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Born Jason Bradley DeFord on December 4, 1984, he was raised in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. His father worked as a meat salesman and also as a bookie, while his mother struggled with mental illness and addiction. The nickname Jelly Roll started in childhood and stayed with him into adulthood. His teenage years and early twenties were marked by repeated arrests, jail time, and felony charges, including possession with intent to distribute and aggravated robbery. During that period, he earned his GED at age 23, and much later, on December 18, 2025, he received a pardon from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.
His music career began in 2003, rooted in hip-hop and shaped by artists such as Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and 8Ball & MJG. He sold mixtapes out of his car, starting with The Plain Shmear Tape in 2003 and then the four part Gamblin’ on the White Boy series between 2004 and 2011. A major early breakthrough came in 2010 with “Pop Another Pill,” his collaboration with Lil Wyte, which drew more than 6.3 million YouTube views. That song led to the album Year Round by the group SNO, of which he was a member. Over the next several years, he released a long run of mixtapes and independent projects and worked with artists including Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Haystak, and Tech N9ne. In 2013, his mixtape Whiskey, Weed, & Women had to be retitled after legal pressure forced the removal of a different original title.
The broader national breakthrough came after he moved more deeply into country and rock audiences while keeping his hip-hop roots intact. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut on November 9, 2021, then scored his first number one on rock radio on May 9, 2022, with “Dead Man Walking.” In January 2023, he earned his first number one on country radio with “Son of a Sinner,” written with Ernest and David Ray Stevens. That song came from his eighth studio album, Ballads of the Broken, and it also reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. In February 2023, he set a record with a 25th week at number one on Billboard‘s Emerging Artists chart. He also sold out Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on December 9, 2022, drawing 15,000 fans and bringing out guests including Chris Young, Sam Hunt, Riley Green, Shinedown, Ernest, Struggle Jennings, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko.
His album catalog shows how much work he put in before the spotlight widened. Jelly Roll has released 10 studio albums, The Big Sal Story, Sobriety Sucks, Addiction Kills, Goodnight Nashville, Whiskey Sessions II, A Beautiful Disaster, Self Medicated, Ballads of the Broken, Whitsitt Chapel, and Beautifully Broken. Among his biggest hit songs are “Son of a Sinner,” “Need a Favor,” and “Dead Man Walking.” Whitsitt Chapel, released on June 2, 2023, became a major part of his rise and featured “Need a Favor.” His later work continued that momentum with songs including “Liar,” “I Am Not Okay,” “Run It,” “Holy Water,” and the collaboration “Amen” with Shaboozey. In 2024, he also appeared on Eminem’s album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) on the track “Somebody Save Me,” which sampled his song “Save Me.”
The awards arrived as his crossover success turned into full industry recognition. At the 2023 CMT Music Awards, he won Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year, all for “Son of a Sinner.” Later that year, he won New Artist of the Year at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards and received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. At the 2026 Grammy Awards, he won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Shaboozey, Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Brandon Lake, and Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken. In 2025, his version of “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Brandon Lake also won Song of the Year at the K-Love Fan Awards.
What has made him matter in the business is not mystery, it is reach. He moved from Southern hip-hop into country, country rock, and broader mainstream visibility without cutting off the audience that built him. That range showed up in the numbers, in the radio success, in the sold out arena date, and in the speed with which he became visible across country, rock, Christian music, film soundtracks, and television. He was the first musical guest of the 50th season of Saturday Night Live in September 2024, performing “Liar” and “Winning Streak,” and he later appeared on SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, performing a Johnny Cash medley backed by The Roots and joining Snoop Dogg for “Last Dance with Mary Jane.”
Outside music, his public work has been specific and visible. In January 2024, he testified before the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in support of anti-fentanyl legislation connected to Senator Tim Scott’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act. He spoke openly about his own past in drug distribution and framed his testimony as an attempt to become part of the solution. He also expanded into acting, making his television debut on Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone, where he performed “I Am Not Okay,” and appearing in Fire Country and the animated sports film Goat, where he also sang “I’m Good.” In professional wrestling, he entered WWE storylines beginning at SummerSlam 2024, later appeared on SmackDown, teamed with Randy Orton, and earned his first wrestling victory on the March 28, 2026 episode of SmackDown. Those projects show just how broad the career has become, but the center of it remains the same, a Nashville artist who built his rise through volume, persistence, and songs that connected across multiple formats.
The Big Sal Story
Released 2012
The Big Sal Story is the debut studio album by Jelly Roll. The album was released independently and marked the beginning of his recorded album career following a series of mixtapes. The project features collaborations with artists including Lil Wyte and BPZ, continuing the working relationship that helped build his early audience. The album reflects his roots in Southern hip-hop and street-oriented themes that defined his early work.
