Bunnie Xo Celebrated “Baby Forever” Jelly Roll 2 Weeks Before Breakup

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Bunnie Xo was looking forward to giving Jelly Roll hugs and kisses forever. 

The host of the Dumb Blonde podcast and Jelly Roll, known for his song “Bloodline,” marked their tenth anniversary together just two weeks before May 9th – the date Jelly Roll cited as the end of their marriage in divorce papers obtained by TopMob News.

I was so touched by Bunnie’s recent post! She shared a really sweet video on Instagram, putting together some older clips of her and Jelly Roll with Khalid’s “Young Dumb & Broke” playing in the background. It reminded me of how far they’ve come – she posted it on April 25th, and it just felt so genuine.

The 46-year-old captioned the video, “2016 to 2026 My baby forever.. so proud of the man he is.”

Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, filed for divorce from his wife, Bunnie, on May 18th, according to court documents. The news of their separation became public on June 15th. He stated the reason for the divorce was “irreconcilable differences,” and they had already separated on May 9th.

I seriously can’t get enough of seeing them together! Bunnie keeps sharing little glimpses of her life with Usher and his amazing daughter, Bailee Ann – she just posted this adorable TikTok video from May 9th of all three of them posing. It’s like, a perfect family moment, and I’m living for it!

She shared a sweet message with a video, writing, “I never believed in happy endings until I met you two!” She also included the hashtags #baileeandbunnie and #jellyandbunnie, calling them her ‘babies forever’.

Even after their split, she posted a heartfelt message on Instagram for Mother’s Day on May 10th. She wished a Happy Mother’s Day to all kinds of mothers – those of humans, pets, and even plants – and to any woman who shows motherly love, writing that they make the world a kinder place.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll were open about the challenges in their relationship, particularly after Jelly Roll confessed to being unfaithful in 2018. Despite these difficulties, they both thought working through them actually made their bond stronger. Jelly Roll is also a father to a 9-year-old son named Noah.

Bunnie shared with TopMob that she wants people to understand the effort and resilience it took to build their relationship. While things are good now, it wasn’t easy at first. She described them as two wounded individuals who came together and healed each other, growing stronger over the past decade.

She added at the time, “I couldn’t be happier. That dude’s my best friend.”

To revisit all of Bunnie XO’s stories about Jelly Roll from her February memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, continue reading.

Bunnie Xo was dating someone else in August 2015 when she first met Jelly Roll. He was performing as an opening act for the Moonshine Bandits at the Las Vegas Country Saloon at the time.

Honestly, I’ve always been captivated by their connection. She built up such a tough exterior, but he completely broke through it. As she so beautifully put it in her book, Stripped Down, she was utterly mesmerized – and I totally get why!

She admitted he wasn’t someone she would usually be attracted to, but when they shook hands, it felt incredibly powerful – like a deep connection between their souls. She described feeling like she had known him forever and had been searching for him her whole life.

She doesn’t remember much about his actual performance, but she took tons of videos of him. She wanted to really observe him – how he moved and spoke. She admitted she’d never been attracted to a Southern accent before, but that night was different. She clearly remembers thinking he had a bright future and would become famous.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll had been connecting for months through texts and chats. She often found herself with someone else nearby when he called, but she couldn’t stop thinking about his charming smile. So, she was overjoyed when he told her he’d be filming a music video in Las Vegas.

I usually go for strong, edgy guys—like tough types, or boys with a goth or emo look—but J wasn’t really my style, and I didn’t think I was his either. So, I have no idea why, the moment we met, I felt this incredible connection. It just didn’t make sense.

After spending an evening at a lively bar, she said the connection between them was incredible and they were immediately attracted to each other.

Bunnie recounted returning to her Las Vegas apartment where, despite getting intimate with a man and beginning to remove his clothes, he didn’t reciprocate sexually.

He asked what she hoped to achieve in the next five years. “Annoyed but also curious, I moved closer and lay down beside him, putting my arm around him,” Bunnie explained. “That’s when I began sharing all of my aspirations.”

She shared her dreams of hosting a talk show and starting a family, while he talked about his music career and his intention to gain custody of his teenage daughter, Bailee.

Bunnie wrote that they spent hours together, imagining their future and how they could build it as a couple. She described it as a completely open and honest conversation – the most honest she’d ever had.

I just… I knew J was unlike anyone I’d ever encountered, truly. But strangely, he felt familiar. And honestly? Not surprising, really. He totally fit my type – a tattooed guy with a past, an ex-drug dealer, you know? But what really got me was that he was trying. He was genuinely trying to turn things around, to build a better life… and that resonated with me so deeply, because, well, I’ve been there too. It was like we were both on this journey to change, to become something more.

