# Hanumankind

Sooraj Cherukat (born October 17 1992) known professionally as Hanumankind, is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor from Kerala, India. He released his first single "Daily Dose" from his debut EP Kalari in 2019. He received mainstream popularity in India and internationally with his track "Big Dawgs", which features the Hyderabad-based artist and producer Kalmi and American rapper ASAP Rocky on its remix.
He kickstarted his acting career in 2024 through the Malayalam film, Rifle Club, directed by Aashiq Abu.

## Early life and education

Sooraj Cherukat was born in 1992, in Malappuram, Kondotty, Kerala, India. His father works for an oil company based in Houston. As a child, Cherukat lived in Egypt, Nigeria, France, and the UAE before settling down in the United States when he was in fourth grade. He attended Houston Community College. In 2012, he returned to India enrolling at PSG College in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to pursue a degree in business administration. He worked at Goldman Sachs in 2014, and was a gym trainer.

## Music career

Cherukat began his career as a professional rapper by performing at NH7 Weekender, which is held in multiple cities and releasing his debut EP Kalari, in 2019. He took on the moniker of "Hanumankind" as a portmanteau of the popular Hindu deity Hanuman which personifies "honor, courage, and loyalty" and "mankind" which according to him, "describes the rest of the world around him". He initially collabed with Charan Raj and Sanjith Hegde for the song "Maadeva" featuring on the Kannada movie Popcorn Monkey Tiger. His song "The Last Dance" is featured on the official soundtrack for the Malayalam-language film Aavesham.
He gained widespread recognition both with the release of the single and its music video "Big Dawgs", featuring Kalmi, in July 2024. The accompanying music video directed by Bijoy Shetty, features Cherukat performing in a classic carnival attraction with motorcycles known as the well of death. The video was shot in Malappuram, his hometown district in Kerala state in India, and was featured on the official Kerala tourism's Instagram page. The video has gained significant attention for its unique ideas and high-octane energy. In September 2024, Cherukat performed at a Narendra Modi rally in Uniondale, New York.

## Artistry

While living in Houston, Cherukat was exposed to Southern hip hop and listened to artists like Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, UGK, and DJ Screw. He is also a fan of System of a Down. His musical style is significantly influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Logic.

## Discography
### Extended plays

| Title | Details |
| Kalari | Released: 27 December 2019 Label: Mixtape Monopoly Formats: Digital download, streaming |
| Surface Level | Released: 2 October 2020 Label: The illage Formats: Digital download, streaming |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected peak chart positions :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | IND | AUS | CAN | GER | IRE | NZ | SWI | UK | US | WW | Certifications | Album |
| "Daily Dose" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Kalari |
| "S.L.A.B" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Options" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Beer and Biryani" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Genghis" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Damnson" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Skyline" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Lola's Chant" (with Kalmi) | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Third Eye Freeverse (Red Bull 64 Bars)" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Go to Sleep" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Ayyayyo" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Big Dawgs" (with Kalmi, remixed by ASAP Rocky) | 2024 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 30 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 23 | 9 | BPI: Silver MC: Platinum RMNZ: Gold | Non-album single |
| "Run It Up" (with Kalmi) | 2025 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |

### Film songs

List of film music credits :
| Year | Film | Song | Composer(s) | Notes | Ref. |
| 2020 | Popcorn Monkey Tiger | "Maadeva" | Charan Raj | | |
| 2024 | Aavesham | "The Last Dance" | Sushin Shyam | | |

## Filmography

As actor :
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2024 | Rifle Club | Bheera Bare | Debut film | |