sings “Paid Dues”]: “Stuck in a trap until morning light / The ghetto left me no options, I had to fight / My mom and dad were too young to raise me right.”
COSCARELLI You were attracted to the blues.
JELLY ROLL I just felt it in my spirit. This is a very dramatic reference point, but it made me feel like when my mother was performing “The County Coward” or she was performing Bette Midler’s “The Rose,” and we were all there crying and screaming. I tell people I think I ended up writing “Save Me” because I’ve been trying to write “The Rose” my whole life.
COSCARELLI Was all this music the soundtrack to your teenage life when you got in trouble with the law?
JELLY ROLL Music always found me where I was. The streets (just to touch on this topic because I want to be open about it) I thought was my only option. I lived in a decent middle-class neighborhood, but I didn’t know a single person on my street with a career. Everyone used drugs. The people who had jobs were really workers. I just thought, I know it’s going to take money to get out of here. And the most obvious way to make money was what was happening in the neighborhood. And it’s no excuse. The music just followed Jason: wherever old Jelly Roll went, he just dragged the music along like a sack of Santa Claus.
COSCARELLI What did you bring from your rap life to your country music life that has worked as a secret weapon for you?
JELLY ROLL That hip-hop hustle. They created DIY: J Prince, Tony Draper, Master P, Birdman. I feel like Southern hip-hop was my saving grace in getting into country music because I had already built a business. He had created a YouTube channel that had a billion views before signing a record deal. Just walk into a building and say, Hey, man, I don’t want anybody’s money. What I want from this building are resources. It was just a different mentality. I had different negotiating power and really understood the importance of ownership.
COSCARELLI Do you own your recent albums?
JELLY ROLL 100 percent. I own every song I’ve ever released. I don’t have a traditional record deal. I still make most of my money in every facet. I didn’t sign a publishing contract. I’m not bragging, but I’m proud of myself because I’m a kid who didn’t have an education and didn’t get his GED until he was 24 in prison.
COSCARELLI During the pandemic, “Sálvame” began to go viral and you held many meetings. Did you know you wanted to sign with a country label?
JELLY ROLL I want to release music as a hip-hop artist. I want to write songs like a country music songwriter. And I want to tour as a rock ‘n’ roll act. No record company in the city made it. I want to play the Grand Ole Opry, you know what I mean? And lucky for me, Morgan Wallen was elated at the time. He went on to be the biggest star in the world, which is well deserved. I thought, I can sneak in right now. There is a time when you may understand me in this space. And that’s what happened.
COSCARELLI You had these great successes this year, but you crossed them in another way through your emotional speech at the CMAs, which became a meme.
JELLY ROLL It’s the most viral moment of my entire life.
COSCARELLI And then again on TikTok when you were nominated for the Grammys. How do you feel so comfortable baring your soul like that when it’s the first time many people are meeting you?
JELLY ROLL For me, I’m still me. So whatever is going on in my life is what I’m posting. I called my mother at the same time. I was the one who called a woman I called from jail. A woman I called homeless, a woman I called addicted. I had to call her and tell her that I just got nominated for two Grammy Awards. To me, that’s the craziest decision you can make.
CARAMANICA In your documentary there is a really shocking scene with a young woman whose father had been murdered. I’m amazed at your willingness to feel pain from other people, not simply sharing what you went through, but accepting what other people have gone through.
JELLY ROLL Dude, I didn’t cry until I was 34. I can’t stop crying now. I am empathetic with people, period. I really felt that young lady. It’s the only scene I can’t see in that documentary. I read an article about that scene and I cried reading the article. I know what it feels like to be in the darkest moment of your life, man.
For me, that goes back to the Grammys, because it’s like I’ll never be too cool to be a fan of something. I think it’s very important to stay excited about things.
My wife asked me that day, “What does this mean to you?” I thought: There is no greater pinnacle in the music business than winning a Grammy. Even just being nominated supersedes all the awards I’ve already won. That’s the headline for the rest of my life: “Grammy Nominee.” I’m lying crying with my wife and looking at all the other nominees. She said, “You have to post about this.” I was too excited. She said to me, “When did that stop you?” And that’s just a good wife.
CARAMANICA Much of this album is emotional bloodshed, but your life is evolving. When you come back for the next album, do you think there will be a different emotional version of Jelly Roll that will be in the music?
JELLY ROLL I will never let what is happening with the blessing of this working for me take me away from who I know I am actually talking to. As jovial as it is in real life, music is a reflection of a very, very dark hallway between my ears. It’s the scariest place in the world for me. I dread going to sleep every night. The ghosts are there. But I’m in my eighth year of marriage and I’ve never been more in love. I just want a wedding song; I have heard so many funeral songs. I want to show that there are also high moments in life and I want to find a way to incorporate them into music. But ultimately, you know what I write about and you know who I write for.
