Jelly Roll Performed for Inmates at San Quentin Prison

Famous country music artist Jelly Roll shot the music video for his song 'Hands Up' at the historic San Quentin Prison in California. The artist's visit references the unforgettable concert that legendary musician Johnny Cash gave for the inmates at the same prison in 1958. It is known that the mentioned concert was an inspiration for Merle Haggard, who was an inmate at the time and would later become one of the biggest names in country music.

Directed by Anthony Mandler and prepared in a black-and-white and cinematic style, the video was exclusively presented to be broadcast solely on Spotify for the first 48 hours. The footage intimately reflects the artist entering through the prison doors, meeting with the inmates, and delivering a live performance for them. While performing, Jelly Roll delivered a message touching their lives by including the inmates' personal stories in the video.

The texts at the beginning of the video state that San Quentin is no longer just about punishment but is focused on preparing inmates for life. It is aimed to reintegrate inmates into society through university courses, career training, and social reintegration programs offered by the prison. Having previously been selected as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and frequently addressing issues such as addiction, Jelly Roll once again demonstrated the transformative power of music with this project.