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Steel Banglez
SteelBanglez presshot.jpg
Steel Banglez in 2019
Background information
Birth name Pahuldip Singh Sandhu
Also known as Steel Banglez
Born (1987-02-05) 5 February 1987 (age 37)
Forest Gate, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s) Record producer
Years active 2002–present
Labels
Associated acts

Pahuldip Singh Sandhu (born 5 February 1987), known by his stage name Steel Banglez, is a British record producer and musician of Indian Punjabi descent. He is currently signed to Warner Bros. Records. Best known for his production work with artists including Mist, MoStack, J Hus and Wiley, Steel Banglez achieved his first chart hit as a lead artist when his track "Bad" reached the top 30 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2018. His highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart is "Fashion Week" featuring British rappers AJ Tracey and MoStack which peaked at number 7.

Early life

Born in Forest Gate, Sandhu grew up in Newham, east London. Raised in a Sikh family, he was surrounded by traditional Indian instruments such as harmoniums and tablas as his mother was a music teacher. In addition to being of Indian Punjabi descent, Sandhu has also stated to have Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan ancestry.

At the age of 10, he started DJing jungle music alongside his brothers and subsequently presented a show on the pirate radio station Mystic FM. He started producing music in his early teens after a teacher introduced him to the audio workstation Fruity Loops, and soon produced his first track "Dreams" for his neighbour, the influential grime artist D Double E. He soon gained further exposure when he produced the Big H freestyle from the Practise Hours 2 DVD.

Steel Banglez's career was halted when he was imprisoned at the age of 17, serving three years of a six-year sentence for the possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger lives.

Music career

2005–2014: Early music career

..... This resulted in his musical direction becoming focused upon rap, and he also gained attention in south London where the centre of the capital's rap scene was based. His earliest production credits came in the mid-2000s. He produced “Colours” by D Double E and Big H’s Practice Hours 2 Freestyle.

After being released, Steel Banglez contributed production to Fix Dot'M and Yung ...'s mixtape A Fix of ..., and he teamed up again with Yung ..., this time with Ghetts, on "Tidal Wave" which was released on SB.TV. He soon started working on tracks with a wider range of artists, such as "Breakdown" (with Big H, P Money, Wiley and Ghetts) and "Go Down South" (with Krept, Konan, Chip and Yungen, Not3s and James Lukezo of zua visa).

Eager to establish his credentials as a producer, Steel Banglez ran a home studio from his manager's house which offered free studio time to artists, with Wiley and Roll Deep two of the highest profile names to put their vocals to his beats. Steel Banglez later moved to a professional studio in what is now the Link Up TV office where he worked with Cashtastic, Yungen and Krept and Konan. In 2014, Steel Banglez focused on producing Cashtastic's debut album which was due to be released by Universal Music. However, that project ended when Cashtastic was deported to Jamaica as part of the Hostile Environment policy. As a result, new production work dried up and Steel Banglez lost direction in what he calls a “mad depressed stage” in his life.

2015–present: Solo career and wider production work

Steel Banglez was newly inspired when he heard the track "No Buddy" by MoStack in the summer of 2015. They connected via Twitter, and Steel Banglez produced his debut mixtape Gangster with Banter. On New Year's Eve of 2015, he first heard MIST and realised that the Birmingham-based rapper's use of phrases from the Punjabi language would help him connect with a large audience.

After making contact via Instagram, Steel Banglez drove MIST to his studio in London where he played him the beat of what would become the track "Karlas Back". He produced MIST's breakthrough EP M I S T to the T in 2016 and then acted as executive producer on his Warner Bros. Records debut Diamond in the Dirt in 2018, which featured artists including MoStack, Jessie Ware and Haile from WSTRN. Another high-profile production came when he collaborated with Jae5 on "Fisherman", a track from J Hus' debut album Common Sense.

Steel Banglez's career as a lead artist was also gaining momentum. He signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music in April 2017 before signing to Warner Bros. Records, together with his imprint Spiritual Records, later renamed Gifted Music, in April 2017.

He released "Money" in March 2017, which featured several of his friends and collaborators such as MoStack, MIST, Haile and Abra Cadabra. MoStack also appeared on the follow-up single "Bad" alongside Yungen, Mr Eazi and Not3s. Released in November, "Bad" climbed the UK Singles Chart for several weeks before peaking at number 29 in February. In March, the track was certified Silver by the BPI in recognition of 200,000 sales.

Steel Banglez won Producer of the Year at GRM Daily's Rated Awards 2017.

