Jelly Roll says he was treated “like a crim” by staff at a Sydney Louis Vuitton store while touring Australia.
Jelly Roll says he was treated “like a crim” while shopping at a Louis Vuitton store in Sydney earlier this week. The Nashville artist, who is wrapping up his debut headline run of shows in Australia tonight, shared the story on social media after a day off in the city between concerts.
The country-rap star, real name Jason Bradley DeFord, had performed at Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday night (November 4) before heading into the Sydney CBD the next day. He claims that staff at the luxury boutique reacted to him with hostility as soon as he entered.
The Louis Vuitton in Sydney legitimately just treated us like we were [gonna] come in and rob that place. I have never been looked at more like a crim,” Jelly Roll said in the Instagram story.
“Listen, the last time I was looked at like a criminal this bad…I was an actual criminal this bad.”
The 39-year-old artist has been open about his past, which includes multiple arrests for drug-related offenses, shoplifting, and aggravated robbery. He first went to jail at 14 and spent much of the next decade in and out of facilities. In an interview with CBS earlier this year, he said he’s been arrested “around 40 times.”
Since turning his life around, Jelly Roll has become one of country music’s most outspoken success stories.Outside of music, he’s become a vocal advocate for drug prevention and reform, investing heavily in programs for incarcerated youth in Nashville and hiring former felons to work for him.
Jelly Roll’s Australian tour has included stops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, along with festival slots at Harvest Rock, Sunburnt Country, and Strummingbird. He plays his final Australian date today (November 6) at the Sunburnt Country festival in Townsville before heading to New Zealand for a show at The Outerfields in Auckland.
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