Jelly Roll Charts His First Hit In The Genre Where He Started His Career

Forbes

5 hours ago

Jelly Roll lands his first win on a hip-hop-focused Billboard chart, debuting at No. 9 on the ... More R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs tally with Lil Wayne's 'Sharks.' SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Jelly Roll performs onstage for Coca Cola Live during the 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo byfor 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival)
Jelly Roll first got his start in the music industry in the hip-hop space, and a number of his early albums see him rapping alongside several other well-known musicians in the hip-hop genre. That trajectory didn't see him gain much traction, so a few years back, he decided to change things up. It wasn't until he ventured into rock and country that he broke out into the American mainstream and became the superstar he is today.
Despite his early beginnings, many of Jelly's hits now land on the rock, country, and pop charts, and he has seen only limited success on Billboard's hip-hop rankings. The singer-songwriter finally earns his first win on a genre-specific tally his early work would fit on thanks to his new collaboration with one of the biggest rappers of all time.
Lil Wayne's "Sharks" Featuring Jelly Roll Debuts
Jelly debuts at No. 9 on this week's R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart as a featured artist on "Sharks." The track is fronted by Lil Wayne and appears on his new album, Tha Carter VI, and it also credits rapper Big Sean.
"Sharks" is the third-loftiest debut of the week on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs tally. It comes in behind "Hip-Hop" — another Wayne track, this time featuring BigXthaPlug and Jay Jones — and GloRilla's "Typa," both of which open inside the top five.
Jelly Roll Earns His First Hip-Hop Streaming Hit
Jelly earns his first placement on Billboard's list of the most-streamed tracks in America that are classified as hip-hop, rap, or R&B. "Sharks" earns Big Sean his seventh top 10 and twenty-second overall appearance on the roster. Wayne, meanwhile, beats his collaborators by a mile, as he now boasts a milestone 50 total appearances on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs ranking throughout the years.
"Sharks" Brings Jelly Roll to the Hip-Hop Rankings
"Sharks" is a rare hip-hop win for Jelly Roll, as it brings him to half a dozen Billboard charts focused on either hip-hop or rap. The R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs tally is the only list where the Grammy nominee scores his first win, but the collaborative tune also lands him on multiple other rosters. These include the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales, and Hot Rap Songs rankings — for just the second time in his career.