Who is Jelly Roll? Singer went from prison to country music superstardom

Who is Jelly Roll – the heavily tattooed musician set to headline a Nov. 4 tour stop at Cincinnati’s Heritage Bank Center? For starters – no, he is not actually named after the jelly-filled dessert. His real name is Jason DeFord, and he worked in the music industry for decades before rising to a level of fame that fills arenas and earned him two nominations at the 2024 Grammy Awards. The breakout country star performs in Cincinnati on Monday as part of his Beautifully Broken Tour, titled after his 10th studio album of the same name. Here’s what to know about the rapper-turned-country crooner who turned his criminal history into artistic inspiration. Who is Jelly Roll? The 39-year-old Nashville native has been candid about the humble beginnings preceding his stardom, as a former drug dealer who got his start selling his own hip-hop mixtapes out of his car in 2003. After receiving two criminal charges at the age of 18, Jelly Roll spent time in and out of jail with drug-related offenses through 2016. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. He kept making hip-hop mixtapes before rousing the country music scene with the release of his...