A Troubled Start
Jelly Roll grew up in poverty in rural Tennessee, the youngest of four kids in a troubled household. His father hustled as a meat salesman and bookie, while his mother struggled with addiction. “Somebody’s got to do what he was doing,” he recalled after his parents divorced. He ended up in juvenile detention at 15, but it was there he found his passion for rap.

Finding His Voice
Roll met Nashville rapper Haystak while out on a weekend pass. “You’ve got something,” Haystak told him. Though jail time followed, he pursued music relentlessly. He said, “My soul is to write ballads—that’s what pours out of me.” Over time, he shifted from party tracks to deeper, introspective songs that resonated with fans.

Weight and Mental Struggles
At one point, Roll weighed 540 pounds. “I’ve never had a healthy relationship with food,” he admitted. By 2024, he’d lost 110 pounds. Depression and addiction made the journey harder, but he stayed open with fans: “I started at 540 pounds and I was 357 pounds this morning, baby!”

Family and Redemption
Fatherhood changed him. After jail, he pursued custody of his daughter with help from his wife, XO, whom he calls “a beacon of change.” Today, Jelly Roll says, “I prioritize family, and that’s what anchors me down.”