Panjabi MC
When England's Rajinder Rai, better known as Panjabi MC, made his international breakthrough complete with "Mundian to Bach Ke" ("Beware of the Boys") during 2002 and 2003, the song was several years old. His professional career was even older, reaching back to 1993, when Ninder Johal of the Nachural label heard his desi/hip-hop hybrid remix of Kuldip Manak's "Ghariah Milan De" and signed him for a handful of releases. And well before that, the MC was honing his skills as a freestyler; as he began to record more of his own tracks, he began utilizing desi samples and eventually incorporated live musicians.
A first single, "Rootz," was released officially on an independent, but it was banned -- allegedly due to politics within the bhangra music industry. A steady release schedule throughout the '90s -- including the albums Souled Out, Another Sellout, Grass Roots, and Legalised -- made Panjabi MC one of the most prominent names in bhangra. "Mundian to Bach Ke," recognized immediately for its use of the dynamic bassline from the Knight Rider theme song (used similarly in Timbaland & Magoo's "Clock Strikes" and Busta Rhymes' "Fire It Up," both of which were released earlier) in addition to its incorporation of the traditional dhol (drums) and tumbi (one-string guitar) instruments, became successful across the globe, placing the MC on the U.K.'s Top of the Pops program while leading to a Jay-Z remix.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Switchin'
World - Released by Moviebox Birmingham Limited on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Mundian To Bach Ke
Dance - Released by Altra Moda Music on 12 Nov 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dhol Jageero Da
World - Released by Moviebox Birmingham Limited on 1 Jan 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Steel Bangle
World - Released by Moviebox Birmingham Limited on 1 Jan 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Indian Timing Instrumental
Dance - Released by PMC Records Ltd on 17 Nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Desi
World - Released by Moviebox Birmingham Limited on 1 Jan 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Raj Instrumental
Dance - Released by PMC Records Ltd on 15 Nov 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Snake Charmer (Dance Remix)
Dance - Released by PMC Records Ltd on 3 Aug 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Another Sellout
Panjabi MC, Avtar Maniac, Desi Boyz
Miscellaneous - Released by Nachural Records on 9 Aug 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo