Jelly Roll Gives Speech to Congress to be Proactive Against Fentanyl

Jelly Roll had himself an eventful 2023 by winning New Artist of the Year at the CMA’s, getting nominated for two Grammy’s for his hit song “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson, and performing numerous sold-out shows.

Now to get the ball rolling in 2024, Jelly Roll is making a difference. Last week, the country singer advocated for lawmakers to act against the fentanyl epidemic.

Jelly Roll Advocating for Change

Jelly Roll, 39, real name is Jason DeFord, appeared before Congress on Thursday to urge legislators to pass a bill to fight the supply and distribution of synthetic opioids in the United States.

The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is the bill proposed at the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing. Jelly Roll was passionate about the issue and explained he knows how dangerous this drug can be from his past experiences.

“At every concert I perform, I witness the heartbreaking impact of fentanyl. I see fans grappling with this tragedy in the form of music… that they seek solace in music and hope that their experiences won’t befall others,” said the Grammy-nominated artist. He briefly spoke about his past struggles with addiction and arrests for drug-related charges earlier in his life.

“These are the people I’m here to speak for, y’all,” he said. “These people crave reassurance that their elected officials care more about human life than they do about ideology and partisanship.”

Jelly Roll admitted he is not affiliated with any political party, mostly because he had his right to vote taken away because of his felony charge. He pointed out alarming statistics on how common deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses are. 

“I’ve attended more funerals than I care to share with you all [on] this committee. I could sit here and cry for days about the caskets I’ve carried of people I loved dearly, deeply in my soul — good people, not just drug addicts. Uncles, friends, cousins, normal people, some people that just got in a car wreck and started taking a pain pill to manage it. One thing led to the other and how fast it spirals out of control — I don’t think people truly, truly understand.” 

Enacting the Bill

Jelly Roll continued to emphasize how impact he believes it is to enact legislation on this bill. “I am here now standing as a man who wants to be a part of the solution.” 

The “Son of a Sinner” singer concluded his speech with, “I stand here as a regular member of society. I am a stupid songwriter, y’all, but I have firsthand witnessed this in a way most people have not. I encourage y’all to not only pass this bill, but I encourage you to bring it up where it matters – at the kitchen table.” 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jelly Roll (@jellyroll615)

Jelly Roll Praise

Jelly Roll posted his speech on Instagram and received tons of praise from fans and advocates against drug abuse. “Thank you to the Chairman Senator Brown and Senator Scott for allowing me to speak on behalf of the broken in today’s hearing,” he captioned the video. “I pray this message is the beginning of a real change and awareness when it comes to Fentanyl and Drug Addiction in America.”