Growing up in East London, Singh was immersed in a multicultural environment that influenced his musical direction. At 16, he traveled to India to study the tabla, deepening his understanding of Indian classical rhythms. Upon returning to the UK, he began blending these traditional sounds with contemporary electronic music, leading to the creation of the Asian Underground genre. His groundbreaking album, OK, released in 1998, earned him the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, highlighting his innovative contributions to music.