Premiere: Jelly Roll, Struggle Jennings Rise Above Darkness in ‘Fall in the Fall’ Video [NSFW]
Warning: This video contains strong language that is NSFW.
Jelly Roll and Struggle Jennings are no strangers to the trappings of outlaw culture, but in their new video, they're getting tired of the same old life and trying to make changes.
"Fall in the Fall" is a hard-hitting slice-of-life treatment that pulls no punches about the hard life that goes along with drug activity and the dangers involved. The video is shot in a dark, moody style that helps the viewer experience the hopelessness of that world, but it's not all darkness and despair.
"Fall in the Fall" is "about a soul crying for help from its darkest moments, based on emotions of helplessness and desire for change," Jelly Roll explains. "The silver lining in it, is the parable of the leaves only falling in the fall, is understanding that life is seasonal, not just in climate, but in everything. Every emotion from extreme manic to lowest of the low will eventually run its course. The leaves truly only fall in the fall."
Neither man has made any secret that those themes derive from their real lives, and in fact, Jennings was famously incarcerated on drug charges at the time his first album was released. But the "Fall in the Fall" video is meant to address more than just the thug life; it draws a parallel between that and the mean streets of the music business.
Jelly Roll says it's "more of a metaphor for the scandalous s--t that Struggle and I dealt with in the streets and in the music business. I’ve never met more bottom feeders or people who try to divide and conquer in life than I have in the music business. So the video was more so cleaning our spirits and walking away from the game more or less. It was also meant to take people down a dark path to end at the moment of freedom and walking away from the chaos with a clean sheet."
Jennings is the grandson of Waylon Jennings, who had his own struggles with drugs and his outlaw image. He and Jelly Roll teamed together for a new album titled Waylon & Willie II, inspired by the classic Outlaw Country of Waylon and Willie Nelson. The hybrid of country and rap themes delves deep into "drug addiction, survival, betrayal and the heartbreak of tragedy."
“This was by far one of my favorite songs on the album," Jennings says of "Fall in the Fall."
"It represents unconditional love and the power of finding someone to stand beside you through it all. Someone who will love you in your darkest hour and help you find the light. I wrote this video concept to show the different aspects... in one sense you see that Jelly and I are being attacked and both of our wives are there shooting back, representing them as our saving grace amongst the chaos. In another sense you see that two people are conspiring to turn us against each other yet, in the end, they get carried away as we walk away together with a smile. Both aspects metaphoric yet also things we’ve endured together in the past. Our 15-year friendship has seen many obstacles and hardships, but these records are a testament to our loyalty and perseverance. Stay tuned ... this is only the beginning!"
Jelly Roll and Struggle Jennings are currently on tour across America. Get the dates below. Waylon & Willie II is available via Spotify.
Jelly Roll and Struggle Jennings Tour Dates:
April 20 - Medora, Ind. @ RedneckRave
May 2 - Sarasota, Fla. @ Old School Bar & Grill Sarasota
May 3 - Jacksonville, Fla. @ Jack Rabbits
May 4 - Orlando, Fla. @ The Sound Bar
May 5 - St. Petersburg, Fla. @ State Theatre Saint Petersburg
May 10 - Joilet, Ill. @ The Forge
May 11 - Lansing, Mich. @ The Loft
May 12 - Toledo, Ohio @ Civic Music Hall
May 18 - Wapakoneta, Ohio @ Wapak Tug-Fest
May 19 - Harrison, Ohio @ Blue Note Harrison
May 24 - Florence, S.C. @ 507 LIVE
May 25 - Jacksonville, N.C. @ Tar Heel Lounge
May 26 - Bristol, Tenn. @ Patton-Crosswhite
May 27 - Hendersonville, Tenn. @ The Revelry
June 1 - Bowling Green, Ky. @ Spillway Bar and Grill
June 2 - Somerset, Ky. @ KDL Outlaw Farm Fest 2018
June 8 - Greeneville, Tenn. @ Rio's Grill & Sports Bar
June 9 - Columbus, Ohio @ Alrosa Villa
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