Panjabi MC
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Rajinder Singh Rai (Punjabi: ਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ; born February 14, 1973), better known by his stage name Panjabi MC, is a British-Indian recording artist, rapper, producer and DJ. He is best known for the worldwide 2002 Bhangra hit "Mundian To Bach Ke", which sold 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. Among other songs, he gained acclaim with the 2003 release "Jogi". AllMusic has called him "one of the most prominent names in bhangra".[1]
Panjabi MC | |
|---|---|
Panjabi MC performing at London Mela in August 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rajinder Singh Rai |
| Born | February 14, 1973 Coventry, Warwickshire, England |
| Genres | Bhangra, electronic, alternative hip hop, trip hop, Asian Underground |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | Superstar Recordings (Germany) Urban Records PMC Records (UK) Universal (India) Ultra Music |
| Website | www |
Career edit
Rajinder Singh adopted his stage name from the Punjabi language he used in the music he plays and raps.[2] "One of [his] main goals is to fuse the two worlds [of Bhangra and hip hop]."[3]
Nachural Records signed 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. Another successful release was "Mundian To Bach Ke" ("Beware of the Boys") (1998; it 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 the German record label Superstar Recordings, and became a hit record in Germany and across Europe, including the UK. A version of this recording in 2003 featured American rapper Jay-Z titled "Beware of the Boys".
His work, particularly the early singles and the "Mundian To Bach Ke" remix with Jay-Z, brought Bhangra music genre to a global audience via the BBC. He continues to produce and remix music. In 2004, he made music called "Mirza" and mixed this song with Turkish singer Mustafa Sandal's "Isyankar", but they did not release the mixed version.[4]
His album Indian Timing was released in 2008. His music video "Snake Charmer" was screened at Deejay Ra's music video night in Toronto at the FILMI festival, North America's longest running South Asian film festival.
The remix of "Mundian To Bach Ke" with Jay-Z appears on the soundtrack of the 2021 Netflix film The White Tiger.[5]
Sampling edit
On Indian Timing, Panjabi MC uses vocal samples from Ofra Haza "Im Nin'Alu". He used "Planet Rock" ("Pyar Wich (Planet Rock Remix)" on the album 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.[3]
Television work edit
In 2001, Panjabi MC made his Canadian premiere at the Payal Banquet Hall in Mississauga (Ontario). Deejay Ra 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 2 October 2006). The single "Mundian To Bach Ke" was featured in an episode of Queer as Folk and in the 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham. It also features in the BAFTA-nominated film The White Tiger in 2020. The song "Yaaran Kollon Sikh Kuriye" was featured in the show Wild Boyz as a music video. Panjabi MC has appeared on Top of the Pops, from which the video to "Mundian To Bach Ke" began to appear on music channels across the globe.
Together with Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, Panjabi MC remixed the popular song "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the Bollywood film, Dil Se... This song was used as the background during opening credits for the Hollywood movie Inside Man. Their song "Land of Five Rivers", used as a theme song for the WWE wrestler The Great Khali,[6] features on Voices: WWE The Music, Vol. 9.
Discography edit
Studio albums edit
- Souled Out (1993, Nachural Records)
- Another Sell Out (1994, Nachural Records)
- 100% Proof (1995, Nachural Records)
- Grass Roots (1996, Nachural Records)
- Magic Desi (1996)
- Legalised (1998, Nachural Records)
- Dhol Jageero 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 (American version of "The Album"; 2003, Sequence)
- Steel Bangle (2005, Moviebox)
- Indian Timing (2008, PMC Records)
- The Raj (2010, PMC Records)
- 56 Districts (2019, PMC Records)
Compilation albums edit
- Illegal (2006, Nupur Audio)
- Sentello II (2004, Korsan Cd)
EPs edit
- Jatt Ho Gya Sharabi (1996, Nachural Records)
- Mirza Part Two (1997, Nachural Records)
- Switchin' (2000, Moviebox)
Singles edit
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [7] | US R&B [8] | US Dance [9] | AUS [10] | BEL [11] | CAN | DEN [12] | GER [13] | IRL [14] | FRA [15] | ITA [16] | SWI [17] | UK [18] | ||||
| "Ghariah Milan De" | 1995 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Mundian To Bach Ke" | 1998 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Legalised | |
| "Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Jatt Ho Gya Sharabi | ||
| "Yaaran Kollon Sikh Kuriye" | 2001 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Album | |
| "Mundian To Bach Ke" (featuring Jay-Z) | 2003 | 33 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Legalised |
| "Jogi" | — | — | — | 92 | 55 | — | — | 12 | 47 | 75 | 30 | 8 | 25 | Jogi EP | ||
| "Chaiyya Chaiyya" | 2006 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Snake Charmer" | 2007 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Land of Five Rivers" | 2009 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Moorni (Balle Balle)" | 2010 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||||
Awards edit
- 2003: MTV Europe Music Awards – Best Dance Act – "Panjabi MC"[19]
- 2003: MOBO Awards – Best UK Act[20]
- 2003: UK Asian Music Awards – Best Single Bhangra – "Mundian To Bach Ke"[21]
- 2003: World Music Awards – World's Best Indian Artist[22]
- 2011: Punjabi Music Awards – Best Sound Recording – "Moorni"[citation needed]
- 2011: Brit Asia TV Music Awards – Best Single – "Moorni" and Best Asian Music Producer[23]
- 2018: Brit Asia TV Music Awards – Outstanding Achievement[24]
References edit
- ^ Andy Kellman (14 February 1973). "Panjabi MC | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ^ [1] 20 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Mix This Young South Asians' Love-Hate Relationship with Hip-Hop's New Bengali Beats". Village Voice. Villagevoice.com. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- ^ Verma, Rahul. (PDF). British Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ^ "The White Tiger - 2021 Netflix Movie Features Panjabi MC & JAY-Z". Panjabi MC. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ . Desihits.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- ^ "Panjabi MC – Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Panjabi MC – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Panjabi MC – Chart History: Dance Single Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ Peaks in Australia:
- "Mundian To Bach Ke": "Discography Panjabi MC". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- "Jogi": Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 212.
- ^ "Discography Panjabi MC". Ultratop. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Discography Panjabi MC". DanishCharts. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Discography Punjabi MC". OfficialGermanCharts. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- "Mundian to bach ke": "Mundian to Bach Ke Chart History". OfficialGermanCharts. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- "Jogi": "Jogi Chart History". OfficialGermanCharts. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ . Irish Charts. Archived from the original (search "Punjabi MC" in Artists search) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Panjabi MC – Chart History: France Singles". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Italian Song Chart". italiancharts.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Discographie Panjabi MC" (select "Charts" tab). Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Panjabi MC – Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "MTV Europe Music Awards 2003 Winner". News.bbc.co.uk. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 7 November 2003.
- ^ "MOBO UK Act of the Year 2003". Rte.ie. 26 September 2003. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- ^ . Redhotcurry.com. 7 October 2004. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
- ^ "2003 World Music Awards Winners". Billboard.
- ^ "Brit Asia TV Music Awards 2011 "AND THE WINNERS ARE..."". Punjab2000.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ Anusha, Nava (11 October 2018). "BritAsia TV Music Awards 2018 Winners". www.desiblitz.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
External links edit
- Official website