Jelly Roll Breaks Billboard Record with Debut Album ‘Whitsitt Chapel’
Jelly Roll and his debut album Whitsitt Chapel are making history.
The record debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, No. 2 on the Billboard Country Album chart, and Top 3 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart with 90,000 album equivalents.
This gives Jelly Roll the biggest opening week for the first entry on the Top Country Albums chart since the list adopted a consumption based methodology in 2017 according to Billboard.
Whitsitt Chapel, which was released on June 2 via BMG/Stoney Creek Records, also earned the highest charting first week release from a debut country artist in the history of BBR Music Group.
Jelly Roll wrote all 13 songs on Whitsitt Chapel.
The “Need A Favor” singer took to social media to share the news.
“Thank y’all! WE DID IT! Y’all came through for me like you always do.. another big step in the right direction for the underdogs … I woke up and couldn’t believe it! Thank y’all again… wow wow wow wow ….,” wrote Jelly Roll.
Jelly Roll also made his CMA Fest debut on June 9, performing at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
The 3x CMT Award winner is preparing to hit the road on his 44-date headlining Backroad Baptism Tour.
GALLERY: Jelly Roll Is A Country and Rock Star
Jelly Roll won three awards at this year’s (4/2) CMT Music Awards. The one-time rapper recently scored his first country music chart-topper “Son of A Sinner.” Born and raised in Antoich (right outside of Nashville), Jelly Roll has won the hearts of his fellow country stars and the heart of country music fans worldwide.
He made his first on the CMT Music Awards performance, joined by a full gospel choir, with his song “Need A Favor.” That was followed by an enthusiastic standing ovation by the whole house.
Jelly Roll’s awards came before his new album, Whitsitt Chapel, was released on June 2. Titled after the church the Antioch native grew up attending, the debut full-length Country project on BMG/Stoney Creek Records features 13 tracks.
Before his current time in country music, Jelly was known as a Southern Hip Hop artist. Beginning in 2010, he collaborated with Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, Yelawolf, Tech N9ne, and Ryan Upchurch. His 2010 collaboration “Pop Another Pill” with Memphis rapper Lil Wyte reached over 6.3 million YouTube views and started his career.
A record label executive in Nashville told me they were looking for the Post Malone of country music and found that in Jelly. His real name is Jason DeFord, and his Jelly Roll nickname comes from his mother, who called him Jelly Roll when he was a young, as he said, a “chubby” kid.
As Jelly’s star continues to rise, we take a look at his last few years in the national spotlight.
