Nashville native turned country-rock star Jelly Roll's continued emerging fame has found him kicking off 2024 in an unlikely place: Capitol Hill.
Specifically in Washington, D.C. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, testifying in a hearing of the United States Senate's Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs titled "Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl: Public Awareness and Legislative Solutions."
Alongside Jelly Roll (listed in an announcement as "Mr. Jason' Jelly Roll' DeFord, Artist and Philanthropist") was the Fraternal Order of Police's National President, Mr. Patrick Yoes and investigative service firm Nardello & Co.'s Managing Director, Mr. Christopher J. Urben, a retired former Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Special Operations Division.
Jelly Roll was introduced by committee chairman Sherrod Brown (D - Ohio) as a "two-time Grammy nominee and CMT Awards-winner who sings about and advocates for those who are facing drug addiction [by speaking] with and for people struggling with addiction across the nation."
This followed ranking member Tim Scott (R - South Carolina) noted that Jelly Roll, alongside Urban and Yoes, would "share stories and support for legislative solutions [to stem fentanyl sales and abuse]."
As he began reading a five-minute prepared statement, Jelly Roll noted that he was "nervous," because he was typically "backed by a rock and roll band when he had a microphone in front [of himself]."
He began an impassioned speech by noting that during that time, someone would die of a drug overdose — and that there was a 72 percent chance that the overdose would be fentanyl-related.
He defined himself as a unique panelist because he had been incarcerated 40 times before his 22nd birthday, and he was, first and foremost, a musician bearing neither Democratic nor Republican political affiliation.
Because of his criminal record, he noted that he currently has restricted voting rights and does not care to follow political conversations often.
"Fentanyl transcends partisanship and ideology," Jelly Roll asserted.
"I am not here to defend the use of illegal drugs," continued the performer, who noted the "unique paradox of his history as a drug dealer" who was "part of the problem" and now aims "to be a part of the solution."
From being an "uneducated man playing chemist with drugs [he] knew absolutely nothing about" to wanting to "get older, do better and be better."
He compared the 190 drug overdoses that occur daily in America to the notion of a 737-passenger jet crashing daily and openly wondered what type of public commotion and negative stigma would accompany that hypothetical situation — especially given that data notes that one of those people in stated hypothetical scenario would be a colleague, family member or friend.
Jelly Roll advocated that moving forward, it was better for America's elected officials and policymakers to "understand drug addictions [root causes] was a better step forward than 'bullying drug addicts.'"
Telling a personal tale of how America's four-decade drug epidemic history began with crack cocaine, bridged into opioids and OxyContin, and continued into fentanyl, he highlighted how his 15-year-old daughter Bailee's birth mother is a drug addict and that he openly wonders daily if he and his current wife, Bunnie DeFord, will have to tell his daughter "that her mother became a part of the national statistic."
Jelly Roll closed his statement by offering his support for helping stop the supply of fentanyl. He also encouraged the committee members to discuss issues surrounding narcotics and narcotics addiction with their colleagues and constituents.
"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. They crave reassurance. 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."
Jelly Roll closed his statement as follows:
"I stand here as a regular member of society. I am a stupid songwriter, y'all, but I have firsthand witnessed this in a way most people have not. I encourage y'all to not only pass this bill, but I encourage you to bring it up where it matters at the kitchen table. Thank you for your time."
Jelly Roll's emerging 2024 superstardom
This event followed Jelly Roll's Wednesday evening appearance alongside 2000s-era rap favorites and philanthropists Fat Joe and Wyclef Jean for "Power to the Patients," an event held at the Washington D.C.'s Hamilton Live performance venue. According to a press release, the event advocated for an affordable and equitable healthcare system through price transparency by "[shedding] light on the injustices created by a healthcare system that hides its prices, stifling competition and evading accountability for overcharges and price gouging."
Unexpected developments could continue to dominate the "Save Me" vocalist in 2024.
On Feb. 4, he is nominated for two awards at 2024's Grammy Awards emanating from Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena.
He's nominated for both for his Lainey Wilson collaboration "Save Me" (Best Country Duo/Group Performance) as well as for Best New Artist alongside Coco Jones, Gracie Abrams, Fred Again.., Ice Spice, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét and fellow Nashville favorites The War and Treaty.
"I've spent my whole life being a large man but feeling unseen. In the past two days, I've never felt more seen, accepted and respected," Jelly Roll told the Tennessean upon learning of his Grammy nomination a night after his Best New Artist win at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards.
However, his statement made to The Tennessean backstage immediately after winning that award speaks to the local and national impact of his success now extending to Capitol Hill and beyond:
"There's a tale of two Nashvilles happening right now. I represent both Music Row, which has embraced me so lovingly, but also my local community that raised me," noted the Antioch-area native.
"The bartenders, bar backs, construction workers, cooks, firemen, first responders, restaurant table bussers and valet parking attendants truly run this town and they were cheering for me as if I was one of their own all day today. Those are the (blue collar) people, who when they realize that the kid who grew up living next door to them is becoming a celebrity, they know that the heart of who [that celebrity] is will never change."