She wanted to be upfront about her past. When they first met, he asked about her job, and she told him the truth. As Bunnie explained, “I told him I was a sex worker, and that I earned a lot of money doing it. There are different tiers in this line of work, and I considered myself one of the more exclusive providers.”

And Jelly certainly did. 

She explained that he wasn’t at all bothered or upset. He told her, ‘I admire your determination. You’re a hard worker, and I completely understand what you’ve had to do to get by.’ She added that he never made her feel ashamed of her choices.

When she started traveling with him, she updated her website with her tour dates to let clients know where she’d be. As Bunnie explained, she was completely booked with appointments before each flight even landed.

Jelly explained that it was the first time she’d been in a relationship where both she and her partner accepted each other completely, without trying to change one another. She felt comfortable and at peace with this dynamic.

The couple’s impulsive August 2016 wedding in Las Vegas had lasting consequences. While backstage at a show, Jelly proposed, and Bunnie confessed she was terrified despite wanting to say yes. Although their relationship was unique, she questioned whether she was ready for such a commitment.

I definitely thrive on doing things without planning,” she admitted. “It was incredibly exciting, and I loved how intense it was. Would it probably end badly? Without a doubt—but at least we’d have a good story to tell.

They celebrated all the way to the courthouse, playing Jagged Edge‘s “Let’s Get Married” and Bruno Mars‘ “Gorilla.” Bunnie later admitted they were feeling incredibly happy – and enjoying a little something extra.

Oh my god, she said she was a total mess on her wedding day – a ‘coked up bride,’ those were her words! She wore this amazing, ripped-up black dress, and honestly, it was iconic. But the next morning? Forget about it! She was furious, like seriously, ‘meaner than a rattlesnake,’ and started wondering if getting married was even the right thing to do. I’ve replayed that story in my head a million times, it’s just… everything!

Their first major argument happened soon after, and it led to a serious talk with the Grand Canyon as their backdrop. Jelly Roll made it clear he only would have married her if he truly meant it.

Bunnie explained that a single sentence from J instantly eased all her anxieties. She’d always lived a life where nothing felt truly permanent – even divorce seemed relatively easy. No one had ever considered a future with her, but J did; he was thinking about the long term.

Seven years later they returned to that Vegas chapel to renew their vows.

She’s always been attracted to guys who are a bit rebellious. “Before me, J was a womanizer,” Bunnie admitted. “He was seeing multiple women for years simultaneously.”

That includes the mother of his son Noah, born a week before his dad’s Vegas vows. 

Bunnie explained that Jelly Roll had an on-again, off-again relationship with his child’s mother for around ten years. While their romantic connection was very unhealthy, they tried to work together to raise their son. She also mentioned she and Jelly Roll started dating when she was already eight or nine months pregnant.

Bunnie admits things were difficult with her husband’s former partner at first, but now she genuinely loves her and admires the person and mother she’s become. She’s grateful to have someone who understands her husband as well as she does.

When Bunnie first met Bailee, who was only seven years old at the time, Bailee may have actually helped Bunnie avoid making some bad choices.

Bunnie explained that a few months after they got married, she and Jelly Roll were on the verge of gaining complete custody of Bailee from her biological mother, who was struggling with drug addiction.

Bunnie began each day by taking a mix of medications – half a Lortab, a quarter of a Xanax, and a diet pill – which made her realize she needed to make a change in her life.

She explained that she didn’t want to make things any harder for the child, who had already been through so much. She believed getting sober would prevent her from causing further pain and trauma.

Oh my god, when she decided to get clean for Bailee? It was incredible! She told me she just stopped everything – cold turkey, as she put it. Pills, cocaine… all gone. But honestly, letting go of the alcohol took a lot longer. She struggled with that for a while, but knowing Bailee was waiting meant everything to her. I was so proud!

Okay, so Bunnie made the amazing decision to go with Jelly Roll all the way back to Tennessee – seriously, my heart melted! But leaving Vegas? Ugh, it was SO hard for her, you could just feel it. I mean, imagine saying goodbye to all that… but being with Jelly Roll is worth anything, right?

Bunnie admitted she was feeling homesick and overwhelmed by the demands of being a full-time mother, especially because of her difficult relationship with her own stepmother. She found herself longing for her previous life in Las Vegas. Everything had changed so quickly – in just a few months, she went from freedom to a life filled with responsibility and routine, things she’d successfully avoided since leaving home at fourteen. She realized these pressures were starting to strain her marriage.

Bunnie described several women from Jelly Roll’s past who she says intentionally tried to cause her trouble when she first arrived in town.

After arguing with Jelly Roll frequently, Bunnie woke up a few days following Bailee’s tonsillectomy and decided to leave. She later reflected, “I truly believe now that I would never abandon my family, but I did then. While I could try to explain it away, the simple truth is I was terrified.”

