Jelly Roll has a new haircut, courtesy of an inmate in a Michigan jail. Ahead of a recent show, Jelly Roll stopped by Genesee County Jail in Flint, where he got a line-up from an inmate who had recently graduated from the jail’s Barber Program, I.G.N.I.T.E.
The Antioch Native Got Haircut By An Inmate In A Michigan Prison
In a video of the moment, correctional officers look on closely as Jelly Roll sits in a chair with a cape on as the inmate prepares to line up his first-ever customer. Throughout the cut, he asks Jelly Roll questions about the look he’s going for, carefully completing his work as the singer sat calmly in the chair.
Prior to getting a new look, Jelly Roll played an impromptu show for the inmates. As is his custom, he also delivered an inspirational speech, telling the group gathered, “I know it’s hard, but I’m telling, y’all, you got a chance. Big things can happen in y’all’s life. Big things can happen. I believe in y’all, I’m praying for y’all. When I leave here, I’ll be thinking about y’all tonight when I go to Little Caesars Arena about an hour down the street.”
Sheriff Chris Swanson Dubbed Jelly Roll A “Modern Day Johnny Cash”
Jelly Roll then addressed Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, who had called Jelly Roll a “modern-day Johnny Cash” ahead of the singer’s visit to the prison, sharing that he had extended an invitation to Jelly Roll to come and see what the prison was doing with its life-changing programs for inmates and perform a “Johnny Cash style concert.”
Speaking to the inmates, the singer noted that he gave the Sheriff his word he would visit, though it was “not easy.”
“We’ll do this again,” he promised, adding, “Now that I’ve really seen what you’re doing here, Sheriff Swanson, next time we’ll do it real Johnny Cash style. I’ll bring the band, and we’ll call every news station in America and tell them they gotta see what’s happening in Genesee County.”
He further praised Sheriff Swanson, telling the inmates, “I know he’s a Sheriff, but his heart is right, his spirit’s right. He wants to see y’all not come back. The crime rate is down, the violence in the jail is down, offenders getting diplomas and trades, this stuff is trending in the right direction.”
Jelly Roll Was Imprisoned At 14, Recently Revisited His Cell In Nashville
Throughout his career, Jelly Roll has made it a mission to give back in whatever way he can, especially to inmates. Jelly Roll was first imprisoned at a youth detention facility at age 14, later serving an 18-month sentence for aggravated robbery. He has been to jail around 40 times on various drug charges in his youth and adulthood.
During a recent interview on CBS Sunday Mornings, he visited his old jail cell at the Metro-Davidson Country Detention Facility in Nashville, telling CBS’ Kelefa Sanneh, “This is jail. It sucks. Every one I’ve ever been to.”
“There was a time in my life where I truly thought this was it,” he said, becoming emotional. “And then, coming here after being nominated for two Grammys just hits different.”
Jelly Roll added that he worked on his music while in prison, noting, “I wrote hundreds of songs right here. I wrote [the 2010 song] ‘Ridin’ All Alone’ chorus right here.”
Speaking to PEOPLE in December, the “Need a Favor” singer opened up about his desire to give back. “I always said that if I ever got in this situation, I would do everything I could to give back,” he said. “The fact that just me showing up places can make people happy is such a gift, and I feel like if God gave me that gift, I should show up.”
