Country star Jelly Roll responded to questions about current political controversies by saying he’d prefer to stay out of it — for now.
The 41-year-old celeb made the remarks at the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, where he took home three trophies.
When asked about the topic of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the red carpet, Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, managed not to answer the question directly. “So I can tell you that people shouldn’t care to hear my opinion,” DeFord said. “You know, I’m a dumb redneck. I haven’t watched enough.”
He went on to describe himself as “disconnected” from current events.
“I grew up in a house of, like, insane pandemonium. Like, I didn’t even know politics were f*cking real until I was in my mid-20s in jail. Like, that’s how disconnected … when you grew up in a drug addict household,” he went on. “You think we, like, had common calls about what’s happening in rural politics? Like, we’re just trying to find a way to survive, man.”
DeFord did promise he’d “have a lot to say about” ICE on social media in the coming days and told fans they would get his thoughts “loud and clear.”
The “Need a Favor” singer also spoke openly about his Christian faith during his Grammys acceptance speech.
“They’re going to try to kick me off here, so just let me try to get this out. First of all, Jesus, I hear you, and I’m listening. Lord, I am listening, Lord. Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you,” Jelly Roll said while becoming emotional. “I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that.”
“There was a time in my life, y’all, that I was broken. That’s why I wrote this album. I didn’t think I had a chance, y’all,” he said. “There was days that I thought the darkest things. I was a horrible human.”
“There was a moment in my life that all I had was a Bible this big, and a radio the same size, and a six-by-eight-foot cell,” he said. “And I believe that those two things could change my life. I believe that music had the power to change my life, and God had the power to change my life.”
While Jelly Roll didn’t take a stance on ICE, there were several celebrities at the Grammys who did, opting to wear “ICE OUT” buttons with their outfits. Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Bieber sported the buttons, as did Billie Eilish, Kehlani, Samara Joy, Joni Mitchell, and Jack Antonoff.
Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny devoted his Grammys acceptance speech to protest ICE enforcing immigration laws.
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