Jelly Roll is opening up about a full circle moment that’s left him “forever grateful.”
On Friday, Eminem released his new album, The Death of Slim Shady, in which he samples Jelly’s “Save Me” on “Somebody Save Me.”
“I always say my childhood hero’s lived somewhere between Willie Nelson and Eminem,” the singer, rapper and songwriter wrote in an Instagram post featuring a photo of him and Eminem. “As a teenager (and still today) I could recite every song on the Slim Shady album, the Marshal [sic] Mathers album and the Eminem show.”
“When I bonded out of jail at 17 years old and was sneaking into cyphers and battles in Nashville they would also play the ‘lose yourself’ beat when I came out on stage at the freestyle battles,” Jelly continued. “I related to every word Eminem wrote. I understand him and felt like he understood me, which was rare cause I spent most of my life feeling misunderstood.”
“So you can imagine how I felt when I got that the call that Eminem would be sampling my song ‘Save Me’ on his new album,” the Tennessee native added. “And for him to use the song to discuss the other side of what could’ve happened if he would’ve allowed his demons to win brought me to tears.”
The beginning of “Somebody Save Me” includes the melody and opening lyrics of Jelly’s song. Jelly also sings the chorus while Eminem raps the verses.
Jelly’s powerful chorus goes: “Somebody save me, me from myself/ I’ve spent so long living in hell/ They say my lifestyle is bad for my health/ It’s the only thing that seems to help.”
“If you haven’t heard it yet, check out ‘Somebody Save Me’ on Eminem’s new album ‘the death of slim shady,'” Jelly concluded his post.
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