Why Did Jelly Roll Get Face Tattoos?

Jelly Roll, a rapper-turned-country singer, has a unique tattoo collection that reflects his fanbase, known as “the bad apples”. His tattoos include teardrops on his face, a classic street tattoo reference, and a John 5:13 on the side of his face. The teardrops symbolize repentance for past sins, while the giant cross on his cheek represents a new beginning and the need to bear his own cross.

Jelly Roll, also known as Jason DeFord, is recognizable due to his bevy of face tattoos and his award for Top New Artist at the 2023 CMAs. He has been referred to as “Post Malone’s drunk uncle” because Post Malone also has several face tattoos. However, Jelly Roll admits that he has more tattoo regrets than ones he’s glad he got inked on his skin.

Jelly Roll’s tattoos are not random marks of ink but symbols of his life’s narrative. His tattoos tell stories of addiction, personal growth, mental health struggles, and the change in perspective that comes with age. He often points out that his tattoos aren’t a good representation of who he is now, but they are a “very good description of who I was. I never thought I’d be what I am now”.

Jelly Roll has a simple rule about taking photos backstage at his concerts. He recalls the first tattoo he ever got, a cross on his arm in honor of a woman in his neighborhood who died of AIDS. His most meaningful tattoo is his face cross, which symbolizes a change for him, a new beginning, and understanding that he needs to bear his own cross.

Jelly Roll regrets somewhere between 97 to 98 of his tattoos, saying they represented “core philosophies” he once held. His first tattoo of a cross and teardrop was done while he was in prison. Some of his tattoos, he said, were received while serving time in prison.