Who is Hanumankind? Everything To Know About Malayali Rapper Who Broke The Global Hip Hop Scene With Bigg Dawgs

As Hanumankind rages over the hip-hop scene among not just the South Asian diaspora but also everywhere else, here is everything we know about the rapper. 

New Delhi: Hanumankind aka Sooraj Cherukat, the Malayali rapper based in Bengaluru has wreaked havoc with his latest single ‘Big Dawgs’. The song has over 15 million views on YouTube with 11.5 million streams on Spotify and holds the number one spot on the Viral Songs Global chart since July 26, 2024 and has been a viral trend on social media platforms like Tik Tok, X and Instagram. As Hanumankind rages over the hip-hop scene among not just the South Asian diaspora but also everywhere else, here is everything we know about the rapper. 

Everything we know about Hanumankind aka Sooraj Cherukat:

Growing up

Cherukat was born in Kerala but grew up in many countries, including Africa and UAE, due to his father's work at an oilfield company. His family finally settled in Texas, US.

Before making rap as his career, Sooraj underwent the regular drill of what a middle-class Indian family aspires for their kids to do.

Cherukat returned to India after a degree in business administration and joined Goldman Sachs. 

He worked through the traditional corporate ladder while moonlighting as the rapper Hanumankind, or HMK. 

Cherukut’s latest single, 'Big Dawgs' was composed during a Zoom call. It took him and Kalmi Reddy( producer) some 30 minutes to put together the beat. The song on YouTube, was created in collaboration with producer Kalmi Reddy and directed by Bijoy Shetty.

Rap debut

However, despite ‘Big Dawgs’ success, Cherukut has been in his rap career for quite some time.  His other tracks include 'Rush Hour', 'Genghis' and 'Go To Sleep’.

Sooraj made his debut with EP Kalari when he lived in his younger days in the USA.

Sooraj Cherukat spent his formative years in Houstan and credits the place and its vibe and music for creating an indelible impression in his mind.

Hanumankind calls Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, Pimp C and Bun B as his heroes and credits his latest track, among others being influenced by them.

 

Adding Indian music motifs to rap

Cherukut has also purposely added typical Indian music and motifs to his English rap journey. In his 'Southside' outing, he used the beats of tabla in his rap. 'Genghis' was shot in Bengaluru bylanes, among people who live there. 

Humankind’s latest globe-trotting ‘Bigg Dawgs’ that has become such a number  has been shot in the coastal district of Ponnani, Kerala, often referred to as the Mecca of Kerala. More precisely, the song was shot in the 'Well of Death' or Maut Ka Kuan. 

It is infact the visuals of the rap song, the storytelling style and just the way everything comes together that everyone, from rap fans to musici critics have called 'Bigg Dawgs' a trailblazer for the genre.

Hanumankind is not just limited to the underground music scene. He was also heard in Fahadh Faasil starrer 'Aavesham' where his 'The Last Dance', the hip gangsta rap got him much attention.

Looks like Hanumankind has finally found fame and fandom after all these years of hardwork. In an interview with The Rolling Stone, Cherukut spoke about continuing making music as his future course of action.