History
Jason Bradley DeFord, born December 4, 1984, in Antioch, Tennessee, is an American rapper known by his stage name Jelly Roll. He gained recognition through collaborations with artists such as Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Tech N9ne, Merkules, and Ryan Upchurch.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
DeFord grew up in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. His early career saw him release numerous mixtapes, including the Gamblin' on a Whiteboy series and the Therapeutic Music series. His independent debut solo studio album, The Big Sal Story, was released on October 26, 2012.
Collaborations and Notable Releases
A significant early success was the 2010 collaboration "Pop Another Pill" with Memphis rapper Lil Wyte, which garnered over 6.3 million YouTube views. This track led to the album Year Round by the hip-hop group SNO, released in April 2011 on the Hypnotize Minds label, produced by DJ Paul and Juicy J. SNO's song "Come Here White Girl" was recognized by XXL as one of "The 10 Most Memorable White Rapper Collaborations."
Jelly Roll has released multiple collaborative albums throughout his career, including two with Haystak, two with Lil Wyte, and four with Struggle Jennings. He also contributed to the group SNO alongside Lil Wyte and BPZ.
Mixtape Title Controversy
In 2013, Jelly Roll's mixtape Whiskey, Weed, & Women was initially intended to be titled Whiskey, Weed, & Waffle House. However, the title and cover art had to be changed after the restaurant chain Waffle House threatened legal action. The revised cover featured a "cease and desist" stamp in place of the Waffle House logo.
Discography
