Jelly Roll allegedly faced a hostile crowd during a recent concert at a Texas university, where he was loudly booed and eventually forced to leave the stage following backlash over his recent controversial remarks.
The singer reportedly began his performance as planned, but the atmosphere quickly changed as sections of the audience began booing. Instead of stopping, Jelly Roll attempted to continue singing, hoping the crowd would eventually calm down.
That did not happen.
The boos reportedly became louder, while some audience members began chanting for the singer to leave the stage. The reaction continued for several minutes, making it increasingly difficult for Jelly Roll to perform.
“The crowd made its feelings very clear tonight,” said Alex Bruno, a senior concert operations manager.
Bruno said the incident showed how strongly some Texas fans felt about Jelly Roll’s recent political comments.
“You can’t walk into Texas, insult the values of the people who bought your tickets, and expect them to cheer for you,” Bruno said. “Fans are allowed to make their voices heard, and tonight they made theirs very loud.”
Jelly Roll has faced growing criticism after making jokes about President Donald Trump during his recent guest-hosting appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! While the singer has explained that his political views are not entirely aligned with either side, his comments have angered some fans who previously saw him as a major voice in country music.
The Texas incident allegedly became the latest example of that backlash.
After roughly five minutes of continuous booing, Jelly Roll reportedly stopped the performance and walked away from the stage. University security then escorted him out of the venue as the audience continued reacting.
The incident could add to the growing pressure surrounding Jelly Roll as he deals with criticism from portions of the country music community. His career has been built largely on connecting with fans through his personal story and crossover appeal, but his recent political comments have shifted attention away from his music.
Bruno said artists should understand that audiences can react strongly when they believe a performer has abandoned the values they associate with them.
“You can say whatever you want, but you also have to understand that people can respond however they want,” Bruno said. “Tonight, that response was unmistakable.”
Jelly Roll has not publicly commented on the reported incident.
