Michael Jackson’s Blue Gangsta has long stood out as one of his most atmospheric and sonically daring tracks. With its cinematic tone and sharp rhythmic elements, it offered plenty of room for reinterpretation. In this new edit, producers DeMarco and Sakura bring a fresh perspective to the song—reworking its structure, layering new textures, and emphasising its groovier edge while staying rooted in the original’s intensity.
Below, they discuss the inspiration behind the project, their collaborative process, and how they approached reshaping such an iconic track.
What inspired you to choose “Blue Gangsta” specifically for this edit, and how did you envision transforming it?
Blue Gangsta has always stood out as one of Michael’s darker, more cinematic tracks—there’s a moodiness to it that felt like fertile ground for reinterpretation. We were drawn to its tension and drama, and wanted to amplify that in a way that felt fresh, immersive, and more rhythmically hypnotic. The idea was to honour the original atmosphere while pushing it somewhere unexpected sonically.
Can you walk us through your collaborative process? How did you both divide the work & blend your styles?
Sakura built the drums and I pulled in the stems of these. We then collaboratively worked together on Zoom over one evening. I took lead on synths and our styles are similar so we found it easy creating the bass line. We then worked on the arrangement together to finally arrive at the finished track.
How did you balance staying true to Michael Jackson’s original artistry while putting your own spin on it?
Respect was the foundation. Michael’s work is sacred in pop and R&B, so we never wanted to overshadow his presence—we wanted to frame it in a new light. We kept his voice and intensity at the centre, and let our interpretation orbit around that. Whilst the lead synth is the star of the show in the beat itself, the aim was for this to work seamlessly with the iconic vocals.
What do you hope listeners take away from this edit after hearing it for the first time?
Hopefully, a new appreciation for how versatile and forward-thinking Blue Gangsta really was. We want people to hear the iconic vocals and feel how it blends with the piercing lead synth. We also hope listeners can enjoy the instrumental as a great track in its own but can instantly feel how the iconic timeless vocals from Michael elevates the track to another level.
If you could describe this edit in just three words, what would they be?
Electric. Addictive. Groovy.
Since its release, the DeMarco x Sakura Edit of Blue Gangsta has quickly caught fire—hitting #1 on SoundCloud’s House chart and gaining strong momentum on our YouTube. The response has been overwhelming, with listeners embracing both the nostalgic pull of Michael’s vocals and the modern edge of the new production. It’s clear that this rework is resonating, not just as a tribute, but as a standout track in its own right.
Grab your copy here