Jelly Roll brought his message of perseverance and faith to prisoners in the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
“These are not actors. This is not a movie set,” he captioned an Instagram video. “From inside ‘San [Quentin] Rehabilitation Center.’”
The video shows the country singer walking through the facility while his prayer for the audience plays in a voiceover.
“Dear Heavenly Father God, thank you for this day, Lord. Forgive us of our sins and help us to forgive those who have sinned against us. Thank you for our daily bread,” Jelly Roll says. “God, I just want us to live in this moment and think about the word freedom — freedom that we find with you, especially within these walls right here where freedom doesn’t feel very free…I pray for these men to find the freedoms.”
He continued, “I pray that these men understand that freedom can live inside of these walls, and they can start now, and carry these same freedoms to the outside of these walls…freedom can start right here, today.”
Related: Jelly Roll ‘Overwhelmed’ by Just How Much His Life Has Changed
Jelly Roll filmed his performance for the music video of “Hands Up,” his latest single.
The country singer is no stranger to being behind bars; Jelly Roll has spoken openly about his criminal past, including stints in prison after being convicted for aggravated assault and drug possession. The birth of his daughter Bailee in 2008 changed everything for him.
“I’ve never had nothing in life that urged me in the moment to know that I had to do something different. I have to figure this out right now,” he recalled in an interview with Billboard.
Last year, Jelly Roll received a pardon from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who praised the artist for turning his life around.
“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee told reporters.
In his statement to the parole board requesting the pardon, Jelly Roll said, “I want to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be — to let them know that change is truly possible. One of the reasons I’m asking for your recommendation … is because I’m looking to take my message of redemption…[across] the rest of the world.”
Even though Jelly Roll is now one of country’s biggest stars, the artist has never forgotten his early struggles and hopes to inspire others who are in the same place.
Read Next: After Being Released from Jail, Jelly Roll ‘Just Wanted to Be a Good Dad’
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