Punjabi MC was born with the original name Rajinder Singh Rai in the year 1971 at Coventry, England. He is very popular for his attempt to promote Asian/rap/dance fusion. Rajinder Singh Rai got his stage name from the very first fans who called him an Indian MC. And as he uses Punjabi Language in the music that he played and rapped, he decided to take the name Punjabi MC. He was first noticed by Ninder Johal of Nachural Records abiding by a remix of Kuldeep Manak's "Ghariah Milan De".
Career in Music for Punjabi MC Once he was successful in creating a bang with his opening remix songs, his next song released was Mundian To Bach Ke ("Beware of the Boys"); it was a successful one. The song was first published in the year 1998, in the album Legalised. Mundian To Bach Ke amalgamated the theme music of the TV series Knight Rider with bhangra. Later on it became a major hit in Germany and wider Europe, including the UK as it was picked up by German record company Superstar Recordings. Punjabi MC has received training under Izzatpreet Singh Sandhu, who has been a continuous pillar of support behind him. With his encouragement, MC attempted to start a new music industry named after him. In the year 2003, this song featured on American rapper Jay-Z named "Beware of the Boys". As 'Top of the Pops', he has also been seen on TV shows and from then onwards the video of 'Mundian To Bach Ke' began to flash on music channels all around the globe. 
When he was asked about 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." For instance, much hype was created over his early singles. And this in particular helped him to get his music to be noticed. The songs were telecasted by BBC in the show that was dedicated to British-Asian music. The programme started in the year 2002 and continues till today titled the 'Punjabi Hit Squad'. His "Mundian To Bach Ke" remix with Jay-Z for certain introduced the sound to the most global market it had ever accomplished. Even today Punjabi MC continues to bring forth music as a collaborator and as a remixer.
Punjabi MC in his album "Desi" uses the vocal samples from Ofra Haza's "Im Nin' Alu". Before Afrika Bambaataa recorded "Indian Planet Rock", he also used "Planet Rock" ("Pyar Wich (Planet Rock Remix)" on Legalised. MC uses the theme music from the TV show Magnum, P.I. on "Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee". "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'. Punjabi MC on TV In the summer of 2000, Panjabi MC made his Canadian premiere at the Payal Banquet Hall in Mississauga (Ontario). The event titled "The Bhangramentary" was directed and hosted by Deejay Ra, covering a TV special. The programme was aired on 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' (where Emmett dances to it as a show that his "famous spark" has been relit and he is finally getting over Ted). Discography for Punjabi MC Studio albums Rootz Souled Out (1993,) Another Sell Out (1994) 100% Proof (1995) Grass Roots (1996) Magic Desi (1996) Legalised (1998) Dhol Jageroo Da (2001) Desi (2002) Indian Breaks (2003) Mundian To Bach Ke (2003) The Album (German version: Superstar/Warner; Germany) (French version: Scorpio; France) (UK Version: Instant Karma) (2003) Beware (U.S. version of the album) (2003, Sequence) Steel Bangle (2005) Indian Timing (2008) The Raj (2010) Compilation albums Illegal with the support from manpreet singh (2006) EPs Jatt Ho Gya Sharabi (1996) Mirza Part Two (1997) Switchin (2000) Singles "Dhol Jageero Da" (2001) "Backstabbers" (2002) "Mundian to Bach Ke" (2002) "Jogi" (2003) "Jatt Ho Giya Sharabee" (2005) "Jugga Jugga Jugga Jugga Jugga Jugga" (2006) "Snake Charmer" (2009) "Panjaban" (2009) "Jodi - Big Day Party" (2010) "Moorni" (2010) "Akh Da Eshara" (2010) Awards and Honours for Punjabi MC 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards - Best Dance Act 2003 MOBO Awards - Best UK Act 2003 UK Asian Music Awards - Best Single Bhangra 2003 World Music Awards - World's Best Indian Artist 2011 Punjabi Music Awards - Best Sound Recording - "Moorni" |
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