Fact Check: Did Jelly Roll say he won't celebrate Pride Month?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Country-rap sensation Jelly Roll has found himself at the center of a viral controversy after social media rumors claimed he publicly refused to celebrate Pride Month in June 2025.
June is traditionally a time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and advocate for equality, with countless people joining in the festivities.
So when a rumor surfaced claiming that Jelly Roll, the 'I Am Not Okay' singer, refused to celebrate Pride Month, it ignited a fierce backlash online, leaving fans wondering, did he really say it, or is this just internet misinformation gone wild?
Claim: Jelly Roll declared he won’t celebrate Pride Month
On June 11, a manager of the Facebook page StarPower USA shared a post that fueled a fast-spreading rumor. The post, labeled “HOT NEWS,” claimed, "Jelly Roll Sparks Uproar After Declaring He Won't Celebrate Pride Month."
“Country-rap star Jelly Roll, known for his raw lyrics and unfiltered honesty, has ignited major backlash after announcing he will not be participating in Pride Month this June," the post read.
It went on to say that the artist allegedly declared, “‘WOKE’ doesn’t deserve to be celebrated,” a statement that supposedly caused intense division among fans and fellow musicians. A video included in the post vaguely teased his supposed explanation, saying, “This song will never be…” The Facebook post was accompanied by a link to a website article, published on June 12, which repeated the same unverified claims.
The website reported, "As Pride Moпth coпtiпυes, this iпcideпt υпderscores the cυltυral divide iп how Americaпs iпterpret ideпtity, activism, aпd artistic respoпsibility. For maпy, this is пot jυst aboυt a statemeпt—it’s aboυt what kiпd of voices get amplified iп momeпts that matter."
In just a few days, the post gained significant traction, amassing over 25K comments, 166K reactions, and 4.4K shares. While it started on Facebook, the rumor quickly spilled onto other platforms, with users on Reddit, Threads, TikTok, and X sharing and discussing the claim as it continued to gain momentum.
HOT NEWS: Jelly Roll STIRS CONTROVERSY with Shocking Announcement—Won’t Celebrate Pride Month! The Country-Rap Star Claims “WOKE Doesn’t Deserve to Be Celebrated” in Explosive Statement, Dividing Fans and Fellow Artists! The Raw and Unfiltered Confession Sparks Heated… pic.twitter.com/7ooxzTEPq9
— steve vance (@stevevance2112) June 15, 2025
Report debunks rumor Jelly Roll declared he won’t celebrate Pride Month
Despite the attention the rumor received online, there is no evidence that Jelly Roll ever stated he would not celebrate Pride Month, according to Snopes.
One of the key reasons the claim was debunked is that searches on Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Google turned up no credible news reports or media coverage confirming such a statement. In addition, a review of Jelly Roll’s official social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube, showed no recent mentions of Pride Month at all.
Snopes concluded that the rumor appeared to be the result of one or more individuals fabricating a story to generate clicks and ad revenue through blog articles hosted on WordPress. It's worth noting Jelly Roll’s long-standing stance against engaging in online drama.
In a 2020 Facebook post, he wrote, “I refuse to engage in any kind of negativity with anyone. I will not entertain anything that is not about lifting people up or helping people out…"
He added, “I don't care what your race, political agenda, personal sexual preference or religion is. You'll never hear me in any of those arguments."
