Jelly Roll — real name Jason DeFord — didn’t come from glamour. Growing up in a family plagued by addiction and financial struggle, he gravitated early toward crime, drugs, and eventually jail time.
He has openly admitted that by his teens to mid‑twenties, he was involved in serious criminal activity — including robbery and drug dealing — a past that haunted him but also shaped his music.
That background makes his meteoric rise as a mainstream country/rock singer — from rap beginnings to chart‑topping hits like “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor” — all the more extraordinary.
But also, it means that the dark chapters of his past never really disappear — they linger in the shadow of his fame.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
Next page
