Hanumankind | Big Dogs
Indian rapper Hanumankind has quickly emerged as a standout in the nation’s thriving hip-hop scene. His track “Big Dawgs” not only topped global charts but also briefly surpassed Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The BBC delves into his rapid rise to fame.
In the “Big Dawgs” video, 31-year-old Sooraj Cherukat, aka Hanumankind, exudes boundless energy. Shot inside a maut ka kuan (well of death), a thrilling spectacle where drivers perform stunts inside a large wooden barrel, he strides through the pit as motorists zoom around him.
The song, produced by Kalmi Reddy and directed by Bijoy Shetty, has garnered over 132 million streams on Spotify and 83 million YouTube views since its July release, launching Cherukat into global stardom.
On the surface, Cherukat’s music follows hip-hop conventions, telling gritty stories of street life with explicit lyrics and raw prose. But a deeper look reveals a rapper navigating his multiple identities.
Born in Kerala, Cherukat’s upbringing took him across the world due to his father’s job in the oil industry. He lived in France, Nigeria, Egypt, and Dubai before spending his formative years in Houston, Texas, where his musical career began. Houston’s hip-hop culture, distinct from the East and West Coast scenes, heavily influenced Cherukat. The local “screwed-up” remix style, where tracks are slowed to reflect the effects of cough syrup, is an implicit nod in his music to Texas legends like DJ Screw, UGK, and Project Pat.
After returning to India in 2021 and dropping out of college, Cherukat pursued rapping full-time, leaving behind a corporate career that included working for Goldman Sachs. His music reflects his cosmopolitan background, blending hard-hitting lyrics with rhythmic beats and occasionally Indian instruments like tablas.
Cherukat’s songs address the challenges of southern Indian street life, with tracks like “Genghis” confronting political tensions in his homeland. In “Big Dawgs,” he shuns mainstream rap’s glitzy aesthetic, instead highlighting the lives of small-town stuntmen from poor backgrounds who practice a dying art form in India.
“The real risk-takers… those are the big dogs, for real,” Cherukat told Complex, explaining his alternative to rap’s flashy excess.
Despite his success, Cherukat’s style has drawn criticism. Some argue that his choice to rap in English makes his work less relatable to non-English-speaking Indians. Others feel his approach mimics Western rappers too closely, making his Indian identity seem tokenistic. PhD student Abid Haque observes that while “Big Dawgs” adopts an Indian aesthetic, its music and lyrics feel disconnected from India’s reality.
Cherukat himself navigates this tension. He views his return to India as part of a broader journey to find belonging, but insists, “I’m not an Indian rapper, but I’m a rapper from India.” He resists being defined solely by the country’s hip-hop scene.
His unique style has also attracted racist remarks, with international listeners doubting his Indian roots because he doesn’t fit their expectations. Similarly, some Indian fans wish he adhered more to a traditional Indian identity. But for many fans, it’s precisely this boundary-defying nature that draws them to his work.
“He doesn’t cater to an Indian audience, and it shows in his music,” says Arnab Ghosh, a psychiatrist who recently discovered Hanumankind. “That universality is appealing.”
By defying expectations of what a South Asian rapper can achieve, Cherukat has charted his own path. As he says, “You keep certain things as your roots, but it’s up to you to adapt without compromising your integrity.”
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Hanumankind pulled up to Genius to break down his hit single “Big Dawgs.” Produced by Kalmi, the infectious track has racked up millions of impressions across social media and digital streaming services. On today’s episode of Verified, the Indian rapper talks about the meaning behind his name; the artists who influenced the global hit like UGK’s Pimp C and Project Pat; having pride in his roots, the Well of Death, and more.