Bunnie quickly realized she’d made a mistake and soon found a large five-bedroom house in Las Vegas for everyone to live in together. She explained it was her way of making up for leaving Bailee and his father. She wanted to show them she was committed for the long haul, and believed actions spoke louder than words.

However, Jelly Roll quickly changed his mind. “Out of nowhere, he decided to cancel everything,” Bunnie explained. “It was a complete surprise.”

Five months after moving to Las Vegas, Jelly Roll told Bunnie they were going back to Nashville. Bunnie later revealed the real reason for the move wasn’t what he’d told her. He was secretly communicating with a former girlfriend, someone he’d briefly dated before they started a relationship. While she had suspected something was wrong, she couldn’t confirm it. Bunnie also recognized that both she and Jelly Roll were still dealing with emotional pain and hadn’t fully learned how to love healthily.

Even though she sensed he wasn’t entirely enthusiastic about her joining them in Tennessee, she accepted his offer, saying she would never leave their little family again.

Bunnie explained that she hoped allowing other women into their sexual encounters would prevent future infidelity. However, she clarified it wasn’t an open relationship – they simply didn’t object if someone new wanted to join them in bed.

Bunnie mentioned that if she ever wanted to be with someone else, her partner, J, had previously said it was okay for her to have other sexual partners. Initially, this made her feel insecure – she wondered if a lack of jealousy meant he didn’t love her deeply. However, she later came to understand his perspective.

She explained that they both believe in maintaining their independence within the relationship, seeing it as a free connection rather than simply an open one. They don’t see each other as belonging to each other.

Bunnie made it clear that while she valued independence, honesty was essential. She emphasized, “Just don’t lie to me, and always be upfront with me.”

She strongly suspected something was happening between Jelly Roll and a woman he used to be with. “For a year, this woman harassed me online,” she explained. “She’d share lyrics from his songs, show off his merchandise in photos, and make little digs at me in her posts, knowing I was catching on. I just couldn’t find any proof.”

Bunnie explained that when she confronted Jelly Roll with these issues, he would manipulate her into questioning her own sanity and believing she was wrong to doubt him.

Couples’ therapy didn’t help, and things continued to deteriorate. As Bunnie described it, the arguing and distrust lasted for ten months before reaching a breaking point and causing a major fallout.

She came home from a trip to find that her husband had already left their house in Nashville. A conversation with his best friend’s wife sadly confirmed what she feared – he wasn’t coming back.

Bunnie shared that she had considered suicide that night. She explained the pain she was feeling was overwhelming and she just wanted it to stop.

Instead of staying put, she drove back to Las Vegas and found out through Instagram that Jelly Roll had already publicly announced their breakup – even though he’d said he would wait a few months before doing so.

Bunnie explained that after a lot of drama, disagreements, and emotional pain, her final breaking point with J happened. She decided she was done talking to him for good.

They were completely devoted to each other, through thick and thin, according to Bunnie. She recalled how she listened as he told her a fabricated story – “about a drug dealer’s daughter he met at a bar” – and admitted, “I believed him.”

Until a random number began blowing up his phone. 

It suddenly dawned on me,” Bunnie said. “It was him—her former casual boyfriend was still involved, even though he’d insisted they’d broken up for good.

Her trust in Jelly Roll demolished, she reached out to his affair partner for the full story. 

Bunnie explained that she found out he bought a house for them and expected her to stay home and care for his daughter, Bailee. She said what bothered her most wasn’t a physical affair, but the emotional betrayal and the idea of him wanting another woman to be a mother figure to a child she had grown to love.

Bunnie admitted that even after forgiving Jelly Roll, the pain he caused left a lasting impact. “You don’t stop caring for someone who hurts you,” she said, “but it changes how you love them. You become more cautious and less willing to trust completely – your heart gets broken.”

Bunnie admitted things haven’t been easy since then. She was honest about some heated arguments, even admitting she hit Jelly Roll after he expressed no remorse for his actions.

She wrote that it would take a long time to get over the affair and even longer to truly believe her partner loved her and didn’t see her as easily replaceable.

Now nearly seven years into the pair’s fertility journey, the pieces are starting to come together. 

Bunnie shared that she discovered her Fallopian tubes were blocked, meaning she’d need surgery – but even then, there was no guarantee she could get pregnant. However, thanks to advancements in IVF and the incredible generosity of a surrogate who agreed to carry twins for them, they’re hopeful their dream of having a baby will finally come true.

Their plan is to use her eggs and his sperm and try for twins. 

Bunnie responded to criticism about having children at their age with a defiant, ‘I don’t care.’ She explained they plan to raise their babies with all the love and support they lacked growing up, and expressed excitement about watching their children grow and experience life.

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2026-06-17 04:52