Dancehall entertainer Laa Lee emphasized the importance of nurturing local talent to make a global impact in football and expressed his pride in seeing the progress of his team, Arnett Gardens
Laa Lee, stepping out to support his team during the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League season
Dancehall deejay Laa Lee believes the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League provides an ideal opportunity for local players to advance their football careers beyond Jamaica.
Laa Lee, who is a passionate football fan, was present at the recent launch of the 2024-2025 premier league season in New Kingston. "The league needs to produce more Raheem Sterling and Leon Bailey. There are so many kids with talent out here, but because we nuh have the infrastructure to develop them career them just stuck, so we need more Leon Bailey and Raheem Sterling,” the deejay reasoned.
Born Romario Ricketts in Jungle, one of Kingston's toughest communities, Laa Lee hails from Arnett Gardens, where he played for the club at the youth level. Despite having the chance to pursue a career as a senior professional footballer, he ultimately chose to follow his passion for music instead. "I am former player for Arnett Gardens but music mek mi stop. I won under-20 with them 2016 and then mi buss 2018 when mi did a guh play premier league and jus stop," he revealed.
General manager of Arnett Gardens FC, Peter Thelwell, Laa Lee, Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum, brand manager, Kerry Ann Bryan & Dream Entertainment's, Scott Dunn
Laa Lee praised the title sponsors for their impressive execution of the launch, along with the league organizers, Professional Football of Jamaica Limited (PFJL). “The presentation was well put together, big up Wray & Nephew as a sponsor and big up the whole premier league organization. Look like this year a guh be a bang!", the 'Dirt Bounce' deejay said.
The "Short and Tall Eeh" deejay believes that talented local players need the opportunity to go overseas and make a significant impact on the sport.
Though Arnett Gardens FC may not yet be a popular name internationally, the club has produced a rising star who could rise to the levels of Sterling and Bailey as their own. Kaheem Dixon, recently signed to Charlton Athletic FC in England just ahead of the new season, is one such talent. Dixon played for Arnett Gardens from January to the end of the JPL season after being the standout player in the 2023-2024 ISSA Schoolboy Football season, catching the attention of the English club, which quickly signed him in August.
Laa Lee would be pleased to see his beloved Arnett Gardens off to a strong start, securing four points from their first two games of the campaign as they chase their sixth JPL title this season. Under the new management of Dream Entertainment, Arnett Gardens could be poised for a promising future. “Yu done know the premier league a start suh mi afi outside yu si mi. One side, one Arnett Gardens, a my team that from mi born,” he declared.
With the league just three weeks old, all eyes will be on the next set of players likely to breakout and become stars of the future.
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