Jelly Roll’s fans have a new career pitch for the rapper-turned-country artist after he delivered a special performance last week in Nashville, Tenn.
The “Need a Favor” singer stopped by Nashville’s Riverbend Maximum Security Prison on Jan. 9 to perform and speak to some of the inmates there. More than 300 inmates were present “for a day of inspiration they’ll never forget,” according to the Tennessee Department of Correction, which shared a clip on X (formerly Twitter) showing the 40-year-old singer crooning to a crowd of cheering prisoners who were gathered behind a chain-link fence.
Jelly Roll, who has been open about his own experience serving time in prison in his youth, thanked the prison on Instagram “for allowing us to bring a little therapeutic music to the yard.” He shared a video on the social media platform on Wednesday, Jan. 15, showing parts of the speech he delivered to the inmates who had gathered to watch him perform.
“I know what it’s like to be behind them walls, and if we don’t have nothing else behind these walls, we have dreams, gentlemen,” the “Son of a Sinner” singer said in the video. “And I want to tell you something: You can be thinking the wildest thing right now, but whatever you’re dreaming of could be too small still.”
As the clip continued, Jelly Roll urged those in the crowd “to start visualizing your future and believing that the things can change for you in a way that you never thought it would change for you.”
“We don’t have to spend the rest of our life suffering, poor, and f–king addicted and struggling anymore,” he said. “Today’s the day to break the chains, gentlemen. I’m here to tell you it’s possible. I never dreamed this would be my story.”
Fans praised Jelly Roll for his speech in the post’s comment section, with one describing the four-time Grammy nominee as “inspirational to persons of all walks of life” as another dubbed him “a real, and rare gem.”
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“This is why so many people love you! You’re a rare jewel and mean so much to so many! Please never change! Love you!” one Instagram user gushed.
Others saw something in Jelly Roll as he delivered his impassioned speech, with one telling him he is a “born preacher.” Many people wrote in to urge him to consider becoming one officially.
“You need to be a preacher to these lost souls!!! I know I would attend that Church!” one fan wrote.
“This guy is gonna be a preacher one day,” another fan predicted.
“You are an amazing preacher! Keep doing it!!!” a third fan echoed.
“Might be time to find you a church Jelly 😂,” another Instagram user commented, adding, “you already got a congregation. 💯😂.”
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