Tommy Lee Sparta

Leroy Russell Jr. lost his father at age nine and attended Anchovy High School near Montego Bay, where peers encouraged him to pursue music. He emerged from the local studio scene in the late 2000s, drawing attention with "Spartan Story," a song that established the menacing, bass-heavy, horror-tinged persona that would define his career.

In March 2010 he became an official member of the Portmore Empire, the collective associated with Vybz Kartel known as "Gaza." His profile rose through the early 2010s, and in 2012 he scored his first Jamaican number-one record with "Some Bwoy (Pon Chain)," making him one of the most anticipated acts at that year's Reggae Sumfest.

In December 2020, police found an illegal 9mm firearm in his possession during a vehicle search; investigators later linked the weapon to two unrelated murders. He pleaded guilty to illegal firearm and ammunition possession and was sentenced in March 2021 to three years for the firearm charge and two years for the ammunition charge, to run concurrently.

He was released from prison in March 2023 after serving roughly two years, with his release drawing significant public attention in Jamaica, and has since resumed his recording and performing career.