Panjabi MC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Panjabi Mc | |
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 Wallpaper From Panjabi Mc's Website
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rajinder Singh Rai |
| Born | 1971 |
| Origin | ??? |
| Genre(s) | Remixing, Turntables, Bhangra, |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Years active | 1993 – present |
| Label(s) | ??? |
| Associated acts | Jay Z |
| Website | Panjabi MC`S Website. |
Panjabi MC (real name Rajinder Singh Rai) is a British Indian musician. He was born in 1971 in Coventry, England.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Rajinder Singh Rai gained his stage moniker from the first fans who called him an Indian MC. He explained that "Indian" isn't a language and from there was known as Panjabi MC after the language he used in the music he played and rapped. [1] Ninder Johal of Nachural Records discovered Panjabi MC following a remix of Kuldeep Manak's "Ghariah Milan De". Although the single was taken off the market, Panjabi MC continued making records. His next successful release was "Mundian To Bach Ke" ("Beware of the Boys") (1998; first appeared on the album Legalised) which mixed the theme of the TV series Knight Rider with bhangra. An underground hit on the Internet, it was picked up by German record company Superstar Recordings and became a major hit in Germany and wider Europe, including the UK.
Izzatpreet Singh Sandhu was his first teacher, who had continuously encouraged Panjabi MC to start a new music industry named after him. A version of this recording in 2003 featured American rapper Jay-Z named "Beware of the Boys". Panjabi MC has also been seen on such TV shows as Top of the Pops a couple of years ago, from which the video to "Mundian To Bach Ke" began to appear on music channels across the globe. In regard to hip-hop music and Indian music, he said "One of my main goals is to fuse the two worlds. I would love to link everybody up, for sure." [2] His role as an integrator or innovator can be contested, but his music has certainly had an impact. For instance, much of the hype behind his early singles in particular helped to get the music recognized and carried by the BBC in the show dedicated to British-Asian music started in 2002 and continuing today with the help of Panjabi Hit Squad& their Desi Beats brand. Certainly his "Mundian To Bach Ke" remix with Jay-Z introduced the sound to the most global market it had ever reached. He continues to produce music and is ever popular as a collaborator and remixer. [3]
[edit] Hit Singles
- "Mundian To Bach Ke" from 1998 to 2003 (different remix) (with Jay-Z, Twista)
- "Jogi" in 2003 (Also recorded a remix with Beenie Man)
- "Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee" in 2005
- "Jugga" in 2006 and 2007
- "Dhol Jageero Da" during 2001
- "Backstabbers" during 2002 with Mark Morrison and Daz Dillinger
[edit] Discography
- Rootz
- Souled Out (1993, Nachural Records)
- Another Sell Out (1994, Nachural Records)
- 100% Proof, (1995, Nachural Records)
- Grass Roots, (1996, Nachural Records)
- Magic Desi, (1996)
- Jatt Ho Gya Sharabi (EP), (1996, Nachural Records)
- Mirza Part Two (EP) (1997, Nachural Records)
- Legalised (1998, Nachural Records)
- Switchin' (EP) (2000, Moviebox)
- Dhol Jageroo Da (2001, Moviebox)
- Desi, (2002, Moviebox)
- Indian Breaks (2003, Compagnia Nuove Indye)
- Mundian To Bach Ke (2003, Compagnia Nuove Indye)
- The Album (German version: Superstar/Warner; Germany) (French version: Scorpio; France) (UK Version: Instant Karma) (2003)
- Beware (US Version of The Album) (2003, Sequence)
- Steel Bangle (2005, Moviebox)
- Illegal - (Compilation) (2006, Nupur Audio)
[edit] Sampling
On "Desi", Panjabi MC uses vocal samples from Ofra Haza's "Im Nin'Alu". He also used "Planet Rock" ("Pyar Wich (Planet Rock Remix)" on Legalised) before Afrika Bambaataa recorded "Indian Planet Rock". On “Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee”, Panjabi MC uses the theme music from the TV show Magnum, P.I. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (along with the subsequent remix version featuring Jay-Z, "Beware of the Boys") uses the bassline from the television show Knight Rider.[2]
[edit] On Television
In the Summer of 2001, Panjabi MC made his Canadian premiere at the Payal Banquet Hall in Mississauga (Ontario). Deejay Ra directed and hosted a TV special covering the event entitled "The Bhangramentary", which was aired on the Asian Television Network (ATN). His single, “Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee”, from Beware, was featured on the television show Heroes (episode 2, Don't Look Back, which aired October 2nd, 2006). The single "Mundian To Bach Ke" was featured in an episode of Queer as Folk (Emmett dances to it as a show that his "famous spark" has been relit and he is finally getting over Ted). Together with Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, Panjabi MC remixed A.R. Rahman's popular song Chaiyya Chaiyya from the Bollywood movie Dil Se. This song was used as soundtrack for the movie Inside Man.
[edit] References
- ^ Biography.
- ^ a b Mix This Young South Asians' Love-Hate Relationship with Hip-Hop's New Indian Beats. Village Voice. villagevoice.com. Retrieved on 2005-11-28.
- ^ Verma, Rahul. Asian Allstars. British Council. Retrieved on 28 December, 2007.
