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Panjabi MC

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Panjabi MC
Panjabi MC performing at London Mela in August 2010
Panjabi MC performing atLondon Melain August 2010
Background information
Birth nameRajinder Singh Rai
Born(1970-02-14)February 14, 1970(age 54)
Coventry,Warwickshire,England
GenresBhangra,electronic,alternative hip hop,trip hop,Asian Underground
Occupation(s)Musician
Years active1993–present
LabelsSuperstar Recordings (Germany)
Urban Records
PMC Records (UK)
Universal(India)
Ultra Music
Websitewww.panjabi-mc.com

Rajinder Singh Rai(Punjabi:ਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ;born February 14, 1970), better known by his stage namePanjabi MC,is aBritish-Indianrecording artist, rapper, producer and DJ. He is best known for the worldwide 2002Bhangrahit "Mundian To Bach Ke",which sold 10 million copies worldwide, making itone of the best-selling singles of all time.Among other songs, he gained acclaim with the 2003 release "Jogi".AllMusichas called him "one of the most prominent names in bhangra".[1]

Career

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Rajinder Singh adopted his stage name from thePunjabi languagehe used in the music he plays andraps.[2]"One of [his] main goals is to fuse the two worlds [ofBhangraandhip hop]. "[3]

Nachural Recordssigned Panjabi MC following aremixofKuldeep 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 albumLegalised) which mixed thethemeof the TV seriesKnight Riderwith Bhangra. An underground hit on the internet, it was picked up by the German record label Superstar Recordings, and became ahit recordin Germany and across Europe, including the UK. A version of this recording in 2003 featured American rapperJay-Ztitled "Beware of the Boys".

His work, particularly the early singles and the "Mundian To Bach Ke" remix withJay-Z,brought Bhangra music genre to a global audience via theBBC.He continues to produce and remix music. In 2004, he made music called "Mirza" and mixed this song withTurkishsingerMustafa Sandal's "Isyankar",but they did not release the mixed version.[4]

His albumIndian Timingwas released in 2008. His music video "Snake Charmer"was screened at Deejay Ra's music video night inTorontoat 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 filmThe White Tiger.[5]

Sampling

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OnIndian Timing,Panjabi MC uses vocal samples fromOfra Haza"Im Nin'Alu".He used"Planet Rock"(" Pyar Wich (Planet Rock Remix) "on the albumLegalised) beforeAfrika Bambaataarecorded "Indian Planet Rock". On "Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee",Panjabi MC uses the theme music from the TV showMagnum, P.I."Mundian To Bach Ke" (along with the subsequent remix version featuringJay-Z,"Beware of the Boys" ) uses the bassline from the television showKnight Rider.[3]

Television work

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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", fromBeware,was featured on the television showHeroes(episode 2,Don't Look Back,which aired 2 October 2006). The single "Mundian To Bach Ke" was featured in an episode ofQueer as Folkand in the 2002 movieBend It Like Beckham.It also features in the BAFTA-nominated filmThe White Tigerin 2020. The song "Yaaran Kollon Sikh Kuriye" was featured in the showWild Boyzas a music video. Panjabi MC has appeared onTop of the Pops,from which the video to "Mundian To Bach Ke"began to appear on music channels across the globe.

Together withSukhwinder SinghandSapna Awasthi,Panjabi MC remixed the popular song "Chaiyya Chaiyya"from theBollywoodfilm,Dil Se...This song was used as the background during opening credits for the Hollywood movieInside Man.Their song "Land of Five Rivers", used as a theme song for theWWEwrestlerThe Great Khali,[6]features onVoices: WWE The Music, Vol. 9.

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • 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

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  • Illegal(2006, Nupur Audio)
  • Sentello II(2004, Korsan Cd)

EPs

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  • Jatt Ho Gya Sharabi(1996, Nachural Records)
  • Mirza Part Two(1997, Nachural Records)
  • Switchin'(2000, Moviebox)

Singles

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List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
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"
(featuringJay-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 (Bollywood Joint)" 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

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References

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  1. ^Andy Kellman (14 February 1973)."Panjabi MC | Biography & History".AllMusic.Retrieved28 February2016.
  2. ^[1]Archived20 November 2007 at theWayback Machine
  3. ^ab"Mix This Young South Asians' Love-Hate Relationship with Hip-Hop's New Bengali Beats".Village Voice.Villagevoice.com. Archived fromthe originalon 8 June 2008.Retrieved30 May2015.
  4. ^Verma, Rahul."Asian Allstars"(PDF).British Council. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 August 2013.Retrieved28 December2007.
  5. ^"The White Tiger - 2021 Netflix Movie Features Panjabi MC & JAY-Z".Panjabi MC.27 January 2021.Retrieved6 June2021.
  6. ^"Desi Radio, Videos and MP3s, Bollywood Hindi Songs, Bhangra Music and Podcasts".Desihits.com. Archived fromthe originalon 5 November 2009.Retrieved30 May2015.
  7. ^"Panjabi MC – Chart History: Hot 100".Billboard.Retrieved26 October2019.
  8. ^"Panjabi MC – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs".Billboard.Retrieved26 October2019.
  9. ^"Panjabi MC – Chart History: Dance Single Sales".Billboard.Retrieved26 October2019.
  10. ^Peaks in Australia:
    • "Mundian To Bach Ke":"Discography Panjabi MC".australian-charts.com.Hung Medien.Retrieved26 October2019.
    • "Jogi":Ryan, Gavin (2011).Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010(PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 212.
  11. ^"Discography Panjabi MC".Ultratop.Archivedfrom the original on 22 November 2019.Retrieved26 October2019.
  12. ^"Discography Panjabi MC".DanishCharts.Retrieved26 October2019.
  13. ^"Discography Punjabi MC".OfficialGermanCharts.Archivedfrom the original on 2 November 2015.Retrieved26 October2019.
  14. ^"Discographie Panjabi MC".Irish Charts. Archived fromthe original(search "Punjabi MC" in Artists search)on 21 July 2011.Retrieved26 October2019.
  15. ^"Panjabi MC – Chart History: France Singles".Billboard.Retrieved26 October2019.
  16. ^"Italian Song Chart".italiancharts.com.Retrieved26 October2019.
  17. ^"Discographie Panjabi MC"(select "Charts" tab).Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien.Archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2019.Retrieved26 October2019.
  18. ^"Panjabi MC – Official Charts Company".OfficialCharts.Archivedfrom the original on 3 January 2020.Retrieved26 October2019.
  19. ^"MTV Europe Music Awards 2003 Winner".News.bbc.co.uk. 7 November 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 28 November 2022.Retrieved7 November2003.
  20. ^"MOBO UK Act of the Year 2003".Rte.ie. 26 September 2003.Retrieved30 May2015.
  21. ^"BRITISH ASIAN MUSIC AWARDS 2004 LAUNCHED".Redhotcurry.com. 7 October 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 10 February 2010.Retrieved24 August2010.
  22. ^"2003 World Music Awards Winners".Billboard.
  23. ^"Brit Asia TV Music Awards 2011" AND THE WINNERS ARE... "".Punjab2000.com.3 October 2011.Retrieved3 September2020.
  24. ^Anusha, Nava (11 October 2018)."BritAsia TV Music Awards 2018 Winners".www.desiblitz.com.Archivedfrom the original on 29 June 2019.Retrieved19 August2020.
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