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The Untold Story Of Country Singer Jelly Roll
By BRENT FURDYK
Birth Of The Nickname
During his appearance on “The Bobby Bones Show,” Jason DeFord shared the origin of his stage name, ‘Jelly Roll.’ “My mother named me that,” he revealed.
His childhood love of donuts also contributed to the nickname. A friend from school began calling him Jelly Roll in public, and the name fit so well that DeFord kept it.
Growing Up In Nashville
Despite growing up in the home of country music,
Jelly Roll sidestepped the influence of country as he gravitated toward Nashville's burgeoning rap scene.
“The culture I was first exposed to was hip-hop [...] breakdancing, graffiti, freestyling,” he told Billboard. “I didn't know there was this other country music culture in town.”
Serving Time In Prison
At just 14, Jelly Roll got into a fight that landed him in a juvenile detention center. Following that, he was in and out of jail for more than a decade.
At 16, he was charged with aggravated robbery and, at age 21, Jelly Roll was charged with possession of drugs, with intent to distribute, resulting in more time behind bars.
Birth Of His Daughter
During one of his stints
in prison, Jelly Roll's daughter, Bailee Ann, was born. “So when I came home I realized that I had missed
a lot,” he told Music Bliss.
In 2016, Jelly Roll was granted Bailee Ann’s custody while her mother battled drug addiction. “My life changed forever, for the better," Bailee Ann wrote in an Instagram post.
The Waffle House Fiasco
Jelly Roll showcased his love for Waffle House in 2013 by giving away his mixtape "Whiskey, Weed and Waffle House" at various Waffle House locations.
However, the singer received a cease-and-desist letter from the chain, asserting that his use of the restaurant's logo on the album's cover constituted copyright infringement.