Country music star Jelly Roll testified in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs this week at a hearing entitled “Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl: Public Awareness and Legislative Solutions.”
Thursday’s hearing focused on the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a bill that would create new economic sanctions authority and money laundering penalties for components of the fentanyl supply chain, including Chinese entities and Mexican cartels.
He shared with me his own personal battle against drugs and I look forward to working together to put an end to the crisis across our state and nation. (2/2)
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) January 11, 2024
Jelly Roll, whose legal name is Jason DeFord, is a native Tennessean who has been incarcerated 40 times in the past for charges ranging from robbery to drug-related crimes.
Last year, Jelly Roll, who has been outspoken about his history with drug use, won new artist of the year at the CMA Awards and was nominated for two Grammy awards.
During his opening statement, Jelly Roll said he was the “perfect person” to speak on the topic of fentanyl, considering his past as a drug dealer as well as his lack of adherence to a political party.
“It is important to establish earlier that I am a musician and that I have no political alliance – I am neither Democrat nor Republican. In fact, because of my past, my right to vote has been restricted. Thus far, I have never paid attention to a political race in my life. Ironically, I think that makes me the perfect person to speak about this because fentanyl transcends partisanship and ideology,” he said.
“I think it’s important for me to tell y’all that I’m not here to defend the use of illegal drugs and I also understand the paradox of my history as a drug dealer standing in front of this committee,” the singer added. “But equally, I think that’s what makes me perfect to talk about this. I was a part of the problem. I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution. I brought my community down, I hurt people. I was the uneducated man in the kitchen playing chemist with drugs I knew absolutely nothing about just like these drug dealers are doing right now when they’re mixing every drug on the market with fentanyl and they’re killing the people we love.”
While Jelly Roll said he believes the FEND Off Fentanyl Act would help “stop the supply and stop the supply of fentanyl,” he further urged lawmakers to “take it a step further” by reaching out directly to the constituents of the communities they serve.
During the hearing, Tennessee U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) questioned him on the demand aspect of the supply of fentanyl, to which the country artist said he believes a lack of education about the drug is a large contributor.
“Not only do we have the second biggest mortality rate, Nashville actually was the second most dangerous deadly metropolis in America for fentanyl behind Baltimore. I had a meeting with our mayor about it recently, and, just to the actual demand of it, I think there’s not a proper education about it. I don’t think there’s enough resources for people to learn about it,” the singer said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Hagerty will do nothing. RINO at best……