Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
Country rapper Jelly Roll, real name Jason DeFord, recently took a stand against the fentanyl crisis at the Senate's Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing. He wasn't just there to speak; he was there to fight for change.
Kicking off the committee's "Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl" hearing, Jelly Roll got real with the stats – we're talking rising numbers of fentanyl-related deaths that are just heartbreaking. He made it clear: this fight is personal.
In his own words, "I've been to more funerals than I can count. It's crushing, and it's a pain I know all too well." It's not just stats for Jelly Roll; it's about the people he's lost, the lives cut tragically short.
CNN threw in some alarming numbers, too. They reported that over 112,000 people died from drug overdoses in just a year, with fentanyl playing the villain in most cases. It's a crisis that's spiraling out of control.
Jelly Roll's big push at the hearing was for the Senate to pass the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. It's a tough bill aiming to cut off opioid traffickers at the knees, targeting those who are wreaking havoc on communities across America.
Jelly Roll's stance was clear: "We need to be proactive, not just reactive." He believes this bill could be a game-changer in stopping the fentanyl supply.
But here's the twist – Jelly Roll isn't just some celebrity speaking out. He's been on the other side of the law, with a past marked by drug-related crimes and stints in jail. He admitted, "Back then, I thought selling drugs was no big deal. I was wrong."
Standing there, he faced his past head-on, acknowledging the irony of a former drug dealer advocating for stricter drug laws. He's seen the damage firsthand, the destruction he once contributed to. Now, he's determined to be part of the solution.
From Grammy nominations to a CMA Award, Jelly Roll's come a long way. But at that Senate hearing, it wasn't about the accolades. It was about a man who's lived through the darkness and is now fighting for the light.