TWENTY-THREE years after it was a massive local hit for singer D Wisdom, the ballad My First Real Love has taken on new life. The song has been covered by Rhythm and Blues singer Ashanti with a guest slot by Beenie Man.

Ashanti’s version is titled First Real Love, and is from her new album BraveHeart which is due for release on March 4. BraveHeart is the first album of new material from Ashanti since 2008’s The Declaration which sold 300,000 copies in the United States.

The 33-year-old American is best known for hits like Always on Time (featuring Ja Rule), Foolish, Happy, Baby, Rock Wit U (Aww Baby), Rain on Me and Mesmerize featuring Ja Rule. My First Real Love was written by D Wisdom and produced by drummer Willie Stewart of Third World.

It was released on Stewart’s Peak Records label. “I was working at Lord & Lady in Manor Centre when the song became a hit. The success of the song didn’t really change my life in any big way, I was still the same person before and after.

What was surprising was how people took to it,” D Wisdom told the Sunday Observer. My First Real Love topped the RJR Top 40 chart for five straight weeks and earned D Wisdom the JAMI Award for Best New Artiste in 1992.

After the success of My First Real Love, D Wisdom released a follow-up single, Now That I Know, which failed to chart. For the past 12 years, D Wisdom has toured as a member of Beres Hammond’s Harmony House singers.

She recently teamed with musician/producer Taddy P for the track Gimme Just a Little More.