Hanumankind

An Indian rapper recognized for his boisterous and vigorous delivery, Hanumankind fuses influences from Southern and West Coast hip-hop with metal textures. He entered the professional arena through the 2019 EP Kalari, then refined his cross-genre approach before attaining global viral reach in 2024 via “Big Dawgs,” whose stunt-packed video drove the surge in attention.

Sooraj Cherukat came into the world in Malappuram, Kerala, India, yet passed much of his formative period in Houston, Texas, absorbing Southern rap acts including Three 6 Mafia and DJ Screw. After returning to India and initially building a career in business, he adopted the name Hanumankind for his rap work and issued Kalari in late 2019. The 2020 project Surface Level, again with longtime producer Kalmi, placed the rapper’s Lil Wayne-esque flows across daring, at times industrial-tinged beats. Further singles appeared in the ensuing years, among them 2021’s “Damnson” and 2023’s “Go to Sleep.” Still, “Big Dawgs,” once more produced by Kalmi, delivered the breakthrough that elevated him. Issued in July 2024, the track’s video showed the performer inside the carnival ride known as the “Well of Death.” The song spread virally and entered singles charts worldwide.