Jelly Roll – Sobriety Sucks, but his music does everything but.

Jelly Roll Interview with Empire Extreme

By Josh Drespling
Photos by Andrew James Bastion

At a towering 6’ 5” and 250 pounds Jelly Roll can be quite an intimidating character, self-described as a reformed drug dealer, active alcoholic, white trash pieces of shit, MMA fan, and the father of a beautiful girl. However once you have spent more than thirty second with the southern-boy you will quickly realize that he is a quick talking jokester who loves to have a good time.

Jelly Roll – Photo By Andrew James Bastion

Describing this Nashville natives’ music is a bit difficult. It falls in the rap category, but defies a clear classification. You could say it’s one part hood and one part southern twang, with an underlying smoothness and melody that makes you bob your head to the groove.

We caught up with Jelly Roll in Cincinnati a while back; here is how it went down.

We are here at Rock on the Range, but we are actually based in Pittsburgh. I know you were there last night. How was the show in Pittsburgh?
It was great man. What a great venue. What was it?

Alatr Bar?
Yeah, Altar bar. I’m sure you have been there a hundred times.

Yeah its an old church.
Yeah, there is the old stained glass still there.  We had a good crowd and did more people than we thought we would for our first time in Pittsburgh.

So you kind of have Juggalo following? I’m an old school Juggalo from back in the day.
O.S.J. Baby. I’m a old school Juggalo too.

I’m, talking Carnival of Carnage and Riddle Box.
Oh yeah. Did you know their touring doing the whole Riddle Box album?

They gotta throw in some other song though too don’t ya think?
Yeah, absolutely.
Have you ever played any of the Gatherings?
Oh, yeah. I’m Gathering main stage this year on Saturday night.

Have they announced any other bands yet?
Oh yeah there are tons of them.
Only one that I’ve seen was GWAR and Green Jelly.
What about Wizard of the Hood!
…You know…
Don’t do it. Not right here. They are gonna crucify you! Those old school Juggalos are gonna hate you.
I know, I know they are.  I hated that album.
Oh my God! Oh My God! Stop it!
I mean I love J, and all of it and J, but there is just something about that album.
I think its great. I think that’s a funny story.
I just really hope they doooo it, ya know what I mean.
I can see it theatrically and everything.
Oh, yeah it would be fuckin’ great.

Jelly Roll – Photo By Andrew James Bastion

I was reading up on you. I found that you caught a case when you were 14 for stealing a wallet without really stealing the wallet.
Yeah, I got charged as an adult on a robbery case and I was young man. So I’ve had a felony on my shit since I was a kid. It’s awful, all the way.

What is like playing in the pouring down rain in front of a bunch metal heads.
Fucking great. I loved it. They loved it. We all loved it. We had a thing there and it was an experience.

Machine Gun Kelly was here yesterday.
I’m sure he killed it.
He did. He did.

Going back a while, I saw you did a little standing up for Monoxide (Monoxide Child of Twiztid), what was the whole story to that?
 He’s just a homie.

So whats the story, who where you standing up for him against.
Anybody! General statement. Monoxide is the homie. For real man, he’s been like a big brother to me. Paul, George, J, all of them have been big brothers. I’m willing to go to war with anybody about them. No exceptions.

I love the name of the tour name, Hangovers and Hot Chickens. Love it.
Yeah, that’s our shit. Have you even been to Tennessee?
Drove through it.
Famous for for hot chicken. Nashville is famous for hot chicken.
Like? Like..
Like hate your life shittin’ tomorrow hot. Nashville hot chicken is like, cry, call your momma. Its like the Homer Simpson on that episode of The Simpsons where he ate the Halbenero pepper and ran around and drank all the beer.

So whats next for you, new music, tour, what up?
Mixtapes, I have one  out called Sobriety Sucks and another in about six months called Addiction Kills. Me and Lil Wyte will be doing No Filter 2. Touring rest of the year and going our with Yelawolf in the winter.

That’s all I got thanks for doing this.
Much love family, whoop whoop.

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About Author

Josh Drespling

Josh is the Publisher and creator of Empire Extreme and it’s sister publication Kingdom Extreme Magazine. He is an accomplished writer, photographer and graphic designer. He is always conjuring up new ideas and has a amazing passion for the music industry and all the things that surround it.

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