Apache Indian

British vocalist Apache Indian, born Steven Kapur, crafts an eclectic strain of ragga that draws on bhangra traditions rooted in his East Indian background. He first sharpened his skills delivering toasts across U.K. dancehalls before issuing singles at the start of the 1990s, several of which later surfaced on his 1993 major-label debut No Reservations. Among them was “Don Raja,” a track that captured his signature cross-cultural blend and supplied him with a fresh nickname.

By the middle of the decade, hip-hop influences had become common in ragga productions, and Apache Indian’s subsequent album followed suit. The 1995 set Make Way for the Indian showcased guest spots from Jamaican reggae artists Frankie Paul and Yami Bolo plus American MC Tim Dog, featured sampled tabla rhythms, and yielded a U.S. club success via the shuffling R&B number “Boom Shak-a-Lak.” Now known as the “Don Raja” of British ragga, he broadened his reach internationally with appearances in Hindi films such as Love Birds and a lead role in Love Story ’98. Additional releases arrived in the form of Real People in 1998 and Karma in 2001.