Jelly Roll on ‘Tulsa King’: Watch singer meet Sly Stallone’s mobster
Watch Jelly Roll, who was thrilled to shoot a scene for his favorite show “Tulsa King,” even if Sylvester Stallone’s mobster calls him Jelly Fish.
Jelly Roll may soon see his criminal record cleared.
On April 22, the Tennessee Board of Parole recommended a pardon for the 40-year-old, formerly oft-incarcerated performer. The final decision regarding the pardon now belongs to Gov. Bill Lee.
The board held a nearly two-hour hearing with deliberations that included testimony from Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall, who cited the emotional growth of Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord.
“This was incredible. I pray this goes through. But today was special for me, regardless,” DeFord wrote in a press statement.
One board member recused themselves from voting.
What has Jelly Roll done to earn his pardon?
Jelly Roll’s pardon application notably included statements from friends, civic leaders and numerous music industry executives, including Live Nation Entertainment CEO and President Michael Rapino, who noted how the artist has used his live concert earnings for considerable charitable giving for at-risk youth in the past few years.
DeFord has also used his growing musical success to help support the rehabilitation of others in the incarcerated community. In mid-January, for example, the artist held a celebration for his 2024 hit “I Am Not Okay” at North Nashville’s Riverbend Maximum Security Institution.
“(Songwriting) 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 continued in his statement.
Jelly Roll’s growing worldwide stardom impacts pardon necessity
DeFord is seeking a pardon not just for the symbolic effect it may have on other incarcerated people, but also to be able to freely share that message on a global tour.
He described his goal during the parole hearing as: “to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be — to let them know that change is truly possible.”
He also plans to “take (his) message of redemption through the power of music and faith through the rest of the world. God willing, to go do missionary work in my 50s and 60s.”
As a burgeoning global superstar, his next career step includes a world tour. But his criminal record continues to prevent him from freely traveling the globe.
To perform in Canada, he requires a special permit that can include long wait times for a decision, according to a letter from an immigration attorney submitted with his clemency packet.
As his career has taken off with a vengeance, DeFord continues to reach back to support causes he cares about. He received literacy awareness honors at Oxford University earlier this month and appeared in January 2024 on Capitol Hill to testify in a hearing on the use of fentanyl.
When will Jelly Roll’s pardon be decided on?
Jelly Roll has a lengthy wrap sheet that will factor into his pardon.
In 2002, he staged a breaking and entering robbery with two armed men and a woman for $350, though he was unarmed. The robbery’s victims knew the woman involved, and she and DeFord were immediately arrested. He was sentenced to serve a year in prison and additional probation.
In 2008, on-patrol Nashville police officers found crack cocaine and marijuana in DeFord’s vehicle, resulting in a sentence of eight years of court-ordered supervision.
He also has two misdemeanors for driving without a license and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All those offenses will factor into the governor’s final decision.
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