Jelly Roll may soon see his criminal record wiped clean.
On Tuesday, the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended a pardon for the rapper-turned-country music performer, who holds a long rap sheet from days gone by.
The board’s action leaves the final decision on a pardon up to Gov. Bill Lee.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, has never shied away from discussing the time he spent in prison for robbery and drug charges and the work he’s done to overcome his troubled past.
Now, the 40-year-old singer wants to be able to travel internationally to perform and share his message of redemption, and a pardon would be a first step in achieving that dream.
The parole board issued its nonbinding recommendation unanimously after a hearing that lasted about an hour and 45 minutes with several witnesses, including Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall, advocating for the musician. One board member recused themselves from voting.
Jelly Roll broke into country music with the 2023 album Whitsitt Chapel and crossover songs like Need a Favor. He has won multiple CMT Awards, a CMA Award and earned four Grammy nominations, including for new artist of the year.
Speaking to reporters about Tuesday’s recommendation for a pardon, he said, “This was incredible. I pray this goes through. But today was special for me, regardless.”
Last year, Jelly Roll gave powerful testimony about the U.S. fentanyl crisis, telling legislators he wants to be “part of the solution” for the opioid crisis.
“At every concert I perform, I witness the heartbreaking impact of fentanyl. I see fans grappling with this tragedy in the form of music … that they seek solace in music and hope that their experiences won’t befall others,” he said at the time.
“These are the people I’m here to speak for, y’all. These people crave reassurance that their elected officials actually care more about human life than they do about ideology and partisanship.”
From the age of 14, he spent a decade in and out of detention for drug dealing and other crimes, serving time in prison for charges that included aggravated robbery and possession with the intent to sell.
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His most serious convictions include a robbery at age 17 and drug charges at 23. In the first case, a female acquaintance helped Jelly Roll and two other young men enter a house in 2002. Both of the others were carrying guns, although Jelly Roll was unarmed. They demanded money, and received $350 and a wallet with no money in it. Because the victims knew the female acquaintance, she and Jelly Roll were arrested right away. He was sentenced to serve a year in prison and additional time on probation.
In 2008, police on patrol found both marijuana and crack cocaine in his car. He was sentenced to eight years of court-ordered supervision. He also has two misdemeanour offences for driving without a licence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
“I brought my community down. I hurt people,” he testified last year. “I was a part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution.”
These days, he often visits jails and rehabilitation centres before performing concerts. He has bought restaurants out for the day to feed people who are homeless and played basketball with kids at a youth centre the same day he performed in Winnipeg. He said he generally doesn’t seek out news coverage when he makes these visits.
Lee, a Republican, said every case seeking clemency, such as a pardon, is equally important and goes through a thorough process.
“The reporting on Jelly Roll, that’s encouraging for his situation, but there are steps yet to happen in that case,” he told reporters Tuesday.
Jelly Roll told the board Tuesday that while in a detention centre, he fell in love with songwriting. “It 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 said.
As a part of the pardon application, friends and civic leaders wrote to the board about Jelly Roll’s transformation and generosity. Hall, who runs Nashville’s jail, wrote that Jelly Roll had an awakening in one of the jails he managed. Live Nation Entertainment CEO and president Michael Rapino also wrote in his favour, pointing out all the money he has given from his performances to charities for at-risk youth.
— With files from The Associated Press
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