The career of rapper turned country star Jelly Roll has been the definition of a “glow up.” The Tennessee native saw his public fame increase dramatically just a few years ago after he released the song “Son Of A Sinner” in 2021. Since then, he’s been hotly demanded in the country music space, performing at this year’s Stagecoach Festival and winning a bunch of trophies at the 2024 CMT Awards. But for all those achievements, there’s still one thing he hasn’t been able to do: perform overseas.
With his Beautifully Broken Tour launching late this summer, Jelly Roll explained his international touring dilemma to an astonished Jon Bon Jovi in Interview magazine. When Bon Jovi asked, “Have you taken it overseas yet?” Jelly Roll confessed, “Not yet. I’m so excited. We’re figuring out the final pieces of some legal puzzles for me to get overseas.”
He expressed optimism that it’d work out, explaining, “America has finally agreed to let me leave and give me a passport, but some countries won’t let me come because of my felonies. We’re working on that. I think it’s going to work in my favor.” The Tennessean has spent time in jail for armed robbery and possession of marijuana; many countries have rules that deny visas to felons.
He’s not the first hip-hop artist to go through issues getting a visa. 21 Savage notably could not leave the country due to his ongoing efforts to secure citizenship, only recently acquiring his green card with the help of Drake, of all people. Hopefully, Jelly Roll’s past won’t hold him back too long from his bright future.
