Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll was raised in Nashville's Antioch neighborhood. His mother gave him the nickname Jelly Roll when he was young, and the name later became his stage identity. He wrote his first rap song around age nine or 10 and began distributing mixtapes in a high school parking lot by eighth grade.

His adolescence and early adulthood included drug use, repeated arrests, and periods of incarceration. He was first arrested at 14 and was charged as an adult with aggravated robbery at 16. While incarcerated, he earned his GED at age 23 and was released in 2009.

Jelly Roll has described spending years moving in and out of jail for offenses including drug-related charges and aggravated robbery. He also discussed abusing substances including cough syrup, Xanax, and cocaine. His experiences became recurring subjects in his lyrics and later informed his work visiting rehabilitation facilities.

The birth of his daughter Bailee while he was incarcerated in 2008 became a turning point. He began pursuing his GED in prison and later focused on becoming a consistent parent, describing fatherhood as the event that made him decide to change direction.

Jelly Roll launched his music career in 2003 with The Plain Shmear Tape and sold mixtapes from his car. His early work was rooted in Southern hip-hop, influenced by Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and 8Ball & MJG. He collaborated with Lil Wyte and BPZ in the group SNO, and released albums with Haystak and Struggle Jennings. Jelly Roll and Struggle Jennings produced the Waylon & Willie series between 2017 and 2020.

His 2020 song "Save Me" marked an important shift toward singing without rap elements. The song's vulnerable treatment of hopelessness and recovery helped attract attention from Nashville music executives. He later signed with BMG and released Ballads of the Broken in 2021, followed by Whitsitt Chapel in 2023 and Beautifully Broken in 2024.

"Son of a Sinner" became his first number-one country radio song in January 2023. "Need a Favor" also became a major country hit, while "I Am Not Okay" addressed mental health struggles and reached the top five of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. His collaborations have included Lainey Wilson on "Save Me," Shaboozey on "Amen," and Brandon Lake on "Hard Fought Hallelujah."

Jelly Roll made his Grand Ole Opry debut on November 9, 2021, and later performed there with Craig Morgan. In February 2023, he spent a record-breaking 25 weeks at number one on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart. He also sold out Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in December 2022 before undertaking the 44-city Backroad Baptism Tour.

His success brought major recognition from country music organizations. "Son of a Sinner" won three awards at the 2023 CMT Music Awards, and he won New Artist of the Year at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards. At the 2026 Grammy Awards, he won Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken, Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Amen," and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance or Song for "Hard Fought Hallelujah."

Jelly Roll expanded into screen work with an appearance on Tulsa King, where he performed "I Am Not Okay." He also appeared in Fire Country and provided the voice of Grizz in the animated sports film GOAT. His music has featured in productions including Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Twisters.

He began appearing in WWE programming in 2024, including a performance at SummerSlam. In 2025, he teamed with Randy Orton against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul at SummerSlam. Jelly Roll earned his first professional wrestling victory by defeating Kit Wilson on WWE SmackDown in March 2026.

Jelly Roll married Bunnie Xo, born Alisa DeFord, in 2016 after meeting her in Las Vegas. They renewed their wedding vows in 2023. The couple separated and later reconnected, and their divorce was finalized in 2026.

He has two children from previous relationships, a daughter named Bailee and a son named Noah. Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo obtained full custody of Bailee, while he has described his relationship with Noah as a co-parenting arrangement. Bailee has performed with him and appeared in the music video for "Tears Could Talk."

Jelly Roll has spoken openly about long-term weight struggles and said he once weighed as much as 540 pounds. He began changing his lifestyle in 2016, later combining exercise, nutrition planning, medical guidance, therapy, and personal training.

In 2024, he trained for and completed his first 5K race after initially struggling to walk a mile. By 2026, he had lost nearly 300 pounds and appeared on the cover of Men's Health.

In January 2024, Jelly Roll testified before the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in support of anti-fentanyl legislation. Drawing on his history as a former drug dealer, he acknowledged his role in the drug trade and urged lawmakers to help prevent fentanyl-related deaths.

He has also supported people facing circumstances similar to those in his past. In April 2024, he helped open a music studio inside the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center, where he had served time as a teenager, and helped fund the project with proceeds from his Bridgestone Arena concert.