1996 was the renaissance that traditional Bhangra had waited for. Panjabi MC headed back to his music heritage in India with his DAT machine in-hand and recorded the father-figures of Punjabi music in a way never before witnessed. Back home in England, he laced the vocals of Kuldip "he is what James Brown is to soul - he's the Godfather of Bhangra, Manak and Surinder Shinda with street beats and melodies totally new to their style of vocals. The results on the album Grass Roots were unbelievable! The album cemented itself at the number one chart position all over the country and the success spilled overseas were hordes of fans signed up to PMC's fan club to show their appreciation. Grass Roots has since sold an unprecedented 100,000 plus copies which had previously been a visionary sales target in the Bhangra music business. For music fans, Grass Roots was a new musical journey. Exploring the true essence of traditional folk music via the vocals of Manak, Shinda, Labh Janjhua and Ranjit Mani, PMC's mind has united them, for the first time, with the basic fundamentals of UK street sound; garage, jungle, R'n'B, hip-hop and soul. In 1997, PMC was presented with a platinum disc by Kuldip Manak in London in recognition of the sales and success of the album.
I look back with fond memories - Panjabi MC
Listen: Grass Roots Album (1996)
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