Panjabi MC to Perform in Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Jan. 24, 2014 - PRLog -- While a big name in increasingly rap-savvy India, most American hip-hop fans probably best know Panjabi MC from his international hit “Mundian To Bach Ke” (“Beware of the Boys”), to which Jay-Z famously added two verses back in 2003.

And now for the first time in the United States as part of a national Tour, Panjabi MC will be performing in Hollywood at the infamous Dragonfly (21and over) on Friday, February 7^th, 2014.   Tickets are available on Dragonfly Website and www.desiclub.com/pmc-la.  The show is expected to sell out, as PANJABI MC has NEVER performed in California. He will be joined by Violinder (Punjabi Violinist) and Dhol Nation (recognized as the premier Dholis in the nation)

Jay-Z had heard one of his tracks, "Mundian To Bach Ke," in a Swiss nightclub in late 2002, and was struck by the artist's fusion of Indian sounds and urban street music. Uniting traditional Indian drumbeats with theme music from the 1980s television drama Knight Rider, "Mundian To Bach Ke," translating roughly as "Be Careful of the Boys," is a catchy dance tune with a message of caution for teenage girls. Jay-Z was so taken with the track's rhythms that he wrote his own lyrics to accompany them, and an overseas collaboration ensued. "I wasn't aware that anyone like Jay-Z had ever heard our music before, let alone would want to use it," an enthusiastic Panjabi MC said.

When Jay-Z released "Beware of the Boys," his remix of "Mundian To Bach Ke," in early 2003, the song became a club hit in both Europe and the United States. Jay-Z's lyrics added a dash of American-style bluntness, including a verse protesting a developing war with Iraq ("We rebellious/We back home/Screaming, 'Leave Iraq alone'"). The lyrics appealed to Panjabi MC, who felt that Jay-Z was expressing the feelings of many young listeners at the time.

"Beware of the Boys" hit number two on Billboard 's R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart in April of 2003, marking a strong debut for bhangra sounds among mainstream American audiences. Meanwhile, Panjabi MC's original 1998 single "Mundian To Bach Ke" had made history by hitting the top ten in the British charts as well. It was the first time a song with only Indian vocals had climbed so high on the charts. In Germany the song reached number two, and in Italy it hit number one. Panjabi MC was touted as a "crossover (http://www.answers.com/topic/panjabi-mc)" success in both Europe and the United States, and was regarded as the poster boy for a new music style fusing bhangra and rap.

In July of 2003, riding on the success of his collaboration with Jay-Z, Panjabi MC released the album Beware on Sequence Records, which included both the original "Mundian To Bach Ke" and Jay-Z's remix. Called "incredibly danceable" by Rolling Stone 's Pat Blashill, the album was enthusiastically received, and in October of 2003 Panjabi MC won the Best Indian Artist award at the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo.

For inquiries, please contact Sanjay@zibabeauty.com