Jelly Roll at the Pre-Grammy Gala on Jan. 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. Earl Gibson III/Deadline

When Jelly Roll needed a favor many years ago, one of his rapper friends gave him a life-changing gift to help him out.

In an interview with Taste of Country Nights posted Thursday (July 9), Yelawolf — who apparently lived in the same Tennessee neighborhood as Jelly for some time — revealed how he came to the future country star’s assistance at a time when the “Son of a Sinner” singer was struggling financially. “I took [Jelly Roll] on tour with me a few times, and let him open some random shows as well,” the musician born Michael Wayne Atha told the outlet.

“He pulled up [to the show] in a Crown Vic, an old cop car, still with the spotlight on it with no license plate, no license, ridin’ dirty,” Yelawolf continued. “When I came back to Nashville, when Jelly was down bad, I gave him a brand new Chevrolet Silverado when I was on tour so he could run his family around for Christmas. That’s my dog. He’s been family for a long time.”

Jelly has been open about how humble his beginnings were, from spending time in and out of prison when he was young to struggling with substance abuse issues. Over time, he was able to build a career in music — first as a rapper, then as a country artist — motivated in large part by his children, Bailee and Noah, as well as Bunnie Xo, his wife of nearly a decade. The couple recently separated, with Jelly filing for divorce in May.

The pair is, however, still planning to welcome a baby together through IVF, as revealed by the podcaster on an episode of Dumb Blonde after news of the divorce went public. “Me and my wife are best friends,” Jelly said at a recent stop on his Little Ass Shed Tour. “We will always be best friends … Bunnie, I love you, baby. Thank you for those 10 years.”

Jelly has come a long way since the days when Yelawolf helped him out. The artist has won three Grammys and one CMA Award, and his most recent album, Beautifully Broken, topped the Billboard 200.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Sign Up