Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie XO have become the new country music it-couple, and there’s so much for fans to know about the adorable duo. The pair have been together for several years, jointly growing fanbases and gathering admirers. However, with the rise of Jelly Roll’s country career, there’s no doubt that the two are quickly becoming one of the most beloved and celebrated couples in the spotlight. Scroll down to learn more!
Who is Jelly Roll?
Jelly Roll’s real name is Jason Bradley DeFord. He is a musician from Nashville, Tennessee, who grew up in a suburb of Music City. As a teenager, he began a career as a rapper in the early ’00s, playing local venues and selling CDs out of the trunk of his car. At the same time, he found himself in and out of prison, after getting in trouble with the law on multiple occasions. Over the years, Jelly Roll has worked with other rappers such as Yelawolf, Lil Wyte, Tech N9ne, and Struggle Jennings. While he’s incorporated country into his sound many times over the years, it wasn’t until his most recent album, Whitsitt Chapel, that Jelly Roll fully embraced being a country music star.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Who is Bunnie XO?
Bunnie XO — real name Bunie DeFord — is a podcaster, model, and YouTuber who is most well-known for her widely popular Dumb Blonde podcast. Real name Bunnie DeFord, the social media star was born in Nashville in the early ’80s, per Legit. Prior to her relationship with Jelly Roll, Bunnie was an escort.
Past Relationships
Before he met Bunnie, Jelly Roll had relationships with various women, two of whom he shares children with. Bunnie’s romantic life prior to dating Jelly Roll is unclear, though the rapper did once say she was with an “abusive douchebag,” when they first met.
Love at Second Sight
Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO met in Las Vegas roughly seven or eight years ago, but didn’t immediately become an item. Speaking to Taste of Country Nights, Jelly Roll recalled, “She was with some abusive douchebag, and they came to a show, and we were backstage. They split, and I’m not going to act like I shot my shot. She kind of shot hers. We had mutual friends. She said, ‘Yo. Just plug me in with Jelly.’”
In the recent documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me, Bunnie shared her perspective on the chance encounter, recalling “When I met him, I was just like, ‘Who the f— is this dude?’ He was nobody. He was playing to a room of 30 people. It’s always like, ‘She’s a gold digger,’ and I’m like…that’s not the case.”
Marriage
On Aug. 31, 2016, Jelly Roll and Bunnie said their I Do’s. Recently reflecting on the big day, Jelly Roll wrote in an Instagram post, “Seven years ago my wife and [I] stumbled into a little chapel in Las Vegas. 7 years later we walked into that same little chapel and renewed our vows.” He added, “My only regret on the night we got married was I never got to see her in a dress…. We made that right . I may have never gave my wife the wedding she truly deserved but I plan on giving her the life she deserves for the rest of it. I love you more anything mama bear. You are my anchor.”
Music Videos
Throughout their relationship, Bunnie has appeared in a number of Jelly Roll’s music videos. “Dance With Ghosts,” “A Beautiful Disaster,” and “My Only Enemy” are just few of the tracks with videos that feature Bunnie. Additionally, Bunnie has a music video of her own, for “Shimmy Down My Chimney,” a raunchy holiday tune.
Commitment to a Healthy Romance
Another aspect of the couple’s relationship that is addressed in the Save Me documentary, is there past substance abuse. During the film, Bunnie notes that their relationship began on an “extremely toxic” cornerstone of drug and alcohol use. “We stumbled into a courthouse blackout drunk and got married,” Jelly Roll quipped, speaking about their nuptials, per Hollywood Life. “I’ll probably still get blackout drunk once a year for the rest of my life because you never know what could happen!” Ultimately, the pair share that they knew it was important for them to be responsible and cut out the chaotic elements from their life.
Parenting
A major reason why Jelly Roll and Bunnie decided to work on making their relationship healthy was for Bailee Ann and Noah Buddy, Jelly Roll’s children. Bailee Ann, 15, is Jelly Roll’s daughter from his relationship with a woman named Felicia, who they revealed in Save Me has had her own struggles with sobriety. According to PEOPLE, Jelly Roll does not talk much about the mother of Noah, 7, though he has shared photos of the young boy on occasion. He’s also revealed that Noah often accompanies their family on vacation.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie do not share any biological children together. Parade reports that Bunnie has previously stated that she is not interested in having children. “[Bunnie] helped me raise my daughter,” Jelly Roll previously told Music Mayhem, via Parade. “We’ve had custody of her for the last nine years. It just takes a real selfless person to help raise a child they didn’t birth.”
