Panjabi MC - Snake Charmer (Panjaban)
Being from the Western part of the world we often forget that their is an entire planet around us filled with several different types of music. As we encourage you to expand your reach and journey out into the world let us guide you a bit to different areas of the globe where people still flourish and make great music. A few years ago Panjabi MC popped up on our radio with a song called "Mandian to Bach Ke" or "Beware Of The Boys". This song would later hit the United States with the help of the Neptunes and a certain Brooklyn emcee by the name of Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. Like most this song came and went but what we fail to realize is that Panjabi MC has continued to have success and pioneer his sound. We recently got the chance to sit down with the man himself and ask him a few questions. iR: So there is an obvious correlation between the Punjabi language and how your name was conceived. What parallels do you draw from in the Punjabi language in your music?
PMC: As probably the first Indian rapper ever. I had many stage names, but no one really remembered them. Instead, I got the unofficial name "The Indian MC." In India, there are thousands of languages, but the national language is Hindi. Bollywood films and mainstream pop songs are mostly in Hindi. Punjabi is one of the main second languages. It is mostly spoken by people of Punjab. This is also my mother tongue. I named myself Punjabi MC and everyone seemed to like it. The region is one of India's greatest states. It's location is near the Himalayas and it's epic history has lead to many cultures coming together (including the British during Raj) and with a spirit of unrivaled creativity. As Punjabi music is not mainstream, it can be regarded as the urban music of India.
iR: After Tim Westwood picked up "Mandian to Bach Ke" in 1999 and then Jay-Z recording to "Beware," what do you feel your biggest contribution to the Bhangra sound is to date?
PMC: Jay-Z, being one of the biggest artists worldwide jumping on a bhangra song was a fantastic endorsement to the vibe of "bhangra music." I've always believed that bhangra is a form of Hip-Hop. It's like the Hip-Hop of the East.
iR: Define Panjabi MC?
PMC: Producer. DJ. Rapper. That's my thing, I need those skills to do what I do. I like to make music which contains percussion as well as drums. West as well as East. By having all three skills, I can improvise my sound.
iR: Who do you feel you inspire?
PMC: Anyone who listens to my music, I hope, because I always try to keep a positive vibe and message. My track "Mirza Pt. 2" has inspired couples to get married.
iR: Your song "Snake Charmer" is really working its way across Europe. When you work in the studio, what is your recipe for putting together each track?
PMC: All tracks have different ingredients. I try to use hooks where I can because I know that people can't always understand. With "Snake Charmer," I got a real snake charmer from the streets in Punjab. We took a real snake in the studio and he charmed the snake while we recorded him. The recipe there was all about the frequencies in the "bheen" (snake charmer instrument). I knew that if the melody got the snake dancing then it must work on the snake in everyone, even if they don't understand the words.
iR: Being from the West, we often forget about music within other sectors of the world. What other styles of music are you particularly interested in that you feel may make a solid impact within the next five to ten years?
PMC: I think Arabic, Indian, even Chinese will become more mainstream. The world has become globalized and people see the Middle East all the time on the news. As well as seeing so many other cultures on TV. I am interested in tradition music from anywhere, Europe, Middle East, Russia, anywhere.
iR: In February, your album "Indian Timing" generated an tremendous media buzz within India. What steps did you set up prior to this release to make sure you sustained your success?
PMC: I DJ regularly to many diverse crowds around the world and this allows me to get direct feedback from the crowd as well as other professional artists backstage. For "Indian timing," I made sure that every track had a sick formula that would appeal to dance floors worldwide. Eg: "Im Ni Alu," remake of a classic Hip-Hop track.
iR: As a veteran in the music industry what new artists are you particularly interested in seeing projects from?
PMC: I would love to see collaborations between Punjabi / Bollywood and Hip-Hop / R&B artists. It's got to be done right. In the UK, I'm exactly in the middle of the USA & India. I guess that's why I love fusing the two.
iR: Panjabi MC is _______.
PMC: Real as can be.
iR: What can we look for in very near future?
PMC: Got my new album as well as remixes from "Indian Timing" coming in the near future. Can't say too much, but we are lining up some big things to bring the chilli back. P.S., it's been too bland without it!
