Published: November 13, 2024

Jelly Roll Goes to Prison to Share ‘Words of Courage and Hope’

By Movieguide® Contributor

Country star Jelly Roll continues to share his story of redemption to motivate inmates to make changes in their own lives.

He recently visited the Pendleton Correctional Facility and Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility in Indiana.

“He shared his powerful story of resilience with words of courage and hope,” the Indiana Department of Corrections said. wrote on their Facebook page. “His message continues to inspire and shows that no matter what the past is, the future is full of possibilities. “A huge thank you to Jelly Roll for taking the time to connect with our communities and to the staff who made this visit possible.”

Jelly Roll made a similar trip to a detention center in Kentucky in October.

For the country star, these visits are personal; Jelly Roll got candid about his past as a drug dealer who spent time in prisons and juvenile detention centers.

“I celebrated my 14th, 15th and 16th birthdays there,” Jelly Roll said. in question At the groundbreaking ceremony for Nashville’s new Empowerment Youth Campus. “The only reason I wasn’t there at 17 was because I was charged as an adult.”

He even donated a recording studio to the center. tells PEOPLE: “This is important, man. I think it’s important that we give back, especially to our children… They were born into whatever situation they are and sometimes they can’t see beyond that situation, that neighborhood or that environment. “I just hope to bring hope to this and be some kind of guide and light for these kids.”

READ MORE: WHY DOES THIS COUNTRY’S STAR LOVE CHILDREN BEHIND BARS — PERSONAL

Jelly Roll often talks about the role faith has played in his life and career: tells He said he knew “God had a greater purpose for him,” Fox News reported.

“Faith for me was believing that everything was going to be okay,” he explained. “Can you imagine being a 37-year-old failed musician when you tell people this is your job? This didn’t sound like anything I’d done. For example, this was my job. And I always believed that God had a greater purpose for what I was trying to do.”

READ MORE: JELLY ROLL EXPRESSES THAT ‘GOD HAS A GREATER PURPOSE’ WITH ITS RISING SUCCESS