Jason DeFord, the rapper-turned-country singer known as Jelly Roll, appeared before Congress on Wednesday to urge lawmakers to pass legislation combating the supply and distribution of fentanyl.
“At every concert I perform, I witness the heartbreaking impact of fentanyl,” DeFord said. “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.”
“These people crave reassurance that their elected officials actually care more about human life than they do about ideology and partisanship,” he added.
DeFord testified at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl,” where he called on lawmakers to get the FEND Off Fentanyl Act across the finish line.
The legislation passed the Senate last July but has yet to make it through the House.
“I’m guessing most of you didn’t have ‘Jelly Roll testifies at Senate Banking Committee’ on your ’24 bingo card,” committee Chair Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said.
“But few speak and sing as eloquently, as openly, as — shall we say — viscerally about addiction as Mr. DeFord,” he continued. “There’s a reason why Americans flock to his music and his concerts. He has a connection with people based on shared pain, shared challenges, shared hope.”
The two-time Grammy nominee and three-time CMT Music Award winner emphasized at the hearing that the issue of fentanyl “transcends partisanship and ideology,” noting that he has no political alliance, given that his right to vote is restricted as a result of his criminal history.
DeFord served time in prison for charges including aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell, according to The New York Times.
“I think it’s important for me to tell you 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,” DeFord said.
“But equally, I think that’s what makes me perfect to talk about this,” he continued. “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 stand here as a regular member of society,” DeFord later added. “I am a stupid songwriter, y’all, but I have firsthand witnessed this in a way most people have not. I encourage you all to not only pass this bill, but I encourage you to bring it up where it matters, at the kitchen table.”
