When “Mundian To Bach Ke” was released as a single in 2002, it sparked a global phenomenon. The blend of hip-hop-influenced bass with distinct bhangra polyrhythms and an earworming, singalong chorus sent a fresh take on Northern Indian pop music around the world and stormed charts worldwide. The mastermind behind the hit was the British Indian producer and rapper Rajinder Singh Rai, aka Panjabi MC. Having started his career with bootleg remixes of songs by popular Indian singers such as Kuldeep Manak, after the success of “Mundian To Bach Ke”, Rai garnered features with rap royalty Jay-Z and brought the hip-swaying swing of bhangra to the mainstream with ensuing hits like 2003’s trip-hop-inflected “Jogi” and 2008’s pop fusion record Indian Timing. 2019’s 56 Districts proved there’s ample life left in Rai’s rhythmic blends—a bhangra odyssey for many dancefloors to come.