CD Track Listings:
- “Intro” – 1:36
- “Big Sal Story” – 3:58
- “Bottle and Mary Jane” – 3:42
- “Patience” – 4:02
- “Staring at a Stranger” – 3:50
- “Get High” – 3:44
- “Fallen” – 3:56
- “Money Talks” – 3:37
- “Let Me Ride” – 3:49
- “Smoking Section” – 3:41
- “Life” – 3:59
- “Outro” – 1:52
Sobriety Sucks
Released May 13, 2016
Sobriety Sucks is the second studio album by Jelly Roll, released on Bad Apple Inc. The album continued his development following his debut The Big Sal Story, further establishing his presence in hip-hop and Southern rap. The record features collaborations including Struggle and Alexander King, and it reflects the themes and style that defined his mid-2010s work. The album contains 15 tracks and marked a key step in expanding his audience during this period.
CD Track Listings:
- “California” – 4:25
- “Why I Smoke” – 3:34
- “When I Get Rich” – 3:17
- “Train Tracks (feat. Struggle)” – 3:29
- “Little Jimmy” – 3:42
- “Fuck You Attitude (feat. Doobie Bandz)” – 3:53
- “Talk to God” – 2:34
- “In It for Yourself” – 3:10
- “Pill Poppaz” – 3:35
- “Need Nobody (feat. Alexander King)” – 3:22
- “No More” – 2:52
- “They Don’t Love Me” – 2:40
- “Killin’ Me” – 3:56
- “Till Now” – 3:06
- “Lose Your Soul” – 4:49
Addiction Kills
Released April 21, 2017
Addiction Kills is the third studio album by Jelly Roll, released on Bad Apple Inc. The album followed Sobriety Sucks and continued his run of independent releases during the mid 2010s. The project further developed his blend of hip-hop and personal storytelling, with several tracks from the album later gaining attention through music videos, including “Hate Goes On,” “Roll Me Up,” and “Heaven.” The album reached number 22 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, marking continued growth in his audience during this period.
CD Track Listings:
- “Hate Goes On”
- “Wheels Fall Off”
- “Only”
- “Addiction Kills”
- “Roll Me Up”
- “Heaven”
- “Hot Streak”
- “Sex Drugs & Pain”
- “Uh-Oh”
- “They Know”
- “I’m Lit”
- “Comfort Zone”
Goodnight Nashville
Released December 7, 2018
Goodnight Nashville is the fourth studio album by Jelly Roll, released on the War Dog label. The album contains 12 tracks and continues his independent run during the late 2010s, building on the momentum established with Addiction Kills. The project features collaborations with artists including Cub da CookUpBoss, Starlito, Struggle, Alexander King, Yelawolf, Lee Lee Stylez, Honcho, and Robin Raynelle, reflecting his continued connection to the Southern hip-hop scene during this period.
CD Track Listings:
- “Bring It Back” – 3:19
- “Bad Times Roll” – 3:33
- “Echoes (feat. Cub da CookUpBoss)” – 3:57
- “Believe (feat. Starlito)” – 3:30
- “Same Old Thang” – 3:36
- “Southern Hospitality (feat. Struggle, Alexander King & Yelawolf)” – 4:34
- “Too Sober (feat. Starlito)” – 4:29
- “Don’t Let Me Go (feat. Lee Lee Stylez & Honcho)” – 3:48
- “Seen It All (feat. Rayza the Kid)” – 3:58
- “Go Out and Get It” – 3:26
- “Still Falling (feat. Robin Raynelle)” – 3:20
- “Goodnight Nashville (feat. David Ray & Ko Mccoy)” – 3:33
Whiskey Sessions II
Released April 5, 2019
Whiskey Sessions II is the fifth studio album by Jelly Roll, released on Jingle Punks. The album followed Goodnight Nashville and continued his independent run during the late 2010s. The project contains 12 tracks and features collaborations including Scarlett Burke and Jr Moore. The album reflects his continued blend of hip-hop and melodic songwriting during this period of his career.
CD Track Listings:
- “Roll up One” – 3:43
- “Yippi-Ki-Yay” – 3:15
- “Bad Tattoos (feat. Scarlett Burke)” – 2:51
- “Juggling Chainsaws” – 3:24
- “Lot to Learn” – 4:07
- “Bad Blood” – 3:05
- “Let’s Get Lost” – 3:09
- “Sunday Morning” – 3:34
- “Drowning Tonight” – 3:35
- “(The Trick Is) Keep Breathing (feat. Jr Moore)” – 3:34
- “Whatcha Waiting For (feat. Jr Moore)” – 3:25
- “When I Get Rich (feat. Travis Barker)” – 3:55
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Complete List Of Jelly Roll Albums And Discography article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2026
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