Jelly Roll has been chasing success for more than a decade. When he crossed over to country with his 2023 album Whitsitt Chapel, he experienced a meteoric rise to the top. Once a largely unknown rapper, he is now one of the hottest new artists in country music and already has No. 1 singles and major genre awards under his belt. However, the awards, money, and fame aren’t his real goal. Instead, he’s using his newly found platform to give back wherever he can. Usually, that means visiting incarcerated people in hopes of boosting their morale and showing them that life can get better.
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While Jelly Roll occasionally visits adult detention centers, his passion is for the youth. He was once a youthful offender and wants to inspire at-risk kids to turn their lives around and chase their dreams. That’s why he stopped by the Franklin County Juvenile Intervention Center in Columbus, Ohio yesterday (October 9), according to a local CBS affiliate.
Jelly Roll was in Columbus to perform at the Nationwide Arena as part of his Beautifully Broken Tour. Before the show, he stopped by the detention center to talk to the kids and even took time to play cards with them. “I know that I’ve sat in your seat, and when I did, I know that no one ever came in and poured love on me,” he told the young inmates. “I’ve won a bunch of awards, I’ve made a bunch of money, but mostly what I try to do a bunch of is giving back,” he added.
Jelly Roll Gives Back to Juvenile Offenders in Nashville
Jelly Roll has a passion for inspiring at-risk youth everywhere he goes. However, those in Nashville hold a special place in his heart. He grew up in Antioch and spent time in the Davidson County Juvenile Justice Center, within view of Nissan Stadium. Now, he does all he can to make those kids’ lives better.
He spent his 14th, 15th, and 16th birthdays in the DCJJC. “The only reason I wasn’t there at 17 was because I was charged as an adult,” Jelly Roll said. This is why he was there in August to help break ground on a new facility meant to offer hope to troubled teens.
The new Youth Campus for Empowerment will host the Davidson County Juvenile Couth and pre-trial housing for youthful offenders. Additionally, the campus will feature a 24-hour assessment center to support youth in crisis among other important resources.
“Get rid of stuff that makes you feel like a caged animal. Make these kids feel loved and give them a chance in life. A lot of these kids are victims of their circumstances. This is a really great chance to change things,” Jelly Roll said of the new facility.
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