When Gangsta Blues, her fifth studio album, was released in 2004, recording artiste and performer Tanya Stephens had no expectation as to how the public would have received the project.

Now, 20 years later, the critically acclaimed album has received a new lease on life.

A live version of the project, titled Gangsta Blues Live: 20th Anniversary, was released on July 19 via Tuff Gong International and Tad’s Records Inc.

The live album features Spragga Benz on Gangsta Gal and Kumar Fyah on This is Love. It was recorded in front of a live studio audience at SiriusXM in Miami Beach, Florida.

“I went into the making of that record without any expectation at all. It was more of a bid to define and separate myself from everything around me than a commercial product,” Stephens said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer on the weekend.

Gangsta Blues contains the hit songs What a Day, It’s a Pity, The Other Cheek, Little White Lie, and Good Ride.

Louis “Flabba” Malcolm, Andrew Henton, Barry O’Hare, Neil Amos, Romain “Sherkhan” Chiffre, Stephens, Mr Doo, Phillip “Fattis” Burrell, Anthony Senior, and Steven Stanley are listed as producers who contributed to the project.

When asked what it was about the project that made it connect with fans, Stephens told the Observer: “I think it was the combination of relevant topics with good writing and delivery. Artistes are always more concerned with looking good and being political, but my focus is entirely on the content.”

Stephens also shared memories about the recording process for the album.

“The entire process was enjoyable, but I was particularly impressed that Bobby Digital agreed to mix Little White Lie. At the time, he was mostly focused on his own work, so it felt very special,” said Stephens, adding that there was nothing about the album that she would have done differently.

Asked if she had a favourite song on the album, Stephens disclosed: “I don’t have a favourite song, but the one I feel most relieved I was able to write in a way that introduced a new perspective is Little White Lie. The responses over the last 20 years confirm the initial thought… We need to discuss this!”

Stephens shared the back story behind Little White Lie.

“
Little White Lie is the tale of a woman who got impregnated by one man and named another [more responsible] man as the father. That woman is typically ridiculed and demonised, but I felt her story was just as valid and deserved discussion.”

Gangsta Blues peaked at #10 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.