Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Get to Know Jelly Roll: Age, Height, Net Worth, and More

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

Life often gives us many challenges and obstacles to face for us to reflect on ourselves and discover what our true purposes are. Rapper-turned-country-artist, Jelly Roll, proved that despite the lows in life, you can still get up and face the world with your chin up and high hopes.

In real life, Jelly Roll, or Jason DeFord, is known for his collaborations with Lil Wyte, Yelawolf, Tech N9ne, Struggle Jennings, and Ryan Upchurch. The rapper has been followed by millions of people worldwide since he first released “Pop Another Pill,” a collaboration with Lil Wyte.

More on Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll, born on the 4th of December 1984, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He is currently 38 years of age and stands at the height of 5 feet and 7 inches. He is happily married to his wife, Bunnie DeFord, famously known as Bunnie Xo (sometimes stylized as Bunnie XO). The couple met each other when Jelly Roll was going through tough times in his life. 

His first collaboration with Lil Wyte, a Memphis rapper, broke out into several opportunities and doors to his blossoming rap career. Since then, Jelly Roll has released a number of striking albums, including The Big Sal Story, Business as Usual, Waylon & Willie, and his latest, Ballads of the Broken. He also dropped platinum and gold-certified singles like “Save Me” and “Son of a Sinner.” 

Songs such as “Fall in the Fall” received a gold certification from the RIAA, “Creature” received platinum, and “Bottle and Mary Jane” received a gold certification. 

Is Jelly Roll a Country Artist?

Jelly Roll is a country artist, but he first fell in love with rap and hip-hop, which is why he released several collaborations with Lil Wyte, DJ Paul, Tech N9ne, and more.

He slowly transitioned to country music in 2017, when he started to release a series of albums with Struggle Jennings called Waylon and Willie. In 2021, he dropped Ballads of the Broken under Jason Aldean’s label, BBR Music Group.

Jelly Roll revealed that because of his first appearance in the Grand Ole Opry, he now desires to become a full-fledged country music artist. He was inspired by another Grand Ole Opry member, Craig Morgan. 

What was Jelly Roll’s Felony?

Jelly Roll ended up in prison due to convictions for felony robbery and drug offenses, as indicated by records from Davidson County Criminal Court. His first adult arrest occurred at the age of 18 in Nashville in March 2002, where he faced an aggravated robbery charge. Along with another defendant, Jelly Roll was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery. He ultimately pleaded guilty to reduced felony robbery charges that year and received a sentence of eight years in prison plus seven years of probation.

After a release from the Tennessee Department of Corrections, he found himself back behind bars in April 2008 for violating the drug-free school zone act. He again pleaded guilty, this time to possession with intent to sell cocaine, and was sentenced to eight more years in prison along with another eight years of probation.

While details about the crimes are not readily available, prison records indicate that his probation concluded on December 16, 2016.

Another turmoil in Jelly Roll’s career (which was set, closed, and done) came when his 2013 Whiskey, Weed, & Waffle House mixtape was changed. The restaurant, Waffle House, threatened Jelly Roll to take legal action for using their name and logo on the mixtape’s cover.

The mixtape’s name was later changed to Whiskey, Weed, & Women.

Jelly Roll’s net worth now sits at $4 million after releasing many albums and mixtapes.

Latest Stories

Keith Urban holds a CMA award on stage, showing the same trophies he often ships home so his mom can keep a room full of them.

Keith Urban Gives Away Almost Every Award He Wins So One Person Can Keep a Room Full of Them

Keith Urban doesn’t just pick up awards, he packs them up and ships them off faster than most country stars can find a shelf. For a guy who’s racked up ...

Toby Keith performs with his American flag guitar, the same patriotic spirit that fueled his song "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue."

The Untold Truth Behind Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)”

When Toby Keith sat down with a fantasy football stat sheet and scribbled out “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue”, he didn’t just write a song. He lit a ...

Toby Keith plays guitar with an American flag design, capturing the patriotic vibe perfect for a Fourth of July country playlist.

35 Patriotic Country Songs to Turn Your Backyard Into the Ultimate 4th of July Party

Nothing says freedom like blasting a rowdy country playlist while you torch a few burgers, keep the cooler stocked, and watch your drunk uncle light fireworks way too close to ...

Keith Urban sits next to Nicole Kidman looking serious, a moment that echoes him shutting down talk about her steamy movie scenes.

Keith Urban Shuts Down Interview When Nicole Kidman’s Scenes With Younger Men Are Mentioned

Some lines just ain’t worth crossing, especially when you’re asking Keith Urban about Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron rolling around on screen. This week, the whole thing went sideways when ...

Tim McGraw sits outdoors with Faith Hill, leaning on a cane, sparking questions about his health but showing their strong bond.

Tim McGraw Using a Cane With Faith Hill Beside Him Raises Questions About His Health

Sometimes country music’s strongest cowboys need a little help standing tall, and Tim McGraw’s latest photo has folks asking how much longer he can keep carrying that torch. It’s not ...

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood smile together at an event, standing united amid the ongoing sexual assault lawsuit drama.

Garth Brooks’ Marriage With Trisha Yearwood Reportedly Unshaken by Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Nothing tests a marriage like ugly headlines, but Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are riding out this storm shoulder to shoulder. Since last October, Garth Brooks has been staring down ...

Country legend George Jones plays guitar under spotlight, embodying the raw heartbreak behind these 12 most depressing country songs.

These 12 Depressing Country Songs Will Have You Sobbing and Hitting Repeat All Night

Straight from the depths of Reddit’s country corner, here’s a list built by real fans who know heartbreak better than any Nashville hit machine ever could. These songs weren’t picked ...

Jimmy Swaggart preaching passionately in an undated photo, remembered now after his death at 90 from a heart attack.

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart Dies at 90 Just Weeks After Suffering a Massive Heart Attack

There’s a hush across Pentecostal churches this week as believers remember Jimmy Swaggart, the firebrand evangelist, gospel singer, and TV preacher who spent decades filling stadiums, living rooms, and airwaves ...

Gavin Adcock onstage raising a whiskey bottle while blasting Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ as “not real country music.”

Viral Country Star Gavin Adcock Slams Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Says ‘That S— Ain’t Country Music’

Some headlines feel like a parody of the country music circus these days, and this is one of them. Gavin Adcock, the beer-slinging viral star who built half his brand ...

George Strait beams onstage at Patriots Stadium, guitar in hand, as he brings Texas charm with “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”

George Strait Brings Lone Star Magic to Patriots Stadium With “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”

Some legends don’t need confetti cannons or stadium-shaking pyros. They just need a guitar, a baritone voice, and a song about every ex they ever outran in a pickup truck. ...