Jelly Roll was “moved to tears” when Eminem sampled his song “Save Me” on his new album

July 12, 2024

Jelly Roll talks about a full-circle moment for which he is “eternally grateful.”

On Friday, Eminem released his new album “The Death of Slim Shady,” on which he samples the song “Save Me” by Jelly Roll.

“I always say my childhood hero lived somewhere between Willie Nelson and Eminem,” the singer, rapper and songwriter wrote in an Instagram post with a photo of him and Eminem. “As a teenager (and even today) I could recite every song on the Slim Shady album, the Marshal (sic) Mathers album and the Eminem show.”

“When I got out of prison at 17 and started sneaking into cyphers and battles in Nashville, they would play the ‘Lose Yourself’ beat when I got on stage at the freestyle battles,” the singer, rapper and songwriter continued. “I could relate to every word Eminem wrote. I understood him and felt like he understood me, which is rare because I’ve felt misunderstood most of my life.”

PHOTO: Jelly Roll performs at 107.5 The River's River in Nashville, Tennessee on June 17, 2024. Eminem performs during the 37th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on November 5, 2022. — Jelly Roll performs during 107.5 The River’s “River on the Rooftop” at the Skydeck on Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee on June 17, 2024. Eminem performs during the 37th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on November 5, 2022.

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“So you can imagine how I felt when I got the call that Eminem was going to sample my song ‘Save Me’ on his new album,” he added. “And for him to use the song to discuss the other side of what could have happened if he had allowed his demons to win brought me to tears.”

On Eminem’s album, the Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper sampled “Save Me” by Jelly Roll in the song “Somebody Save Me.”

The beginning of Eminem’s song contains the melody and opening lyrics of Jelly Roll’s song. Jelly Roll also sings the chorus of his song in “Somebody Save Me” while Eminem raps the verses.

Jelly Roll’s powerful chorus goes, “Somebody save me from myself / I’ve been living in hell for so long / 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, listen to ‘Somebody Save Me’ on Eminem’s new album ‘The Death of Slim Shady,'” Jelly Roll concluded his post. “A special thanks to Paul Rosenberg, you have always been very kind to me and treated me like family and given me opportunities I didn’t deserve. I am eternally grateful.”

The duo’s collaboration on “Somebody Save Me” is not the first time the singers have worked together.

In June, they took the stage together for “Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central,” where they sang Eminem’s hit “Sing For The Moment.”