Jelly Roll wants more than hit records and sold-out shows, and he wants his rifle rights back, too.
The country star and redemption king got real during his sit-down on The Joe Rogan Experience and opened up about one thing he still cannot legally do, which is hunt with a firearm. Despite all the progress he has made, musically, physically, and spiritually, the past he has never denied is still holding him back from something he says brings him peace, purpose, and healing.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, has fallen hard for the outdoors. Hunting, especially with a bow, has become a major part of his lifestyle and weight-loss journey. He recently picked up a license and even shared bow-hunting trips with Cameron Hanes, who is one of the most respected names in the game. But when Rogan asked if he could ever go rifle hunting, Jelly had to admit the answer is still no.
That is because the singer is a convicted fel𝐨n with a rap sheet that includes drug charges and an aggravated robbery when he was just 16. He was tried as an adult, served time, and did seven years on probation. The charge still follows him even after building a wildly successful career and giving back in big ways to his Nashville community.
Now, Jelly is trying to change that narrative.
He told Rogan that he is up for a pardon this year. His paperwork is in, and the governor of Tennessee looks at pardons every December, so he is praying every day.
Even if Governor Bill Lee grants the pardon, Tennessee still maintains a zero-forgiveness policy for violent offenders. That means a pardon would be symbolic and a public acknowledgment of change, but it would not erase the conviction. It certainly would not restore his right to carry either.
Still, Jelly has a plan.
He said his goal is to go into legislation eventually and say that, if nothing else, he would like his right to hunt. It has helped his mental health, and it has helped his physical health too.
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The weight of it all was not lost on Rogan, who pointed out that the idea of redemption is a cornerstone of the faith Jelly proudly clings to. Jelly agreed and said he believes there should be a path forward, even if it takes decades, for people who have turned their lives around.
He said he understands if someone committed murder or a sexual assault, but there has to be some way back. Even if it takes 30 years, it should exist.
The conversation got even more personal when Jelly admitted he spends over a million dollars a year on security. If he had the right to carry a weapon for self-defense, that number could drop in half. He said he would cut that bill tomorrow if he could carry.
At the end of the day, this is not just about hunting or personal protection. It is about the bigger picture. It is about what it means to truly give someone a second chance and whether society is willing to let go of a man’s past when he has already proven his present is rooted in purpose.
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Jelly Roll’s story is already the stuff of legend. He has gone from prison bars to Opry stages and from addiction to advocacy. He has become the voice of people who have been counted out. Now he is just asking for what he believes every reformed man deserves, which is the chance to feel free in the woods with a rifle in hand and peace in his soul.
And if redemption counts for anything, then Jelly Roll has earned that shot.
