Jelly Roll

Jason DeFord, better known by his stage name Jelly Roll, is known for his confessional and vulnerable lyrics, which often deal with his personal struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. These songs often culminate in redemption, a theme in both his music and life.

Jelly Roll was born and raised in Nashville's Antioch neighborhood. In his teens and early 20 he was in and out of jail. When Jelly Roll was 14, he and his crew were arrested for aggravated robbery and possession of marijuana. Later, aged 21, he faced charges for possession with intent to distribute. "In the beginning, I did a lot of drugs. I drank a lot of codeine, a lot of cough syrup," he explained to Billboard. "I took a lot of Xanax, did a lot of cocaine, just really took it overboard. I've had years - dude, I don't remember years."

He started writing poems as a child, and by middle school those poems had evolved into rap verses. Jelly Roll released nearly two dozen projects as an independent artist, including collaborative albums with Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, and Haystak. Jelly Roll first achieved notoriety when his 2010 collaboration, "Pop Another Pill" with Memphis rapper Lil Wyte, amassed 6.8 million views on YouTube. The song is about the dangers of addiction, a powerful and moving message that resonated with many listeners.