"I've always considered my music cathartic, I always called it therapeutic music." Jelly Roll explained when he released the ballad "Save Me" with a serious and contemplative tone that marked his leap from hip-hop into rock'n'roll.
He is one of the many artists playing around with different sounds and genres because he believes that each genre conveys a particular feeling and message he wants to share. Jelly Roll has always been interested and inspired by several music genres, partly because he was born and raised in Nashville's Antioch neighborhood, known for its cultural diversity. He recalls that he always loved playing the guitar, like many other people from Nashville. His appeal to different genres of music and passion for guitar led him into rock'n'roll. Even if he started his career as a hip-hop artist, he has always been aware that he'll one day cross into more therapeutic music. However, he never expected to make the transition with a ballad like "Save Me".
"Save Me" is a song of acknowledgment, a vulnerable expression of personal insecurities that gained Jelly Roll a Gold certification from the RIAA and over 65 million views on YouTube. The ballad propelled him into a Rock and Country sphere and explored a more melodic songwriting style, unlike everything he created before.
Over the last two years, genre-bending artist Jelly Roll has built an impressive career on its own terms. Jelly Roll has a net worth of $4 million solely from producing music people can relate to. He once stated "A lot of people have it backwards," and think that they should make music for money, not for listeners. But he preferred to follow the hard path and put people's feelings first – and the offshoot of this work ethic was that he ended up making money because people could not stop listening to his songs.
Jelly Roll had always thought his work ethic was a carryover from his youth when he engaged in various hustles and never took a day off. He left behind his drug dealing days and chose to embody the concept of duality in his work. He now dedicates his life to his family and his craft and holds dear the relaxing moments he spends with his daughter. However, he'll always be a hustler, even if his work no longer includes illegal activities but artistic ones. He defines his creativity and fluidity as a valuable hustle he cannot turn off.
The artist has embraced his chameleonic side and accommodates it by making sure he always has a guitar on hand and a piece of paper to craft tunes and write lyrics. In 2021 he launched the first album on which sings (not raps), with all tunes recorded acoustic. He was pretty nervous while working on Ballads of the Broken because he was stepping into new and totally unknown territory. The demos were inspired by his personal experiences and provided glimpses of his struggles with all aspects of life. Even if he turned over a new leaf, he is aware many still have it rough and tumble, and this is why he loves to write songs for those no one else does, to tell them they're not alone.
Jelly Roll's success has only made him more passionate about his music and the need to touch people's hearts.
This article was written in cooperation with Techdlp