Jelly Roll pardoned for past drug and theft convictions by Tennessee’s governor

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Governor Bill Lee pardoned rapper Jelly Roll for his previous crimes on Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee.

The politician described the man’s life story as remarkable while speaking at the governor’s annual holiday event, where thirty-three individuals received pardons for previous offenses.

The 41-year-old, a two-time Grammy nominee, was honored for overcoming a difficult past. He transformed his life from struggling with drug addiction and imprisonment into becoming a successful and inspiring artist who promotes positivity.

The governor described Jelly Roll’s return to success as an inspiring and moving story – exactly the kind of outcome everyone hopes to see.

Jason DeFord, originally from Antioch, Tennessee, shares his life story to inspire others. He does this through his writing, by speaking at prisons, and by sharing his experiences with members of Congress.

The Son of a Sinner vocalist was past convicted of robbery and drug-related felonies.

According to the Associated Press, the governor stated that Jelly Roll, who is married to Bunnie XO, went through the standard application process and wasn’t given any preferential treatment.

Tennessee’s governor announced that the state parole board unanimously approved a pardon request from a musical artist this past April. However, state law requires individuals to finish serving their entire sentence before a pardon can be granted.

Lee stated he hadn’t met the musician before Thursday, when he led the event and greeted them with a hug near a festive fireplace.

The singer of Save Me explained that his history of criminal activity made it difficult for him to travel internationally without problems or hold-ups.

Jelly Roll explained that he also does missionary work with Christian groups, and the pardon will make that easier for him.

Jelly Roll shared with The New York Times that the birth of his daughter, Bailee Ann, in May 2008, inspired him to turn his life around and stop using drugs while he was incarcerated.

I’m working on forgiving myself for choices I made when I was younger. I knew those decisions were wrong at the time, but I strangely felt proud and even excited while making them.

Jelly Roll explained that he sees real, significant change happening all the time, especially within Alcoholics Anonymous. He believes the idea that change is difficult or impossible is actually the opposite of what he witnesses in AA every day.

He explained that the statement revealed a lack of understanding of the difficult experiences people face when deciding to stop using heroin – those moments when someone hits rock bottom and makes the life-changing decision to quit.

After that initial point, there was a whole process of recovery involved, including rehab and detox. I had to make a lot of adjustments along the way. While the actual changes weren’t necessarily sudden or obvious, the decision to pursue them was a big one.

Jelly Roll was asked if writing about his past struggles with addiction and hardship felt harder now that he’s achieved success.

He explained that he constantly hears from people about how his songs impact their lives. What began as a personal story has unexpectedly resonated with tens of millions, becoming something far bigger than just his own experience.

The singer shared that several people close to him, including family members, have recently completed rehab. He also mentioned that after twenty years of a difficult lifestyle, he’s still adjusting to the incredible changes in his life over the past two years.

Jelly Roll says he’s always been upfront with kids about his time in prison when they ask him about it.

The musician explained he was trying to explain the idea of addiction to an eight-year-old, avoiding terms like ‘addiction’ or ‘drugs’ altogether. He believes addiction is fundamentally ‘a disease’.

He said the ‘strangest thing happens’ to people who are in the active throes of substance abuse.

He explained that it’s shocking when someone you’ve known forever changes dramatically. He’d seen it happen with mothers of his children, cousins, and even his own brothers, and believes it’s a real medical issue with noticeable effects.

Jelly Roll revealed in a recent interview that he first went to jail when he was a teenager.

When I was a teenager, I was caught with marijuana and a pack of cigarettes in Antioch. The officer gave me a citation and asked me to show it to my family and go to court, but I never did.

I ended up getting arrested when I was thirteen. A year later, around fourteen, I was involved in a fight at school.

Jelly Roll said that being in jail made him realize he needed to get his life together, especially after learning he was going to be a father. He decided to earn his G.E.D. while incarcerated, and he’s very proud of that accomplishment.

He also started volunteering with Jericho, a Christian program run by Men of Valor, which helps men rebuild their lives.

Jelly Roll explained that it was the first genuinely exciting experience he’d had, but it wasn’t supported by government funding.

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2025-12-19 08:52