Jelly Roll Admits He Regrets '98 Percent' of His Tattoos: 'I Hate 'Em All'

The country singer opens up about his extensive tattoo collection and expresses deep regret.

Jelly Roll Admits He Regrets '98 Percent' of His Tattoos: 'I Hate 'Em All'

Published:

7:13 AM PDT, March 14, 2024

Jelly Roll has some regrets when it comes to his tattoos. 

The 40-year-old country singer, born Jason Bradley DeFord, opened up about his extensive tattoo collection and expressed deep regret over the vast majority of his body art.

Jelly Roll didn't mince words when he spoke to GQ in a YouTube breakdown of his ink. "I hate 'em all," he confessed, reflecting on choices in his youth when he was guided by different principles. "Now I'm 40, I'm like, 'What the f**k was I thinking?'"

Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage

Among the ink he now questions is a depiction of a baby smoking marijuana, which he admitted was "a little excessive." He also showcased a tattoo of the Nashville skyline on the back of his neck, covering up a misspelled phrase, "Surviving the Struggle," by adding the missing 't' to make it read correctly.

Reflecting on his facial tattoos, Jelly Roll pointed out a small cross below his left eye, alongside a teardrop, which he claimed he barely remembers getting. On the other side of his face, a larger cross holds more significance, symbolizing a new chapter in his life.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

But not all of his tattoos carry deep meaning. Some were done during his time in jail, where he was arrested at 16 for aggravated robbery and later at 23 for drug dealing. Though he praised some fellow inmates for their artistic skills, Jelly Roll lamented that he could only afford the "cheap" tattoos.

Despite the humorous anecdotes, Jelly Roll confessed to the disconnect between his current self and the tattoos that represent his past. "Almost all my tattoos represent who I was, almost none of them represent who I am," he concluded.

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