Jelly Roll took time out of his busy touring schedule to help break ground at the future Youth Campus for Empowerment in Nashville, TN last Thursday after having been incarcerated at the former Davidson County Juvenile Justice Center for several years.
'I celebrated my 14th, 15th, and 16th birthdays there. The only reason I wasn't there at 17 was because I was charged as an adult,' the 39-year-old ex-con confessed during his speech - according to Fox 17 WZTV Nashville.
'They are focusing on rehabilitating kids instead of treating them like criminals and disciplining young men that just need love and connection and understanding. I love their vision for the future. Get rid of stuff that makes you feel like a caged animal. Make these kids feel loved and give them a chance in life. A lot of these kids are victims of their circumstances. This is a really great chance to change things.'
Indeed, Jelly Roll (born Jason Bradley DeFord) has been jailed 40 times with the first at age 13 for marijuana possession and at 16 he was locked up for aggravated robbery followed by more offenses including violating probation, failing drug tests, and possessing crack with the intent to resell.
The two-time Grammy nominee vowed to turn his life around after the birth of his 16-year-old daughter Bailee Ann DeFord, and he's also father to seven-year-old son Noah Buddy DeFord.
Jelly Roll (2-L) took time out of his busy touring schedule to help break ground at the future Youth Campus for Empowerment in Nashville, TN last Thursday after having been incarcerated at the former Davidson County Juvenile Justice Center for several years
The 39-year-old ex-con confessed during his speech:'I celebrated my 14th, 15th, and 16th birthdays there. The only reason I wasn't there at 17 was because I was charged as an adult'
'I am an example that people can change and things can change,' Jelly Roll said at the podium.
'I hope y'all understand that this right here is a great significance of well spent money, finally, well spent money. I don't know if y'all know but thank y'all seriously. And anybody out there who thinks it isn't, I encourage you to go take a trip down to the juvenile facility we have now and see the way those young men are getting treated and see those walls. I mean that thing hadn't changed nothing but the paint in 30 years.
'I personally know! I was there! So it's really cool to see the change happening I'll get out of y'all's way because I do have a show tonight, but I'm so glad to be here. And I will always stand behind trying to help kids be treated as kids no matter what crime they commit. We need to focus on love and rehabilitation.'
The former drug dealer partnered with the city to help fund the new 14-acre campus - featuring family resources, 24-hour assessment center, meeting/court rooms, and a safe exchange facility - due to be completed by 2027, which was spearheaded by Judge Sheila Calloway.
Back in 2022, Jelly Roll donated a recording studio for incarcerated musicians to Genesee County Jail in Flint, MI; which was completed last May.
The Liar singer - who's only spent 20 days at his Nashville home this year - is next scheduled to perform August 17 at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, NY.
Jelly Roll - who gets 22.2M monthly listeners on Spotify - has a few more gigs before kicking off his 67-date The Beautifully Broken Tour on August 27 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT.
Jelly Roll (born Jason Bradley DeFord) added: 'They are focusing on rehabilitating kids instead of treating them like criminals and disciplining young men that just need love and connection and understanding. I love their vision for the future'
The two-time Grammy nominee continued: 'Get rid of stuff that makes you feel like a caged animal. Make these kids feel loved and give them a chance in life. A lot of these kids are victims of their circumstances. This is a really great chance to change things'
Indeed, Jelly Roll has been jailed 40 times with the first at age 13 for marijuana possession and at 16 he was locked up for aggravated robbery followed by more offenses including violating probation, failing drug tests, and possessing crack with the intent to resell (pictured with Nashville MayorFreddie O'Connell)
The former drug dealer vowed to turn his life around after the birth of his 16-year-old daughter Bailee Ann DeFord, and he's also father to seven-year-old son Noah Buddy DeFord (pictured July 13)
Jelly Roll said at the podium:'I am an example that people can change and things can change'
The Liar singer continued: 'I hope y'all understand that this right here is a great significance of well spent money, finally, well spent money. I don't know if y'all know but thank y'all seriously. And anybody out there who thinks it isn't, I encourage you to go take a trip down to the juvenile facility we have now and see the way those young men are getting treated and see those walls. I mean that thing hadn't changed nothing but the paint in 30 years. 'I personally know! I was there!'
Jelly Roll partnered with the city to help fund the new 14-acre campus - featuring family resources, 24-hour assessment center, meeting/court rooms, and a safe exchange facility - due to be completed by 2027, which was spearheaded by Judge Sheila Calloway
The SummerSlam star - who's only spent 20 days at his Nashville home this year - is next scheduled to perform August 17 at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, NY (pictured July 19)
The SummerSlam star will compete for two Moonperson trophies - best collaboration (with Jessie Murph) and video for good (with Joyner Lucas) - at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, which air September 11 from the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
Jelly Roll - who once topped the scales at 500lbs - shed 70lbs over a five-month period, and he plans on participating in a 5K run by Thanksgiving.
The Lonely Road singer is also on an IVF fertility journey with his wife of seven years - porn star-turned-podcaster Alyssa 'Bunnie XO' DeFord - whom he began dating in 2016.
