Jelly Roll, the face-tattooed former drug dealer turned rapper who has rocketed to stardom as a country musician singing plaintively about his struggles with addiction, came to a Senate hearing room Thursday morning hoping for a savior.
“Every concert I perform, I witness the heartbreaking impact of fentanyl. I see fans grappling with this tragedy. … They seek solace in music and hope that their experiences won’t befall others,” Jason “Jelly Roll” DeFord testified before the Senate Banking Committee. “These people crave reassurance that their elected officials actually care more about human life than they do about ideology and partisanship.”
DeFord’s chart-making singles “Need a Favor” and “Son of a Sinner” helped propel him to a Country Music Association Award last year and a nomination for best new artist at next month’s Grammys.