In 2018 he won Best Non-Traditional Asian Act at Brit Asia TV Music Awards (BAMA), an award which he won again at BAMA 2019.

On 19 May 2023, he released The Playlist, his debut studio album. The album features guest appearances from Giggs, Asco, Blade Brown, Chip, Squeeks, MoStack, Aitch, Morrisson, Not3s, Blanco, Tion Wayne, Ms Banks, Backroad Gee, Kweng Face, Nines, Mist, Mastermind, Deno, King Promise, Wstrn, Yungen, M24, NSG, Rimzee, S1mba, Midas the Jagaban, Ivorian Doll, Tamera, Mowgs, Sidhu Moose Wala, Burna Boy, Clean Bandit, Wes Nelson, Stefflon Don, Unknown T, D Double E, Jaykae, Berwyn, Maverick Sabre, Ghetts, Tamer Hassan, Lotto Ash & Tiggs Da Author. The album peaked at 29 on the UK Albums Chart.

Personal life

Steel Banglez's success has allowed him to help his family by funding his mother's retirement and his sister's university fees. He was given the nickname Steel Banglez by a Jamaican friend in reference to the karas (steel bracelets) that he wears as a Sikh.

Steel Banglez is an avid supporter of West Ham United F.C.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK
The Playlist 29

Singles

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
IRE
"Money"
(featuring Mostack, MIST, Haile and Abra Cadabra)
2017 Non-album singles
"Bad"
(featuring Yungen, MoStack, Mr Eazi and Not3s)
29
  • BPI: Platinum
"Your Lovin'"
(featuring and Yxng Bane)
2018 47
  • BPI: Gold
"Hot Steppa"
(featuring Loski)
"Fashion Week"
(featuring AJ Tracey & MoStack)
2019 7 69
  • BPI: Platinum
"47"
(with Sidhu Moose Wala & MIST featuring Stefflon Don)
17
"Blama"
(featuring Tion Wayne & Morrisson)
2021 94 The Playlist
"Banglez Ting"
(featuring Giggs)
"Tell Me"
(featuring Clean Bandit, Wes Nelson, Stefflon Don & Unknown T)
"Mera Na"
(with Sidhu Moose Wala & Burna Boy)
2023 87
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances, showing song title, year released, other artists and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Wife Me" 2018 Raye Side Tape
"Brown Munde" 2020 AP Dhillon, Gurinder Gill, Shinda Kahlon, Gminxr

Production credits

List of production credits, showing song title, year released, artists, co-producers and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Produced with: Album
"Colours" 2006 D Double E None On the Double
"Spaceman" 2010 Mumzy Stranger, Wiley Journey Begins
"Go Down South" 2012 Krept & Konan, Yungen, Chip Non-album single
"My Name" 2013 Krept & Konan, Yana Toma Young Kingz
"Ciao Bella" 2016 MoStack The Intent (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
"Karlas Back" MIST M I S to the T
"Ain't the Same"
"Madness" Non-album singles
"Hot Property" 2017
"Off the Record 2" Yungen None
"Where I'm From" Burna Boy Outside
"Fisherman" J Hus, Mostack, MIST Jae5 Common Sense
"It's Calm" Birdman, Sy Ari Da Kid Rich Gang II: Lifestyles
"Screw & Brew" Mostack, MIST Sevaqk, Zeph Ellis High Street Kid
"No Words" Dave, MoStack Dave, 169, Fraser T. Smith Game Over
"Sun Comes Up" (Steel Banglez Remix) Rudimental, James Arthur, MIST None Non-album remix
"99 + 1" Not3s, Mostack Take Not3s
"Dreams to Reality" 2018 MIST Diamond in the Dirt
"On It" MIST, Nines
"Uber" MIST, MoStack Swifta Beater, Zeph Ellis
"Game Changer" MIST None
"Display Skills" MIST, Mr Eazi, Fekky
"Order It In" MIST, Not3s
"Crepes and Cones (Ya Dun Know)" Krept & Konan, Mostack Non-album single
"Wifey Riddim 3" 2019 AJ Tracey AJ Tracey
"Yes Yes" MoStack The Elements, Zeph Ellis Stacko
"I'm the One" MoStack, Fredo Hazard
"House Party" 2020 MIST, Fredo None 0TBA
"Signed to God" 2021 Sidhu Moose Wala The Kidd & JB Moosetape
"Invincible" Sidhu Moose Wala, Stefflon Don The Kidd
"Celebrity Killer" Sidhu Moose Wala, Tion Wayne The Kidd, M1, Chris Rich, JB & A.Singh
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