Jelly Roll's Rise amid Mental Health Struggle Inspires Fans in New Doc: 'Music Was My Hail Mary'

Jelly Roll is conquering the mountain!

The rising multi-genre star, 38, is sharing his inspiring story, and insight behind his meteoric rise in the music industry, in the new Hulu documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me.

"I came out of jail with a plan, I was going to put every piece of energy I had into music," the Nashville native says in an exclusive trailer. "It's almost like something just clicked right then."

He adds: "Music was my Hail Mary."

For Jelly — real name Jason DeFord — the road to the limelight was a circuitous journey, involving years of incarceration. He also struggled, and continues to struggle, with his mental health — which he calls "the biggest demon in my life."

Yet the "Son of a Sinner" singer has connected with fans thanks to his raw honesty and unflinching ability to share an unfiltered version of his life.

"They said we were too fat to be in the music business, my voice wasn't cool enough," the Ballads of the Broken star says. "These were all mountains that we had to conquer."

And speaking of mountains, the trailer also gives a glimpse of the scene at Red Rocks, the legendary Colorado venue where Jelly took the stage to perform last October.

Less than two months later, the singer took his "Work in Progress" tour to his hometown, where he played Bridgestone Arena in a sold-out show on Dec. 9.

While the pinnacle of his career this year may have occurred last month when he nabbed three CMT Awards for "Son of a Sinner," the breakout star is not forgetting where he came from and is now paying it forward.

On an episode of the former PEOPLE Every Day podcast with host Janine Rubenstein, last December, the country rap artist said he wants "to bring hope" to troubled youth.

"It's important, man. I think it's important that we give back, especially [to] our kids," he said. "Man, our youth are so impressionable and the old quote goes, 'None of them asked to be here.’”

Jelly continued, "They were born into just whatever situation it was, and sometimes they can't see past that situation or that neighborhood or that environment. I just hope to bring hope to that and kind of be a beacon and a light for those kids."

Jelly Roll: Save Me streams on Hulu beginning May 30.