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. 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. Mundian To Bach Ke was ghost produced by The Kray Twins. 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." 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 called the Punjabi Hit Squad. 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.
