Jelly Roll Breaks Ground On New Nashville Youth Center In Same Facility Where He Was Once Incarcerated

Country star Jelly Roll continues his mission to be God's "least likely messenger with the biggest message" with a new good deed. The "Save Me" singer has been very open about the trouble he faced while growing up in Antioch, Tennessee Now, he is using his platform to help improve the lives of other kids who might find themselves in similarly dire situations. 

The rapper turned country music artist, born Jason Bradley DeFord, had a difficult childhood and spent a lot of time in and out of the Davidson County Juvenile Justice Center. "I celebrated my 14th, 15th, and 16th birthdays there,” Jelly Roll said, per local Fox affiliate WZTV. “The only reason I wasn’t there at 17 was because I was charged as an adult.”

Jelly Roll just helped break ground on Nashville’s new Youth Campus for Empowerment, a new and improved center for at-risk youth. According to Jelly Roll, the county "hadn’t changed nothing but the paint in 30 years" until now and he sounds hopeful that the new facility will help kids find new paths in life. "Get rid of stuff that makes you feel like a caged animal," he said at the press conference. "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."

The new 14-acre Youth Campus for Empowerment "will be a family-oriented, trauma-informed campus," according to Nashville's Juvenile Court Clerk website. It is set to be completed in 2027.

Jelly Roll uses his experience in the justice system to bring hope to others struggling to find the right path in life, and to show them that it’s never too late to turn things around. He has visited folks who are currently incarcerated and connected with fans who have faced similar situations.