Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu (11 June 1993 – 29 May 2022), better known by his stage name Sidhu Moose Wala,[3][4] was an Indian singer, rapper, songwriter and actor associated with Punjabi music and Punjabi cinema. His career as a songwriter began with he song "License" by Ninja, and his singing career started with a duet song, "G Wagon". Following his debut, he collaborated with Brown Boyz for various tracks. Sidhu is generally regarded to have been one of the greatest Punjabi artists of his generation.[5][6] Moreover, he was considered as a key figure in opening the door for Punjabi artists into mainstream music. In 2021, he joined Indian National Congress political party, and unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election from Mansa.
Moose Wala gained wide attention with his track "So High". In 2018, he released his debut album PBX 1, which peaked at 66th on Billboard Canadian Albums chart. Following the album, he started releasing his songs independently. His 2019 single "47" was ranked on the UK Singles Chart. In 2020, Moose Wala was named by The Guardian among 50 up and coming artists.[7] Ten of his songs have peaked on UK Asian chart, two of which have topped the chart. His song "Bambiha Bole" was among the top five on Global YouTube music chart. In 2021, he released Moosetape, tracks from which charted globally including Canadian Hot 100, UK Asian, and New Zealand Hot charts.
Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified assailants on 29 May 2022; a Canada-based gangster, active in Punjab, claimed responsibility for the killing, which the police said was a culmination of inter-gang rivalry. Posthumously, on his 29th birthday, Moose Wala received a tribute at New York City's Times Square.[8] On 23 June 2022, a posthumous single, "SYL, was released.
Moose Wala's use of hiphop and rap lyrical styles were often seen as controversial in India and he was accused of promoting gun culture, while also accused of challenging religious establishments[9] as was the case related to Mai Bhago, a revered figure in Sikhism.[10][11] He had faced legal challenges for promoting gun culture and using inflammatory and inciting lyrics in his songs.[11][10] As of 2022, there were four ongoing criminal cases against him.