Country-rap superstar Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) just dropped an emotional bombshell about his rocky past — and fans are heartbroken. In a raw new interview, the Grammy-nominated artist revealed he was shockingly blocked from seeing his daughter, Bailee Ann, for months after being released from jail over a decade ago. “I got out ready to be a father… but they wouldn’t let me near her,” he confessed, fighting tears.
The 39-year-old singer, who’s now a devoted dad and stepdad, opened up about his painful journey from incarceration to redemption on the “Addicted to Life” podcast. Jelly Roll, who served time for drug-related charges in his teens and early 20s, admitted his past mistakes haunted him long after prison. “I’d finally gotten clean, but my reputation followed me,” he shared. “Bailee’s mom didn’t trust me yet. I didn’t blame her, but man, it killed me.”
Jelly Roll’s daughter, now 15, was just a toddler when he was released. He described pacing his Nashville apartment, desperate to hold her. “I’d call every day, begging for five minutes. I’d say, ‘I’m sober, I’m working — just let me prove I can be her dad.’” But the courts and Bailee’s mother kept him at arm’s length, fearing relapse. “I felt like a monster,” he said. “All I wanted was to read her a bedtime story.”
Fans know Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie XO, has been his rock through his transformation. The couple, who married in 2016, now co-parent Bailee Ann and Jelly’s stepdaughter. “Bunnie fought for me when no one else did,” he said. “She’d drive me to visitation centers, sit outside for hours… She taught me what love really is.”
The “Son of a Sinner” singer’s story has sparked viral reactions online, with parents praising his honesty. “This is why second chances matter,” tweeted one fan. Others called it a wake-up call about addiction’s ripple effects.
Today, Jelly Roll’s bond with Bailee is unbreakable — he even brought her onstage during his sold-out hometown show last fall. “She’s my why,” he said. “Every song, every show… it’s for her.”
Got tissues? Catch Jelly Roll’s full interview on Spotify, and don’t miss his new album, Whitsitt Chapel, out now — proof that even the darkest pasts can lead to brighter futures.