Wikipedia

Hanumankind

"Big Dawgs" redirects here. Not to be confused with Big Dawg.

Sooraj Cherukat,[1] better known by his stage name Hanumankind, is an Indian-American[2] rapper, lyricist, and record producer. He released his first single "Daily Dose" from his debut EP Kalari in 2019.[3] He gained mainstream popularity with his song "Big Dawgs", which featured by Indian music artist and producer Kalmi.[4][5][6][7]

Hanumankind
Born
Sooraj Cherukat

Malappuram, Kerala, India
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • lyricist
Years active2019–present
Musical career
OriginBangalore, Karnataka, India
Genres
Labels

Early life and education

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Sooraj Cherukat was born in Malappuram, Kerala, India, into a Hindu family. His father worked for an oil company. Cherukat spent much of his early years in Houston, Texas, where he attended Houston Community College.[8] In 2012, he returned to India and enrolled at PSG College in Coimbatore to pursue a degree in Business Administration.[9] He did an internship at Goldman Sachs in 2014.[10] In 2017, he worked as Operations Analyst at the company for more than a year. Later he quit the company and joined BigCity Promotions as an Alliance & Partnership Specialist.[11][better source needed]

Sooraj devised the name Hanumankind, clarifying that it was simply a fusion of two arbitrary names without any spiritual connotation or association with the Hindu deity Lord Hanuman. Hanumankind's aim was to blend two Hindi terms with an English one.[12]

Music career

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2019: NH7 performance and Debut EP

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Cherukat began his career as a professional rapper by performing at NH7 Weekender and releasing his debut EP Kalari, in 2019.[13][14][citation needed]

2024–present: International breakthrough with "Big Dawgs"

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He gained widespread recognition both in India and internationally with the release of the music video "Big Dawgs", featuring Kalmi, in July 2024.[15][16] Additionally, Hanumankind collaborated with international artists, JPEGMafia and Kenny Beats.[citation needed][17]

In 2024, Hanumankind released the music video for "Big Dawgs", in which he performs within a classic carnival attraction known as the wall of death. The music video was directed by Bijoy Shetty, and has gained significant attention for unique idea and high-octane energy.[18][19] After gaining viral fame, he faced online harassment.[20][21][22]

Artistry

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Hanumankind's musical style is significantly influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Logic.[23][24] Cherukat's distinctive style integrates his South Indian heritage with modern global hip-hop influences, which catapulted Hanumankind as a prominent figure in the Indian rap scene.[25][26]

Discography

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Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions
NZ
[27] 		US
[28]
"Big Dawgs"
(with Kalmi)[29] 		2024 25 57

Film music

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Year Track Artist(s) Producer(s) Film Note(s)
2024 The Last Dance Hanumankind, Sushin Shyam Sushin Shyam Aavesham Malayalam movie debut

References

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  1. ^ "Meet the rapper from Kerala who is trending worldwide with his sensational 'Big Dawgs'". Mathrubhumi. 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Anand Mahindra's Big Shoutout To Rapper Sooraj Cherukat: Extraordinary, Raw Videos". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  3. ^ "Meet 'Big Dawgs' Rapper, Hanumankind, Who Impressed Billionaire Anand Mahindra With His Music Video". BollywoodShaadis. 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  4. ^ "'Greatest music video to come out of India': Kerala rapper Hanumankind's Big Dawgs gets internet raving". Hindustan Times. 1 August 2024.
  5. ^ TAGAT, ANURAG (2024-07-30). "Hanumankind interview: Kerala-origin Bengaluru rapper catapults into the big leagues with 'Big Dawgs'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  6. ^ Bijolia, Disha (2024-07-31). "Homegrown Handpicked: A Playlist Of Our Favourite Tracks From July 2024". Homegrown. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  7. ^ "Meet Hanumankind: Indian Rap Sensation Behind 'Big Dawgs'". 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  8. ^ Javaid, Arfa (July 29, 2024). "'Rapping his way to global recognition': Anand Mahindra on Sooraj Cherukat's viral 'well of death' rap". Hindustan Times.
  9. ^ "Sooraj Cherukat - Hanumankind".
  10. ^ Sharma, Isha (2024-08-02). "Big Beats, Death-Defying Stunts: How Indian Rapper Hanumankind Stunned Audiences With His Viral Hit 'Big Dawgs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  11. ^ "Sooraj Cherukat - Linkedin Profile". Linkedin.
  12. ^ Bureau, The Meghalayan (2022-11-05). "South Indian rapper Hanumankind enthralls the audience at Hills Festival". The Meghalayan. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  13. ^ "Sooraj Cherukat - Hanumankind".
  14. ^ "Anand Mahindra is in awe of desi rapper Sooraj Cherukat, calls him 'extraordinary & raw'". The Economic Times. 2024-07-29. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  15. ^ Lidhoo, Prateek (2024-08-02). "Hanumankind's 'Big Dawgs': The Indian Rapper Who Took Over American Hip Hop". TheQuint. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  16. ^ Trivedi, Aaryaman (2024-07-24). "Big Dawgs: Hanumankind Is The Brown Daredevil We've Been Waiting For". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  17. ^ "Hanumankind - Future of Music". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  18. ^ "Indian Directors Who Played a Huge Role in Music Success: From "Be-Together for O Sajna" to Bijoy Shetty's "Big Dawgs"". www.tellychakkar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  19. ^ "How Hanumankind Is Raising The Bar For Indian Rap". The Revolver Club. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  20. ^ Bureau, The Plunge Daily- (2024-08-02). "Hanumankind's Daring "Big Dawgs" Video Goes Viral". The Plunge Daily. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  21. ^ "Hanumankind's "Big Dawgs" Puts Indian Hip-Hop in the Spotlight". Hits Daily Double. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  22. ^ Unterberger, Kyle Denis,Jason Lipshutz,Andrew; Denis, Kyle; Lipshutz, Jason; Unterberger, Andrew (2024-07-31). "Deadpool and Wolverine Box Office Success Spurs Massive Gains for *NSYNC, Madonna & Green Day Pop Classics". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-08-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ M, Umesh (July 30, 2024). "Who Is Hanumankind? The Rise of Malayalam Rap Sensation Sooraj Cherukat". Filmibeat.
  24. ^ Sharma, Isha (2024-08-02). "Big Beats, Death-Defying Stunts: How Indian Rapper Hanumankind Stunned Audiences With His Viral Hit 'Big Dawgs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  25. ^ "Sooraj Cherukat - Hanumankind".
  26. ^ Sharma, Isha (2024-08-02). "Big Beats, Death-Defying Stunts: How Indian Rapper Hanumankind Stunned Audiences With His Viral Hit 'Big Dawgs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  27. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  28. ^ @billboardcharts (August 5, 2024). "@Hanumankind1 & #Kalmi's "Big Dawgs" debuts at No. 57 on this week's #Hot100" (Tweet). Retrieved August 6, 2024 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ "Kerala rapper Hanumankind faces racism after 'Big Dawgs' goes viral". The New Indian Express. 2 August 2024.
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