What's Jelly Roll's deal, from Emmys to SNL premiere?

Photo: Variety via Getty Images

The “In Memoriam” segment at the 2024 Emmys began with the usual aesthetic features: sad strings, dim lighting, a tasteful purple background. Then an announcer introduced the segment over a public address system, and many were amazed: “Now we join in our tribute to the memories of our television family that we lost: Jelly Roll.” The sight of Jelly Roll center stage with his distinctive facial tattoos did little to quell the tonal whiplash; Some of X's commenters joked. But then he introduced his song “I Am Not Okay” with the rhythm of a Southern preacher: “I hope this song can be a healing moment for those who mourn the storytellers we lost this year. “If you're feeling lost or alone tonight, I want you to know that it's okay to not always be okay.” His heartfelt performance provided a fitting setting for the honor. The artist has an uncanny ability to dispel skepticism.

You may have noticed that he is everywhere right now. These include commercials (Uber Eats and Amazon Web Services), television shows (Taylor Sheridan's). Tulsa King) and brand ties (his song “Get By” was selected as ESPN’s anthem for the 2024 college football season). In May, months before the Emmys, he debuted on the season finale of “I Am Not Okay.” The voice. On September 28th he will be a musical guest on another major platform: SNL'S Season 50 premiere. With his highly anticipated album Beautifully broken out October 11th, Smart Money says he will play this single again.

This sort of thing happens regularly. Mainstream America is praising a new artist with an unlikely rise, calling him the marketing cheat code of the moment. It can happen in a flash—so fast that much of America still has to catch up when the opportunities arise. Cardi B experienced a similar rise following the success of her 2017 song “Bodak Yellow.” By this point, she was well known to fans of Love & Hip Hop, But soon she was everywhere: Super Bowl commercials, awards stages, late-night TV, the movie Hustlers. Jelly Roll is similar in that it didn't appear overnight, but in some ways its sudden ubiquity feels even more tangible.

To those in the know, Jelly Roll's story is legendary: After his first arrest at age 14, the Nashville artist spent years in and out of the local prison system, battling addiction, nurturing a rap talent and getting the first of his many facial tattoos . After missing the birth of his daughter in 2008 due to his incarceration, he vowed to get his life together. Over the next 12 years, he was released from prison, overcame his addiction to hard drugs, and began releasing music – mostly rap, but some rock and country – widely, with little to no mainstream success. In 2015, he met his wife BunnieXO while living nomadically in a van.

Everything changed for the artist born Jason Bradley DeFord with the release of his 2020 viral ballad “Save Me.” The song's lyrics about the relationship between addiction and hopelessness resonated with a pandemic-ravaged country music audience it hadn't previously reached. His anthemic follow-up singles “Dead Man Walking,” “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favour” all reached number one in the charts billboardis the US mainstream rock charts, billboard's Country Airplay charts, or both — were similar exercises in accessible, soul-baring confessionalism. Soon he wasn't just sharing his backstory in song lyrics; He shared it onstage at church-style arena concerts, in interviews on major platforms, and in the 2023 Hulu documentary Save me, and during a 2024 Senate hearing in which he advocated for passage of a robust anti-fentanyl law. “I have no political alliance,” Jelly Roll said during his testimony. “I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. In fact, my right to vote was limited because of my past; Therefore, I have never paid attention to a political race in my life. Ironically, that’s why I think I’m the perfect person to talk about it, because fentanyl transcends partisanship and ideology.”

There is a charismatic authenticity underlying all of Jelly Roll's performances. He's as eager to crack a self-deprecating joke or laugh out loud as he is to revisit his troubled past. At an appearance in June on Jimmy Kimmel Live!Guest host Martin Short tells Jelly Roll that he mentioned his upcoming performance to Steve Martin, and the artist cuts him off mid-sentence, mouth agape: “Steve Martin knows I'm human?” Elsewhere, he freestyles for him Moderator and playfully answers superficial questions about his facial tattoos. It's not about a calculated charm offensive, but about genuine gratitude for being there and willing to play along.

And this willingness has not gone unnoticed by brands and networks currently trying to capitalize on it Chicken soup for the soul –like energy. Consider his commercial for Amazon Web Services' new generative AI product Q, in which Jelly Roll plays with his image by getting the company logo tattooed on his face. In booking the artist, company executives gained a distinctive-looking, non-political speaker who immediately conveyed kindness, sincerity and emotional seriousness. They also got the knee-jerk reaction that comes with the name “Jelly Roll.” This combination of personality and joke fodder is a perfect fit for the world's biggest brands – even better when they're promoting a polarizing new technology.

As Jelly Roll appears on the Emmys stage, the significance of his long, struggle-filled journey to this moment becomes clear. His days in prison or living in a van are behind him, but his infectious authenticity has never waned. “A thousand miles of gravel, I've walked without shoes / No matter how far I go, I can't escape my roots,” he sings on “Get By.” Given that these roots are central not only to his likeability but also to his marketability, an entire jelly roll industrial complex now relies on them.