Country singer Jelly Roll doesn’t shy away from his criminal history. He uses it to fuel his music in songs like “Save Me” and “I Am Not Okay.” The 40-year-old also offers up his story as proof that anyone going through hard times can change their circumstances.
Recognizing how much he’s transformed his life, the Tennessee Board of Parole recommended the musician for a pardon on Tuesday. It would apply to his past charges, including some felonies. Governor Bill Lee has the final say, and if he agrees, Jelly Roll would regain the ability travel internationally without restriction, vote, volunteer at nonprofits, and own a firearm.
Even casual fans might know Jelly Roll served time, but here’s what led to his incarcerations and how that set him on the path to stardom.
Why did Jelly Roll go to prison?
Jelly Roll was first arrested when he was 14. In his 2023 documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me, he revealed he went to jail 40 times for various offenses.
One of the most serious charges was aggravated robbery when he was 16. He was charged as an adult and faced up to 20 years in prison, though he ultimately served a little over a year in jail and received more than seven years’ probation. “I hadn’t hit my last growth spurt. I was charged as an adult years before I could buy a beer, lease an apartment, get a pack of cigarettes,” he told Billboard. “I feel like the justice system at that point kind of parked me on my only set path.”
At age 23, Jelly Roll was incarcerated for dealing drugs. He was in prison on May 22, 2008, when he learned from a correctional officer that he had become a father. He credits the birth of his daughter, Bailee, as the catalyst that turned his life around. “It’s like a Damascus Road experience in the Bible,” he told podcaster Joe Rogan. “I immediately was like, ‘I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to quit this s––. I gotta to figure it out.”
Shortly after, Jelly Roll was transferred to the education unit and earned his GED in prison. He was released in 2009.
He discovered his passion for songwriting behind bars
The birth of his daughter wasn’t the only thing that set Jelly Roll on a new traction while he was locked up. He began songwriting and didn’t look back. “It started as a passion project that felt therapeutic and would end up changing my life in ways that I never dreamed imaginable and opened doors that I’ve never thought possible,” he said at the recent parole board hearing.
Shortly after his release from prison in 2009, he uploaded a video clip to YouTube called “10 Minute Freestyle,” showing him freestyle rapping about his drug dealing, incarceration, and other elements of his past. It caught the attention of rapper Lil Wyte who became his collaborator, and Jelly Roll spent the next five years living out of a van as he focused on making a living through music.
He kept at it, releasing a variety of collaborative albums until he made the jump to country music in May 2020. It’s only fitting that his first country song, which put him on the map, was “Save Me”—a ballad about seeking redemption from a troubled past.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
Adrienne directs the daily news operation and content production for Biography.com. She joined the staff in October 2022 and most recently worked as an editor for Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, and Bicycling. Adrienne has served as editor-in-chief of two regional print magazines, and her work has won several awards, including the Best Explanatory Journalism award from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. Her current working theory is that people are the point of life, and she’s fascinated by everyone who (and every system that) creates our societal norms. When she’s not behind the news desk, find her hiking, working on her latest cocktail project, or eating mint chocolate chip ice cream.
