The “I Am Not Okay” singer opened up about transforming his life
Jelly Roll couldn’t be more proud of the man he has become, though it was certainly hard work.
It has been a transformative last few years for the “I Am Not Okay” singer, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, and who before becoming the beloved country artist that he is today, spent years in and out of prison, and struggling both with addiction and his mental health.
Today, not only has he overcome that, but he is also open about his past and what it took for him to grow past it, as he believes vulnerability has been crucial to his growth.
During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Wednesday, October 16, Jelly Roll opened up about how he grew out of his previous “angry” persona.
“Vulnerability is kind of my super power,” he said, before explaining: “I was a typical angry, aggressive, alpha kind of guy for a long time, and I always had almost kind of a mean spirit about me and it didn’t serve me no good.”
He continued: “I didn’t have any emotions, I was very flat with everybody and life,” but noted: “Then my heart changed, man.”
The rapper has some key figures to thank for that: God, his wife, Alyssa “Bunnie XO” DeFord, who he married in 2016, and his daughter Bailee Ann, born out of a previous relationship.
“I got a relationship with God, I had a child, I got married to a woman who is just the greatest woman on Earth and just immediately softened my heart and vulnerability,” Jelly Roll gushed.
He also candidly said: “Everybody is like, ‘You’re the sweetest guy ever,’ and I’m like, I’m glad you didn’t know me in the early 2000s.”