Jelly Roll Built a $16 Million Career on Redemption. A Comedian Now Says He Threatened to Kill Her at a Charity Event and His Team Tried to Pay Her Off
Canadian comedian Nicole Arbour filed a police report with Metro Nashville in March 2026, alleging a years-long feud with Jelly Roll that escalated at a charity event where he allegedly threatened her life on camera.
Nashville police reviewed her video and identified Jelly Roll and a second man in the footage, according to TMZ. No investigation is active. No charges have been filed. The department has described the situation as “an ongoing online back and forth.”
Arbour says Jelly Roll’s team offered her a confidentiality agreement to drop it, then threatened legal action when she refused. She’s also claimed he “sent his uncle” to threaten her, and she’s publicly accused Nashville police of protecting him.
Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, is a 41-year-old Nashville rapper turned country star whose entire public identity is built on his redemption arc. He was first locked up at 14 and spent roughly a decade in and out of juvenile and adult facilities on drug and aggravated robbery charges. He got sober, broke through with “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor,” won three Grammys in 2026, and has testified before Congress on the fentanyl crisis.
In December 2025, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee granted him a full pardon for the robbery and drug convictions of his early 20s, citing his turnaround and advocacy. Four months later, a comedian is accusing him of threatening to kill her.
Jelly Roll hasn’t addressed the allegations. His reps haven’t commented.
