When Jelly Roll was going through one of the toughest periods of his life, a fellow rapper stepped in with a generous act that made a lasting difference.
During an interview with Taste of Country Nights published on Thursday (July 9), Yelawolf, who previously lived in the same Tennessee neighborhood as Jelly Roll, reflected on supporting the singer before his rise to country music fame. The rapper, whose real name is Michael Wayne Atha, recalled inviting Jelly Roll to join him on several tours and giving him opportunities to perform as an opening act. “I took [Jelly Roll] on tour with me a few times, and let him open some random shows as well,” he told the outlet.
Yelawolf then shared one memory that has stayed with him over the years. “He pulled up [to the show] in a Crown Vic, an old cop car, still with the spotlight on it with no license plate, no license, ridin’ dirty,” he said. “When I came back to Nashville, when Jelly was down bad, I gave him a brand new Chevrolet Silverado when I was on tour so he could run his family around for Christmas. That’s my dog. He’s been family for a long time.”
Jelly Roll has never hidden the challenges he faced before finding success. He has spoken candidly about serving time in prison during his younger years and battling substance abuse before eventually turning his life around. He first gained attention as a rapper before making a successful transition into country music. Throughout that journey, he has credited his children, Bailee and Noah, along with his wife, Bunnie Xo, as major sources of motivation. After nearly ten years of marriage, the couple officially separated when Jelly Roll filed for divorce in May.
Despite ending their marriage, the two are still moving forward with plans to have a child together through IVF. Bunnie Xo shared the update during an episode of Dumb Blonde after news of the divorce became public. Jelly Roll also addressed their relationship during a recent stop on his Little Ass Shed Tour, telling the audience, “Me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends … Bunnie, I love you, baby. Thank you for those 10 years.”
Since receiving Yelawolf’s support during those difficult years, Jelly Roll’s career has reached remarkable heights. The singer has earned three Grammy Awards along with a CMA Award, while his latest album, Beautifully Broken, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
