Latest news with #BigDawgs'
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
How a Malayali ‘chenda' ensemble performed with Hanumankind at Coachella
For siblings Jeffrey Kochuveettil and Jonathan Kochuveettil, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, a chenda (traditional Kerala percussion instrument) brought to the US by their grandfather Thomas Vattakatt during one of his visits in the '90s was not a mere novelty item but a relic of their roots in Thodupuzha, Kerala. The instrument slowly evolved into a celebration of self for the two, while growing up in the US. Nine years later, the duo, with their band, Kochuveettil Beats, performed chendamelam, as drummers played the traditional stretched membrane instrument in a synchronised fashion, at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, Coachella. They performed alongside renowned rapper and a fellow Malayali, Hanumankind, showcasing Kerala on a global stage. The rapper performed his two latest hits 'Big Dawgs' and the more recent 'Run It Up' at the festival which took place in California in April. Performing at Coachella 'We have been following Hanumankind for a long time, and are big fans of his work. When we saw his name in the line-up in November 2024, we were awestruck and immediately reached out to him and his team, wanting to collaborate with him, especially with it being his debut concert in the US,' says Jeffrey, who trained in the instrument for years with his brother during their vacations in Kerala. 'After he agreed, the band practiced for months and in the blink of an eye, we were performing at Coachella,' he adds. 'We opened for him with our chenda beats; many artistes would never let us do such a thing. He wanted to debut Kerala on that stage, and allowed us to join him,' says Jeffrey, who now heads the collective with almost 40 members, spread across the US, and performed alongside eight bandmates — Jonathan, Kiran Asokan, Manu Sunny, Praneeth Madoori, Robin Thomas, Jerry Koshy, Job Goldhill, and Karthik Thipplikat. The rise The siblings grew up watching their father, Kunjachan Kochuveettil, play the chenda with his friends in Chicago. Jeffrey believes that chenda music was heard within the American Malayali church communities during pallipperunnal (church festivals) and similar events until 2016. 'Slowly, people in my circle were getting married, and they all wanted the same music at their weddings. People also wanted us at events and stage shows.' Eventually, the group travelled across the States with their music, blending the beats of chenda with music. 'This was unseen in the American Malayali wedding space,' Jeffrey says. The group remixed and created cover songs of other South Indian songs, hip-hop tracks and reggaeton tracks (a popular music genre from Puerto Rico) among others. The collective gradually added other instruments such as saxophone and violin. Since most of the artistes have a background in percussion, they also perform with dhols, especially for wedding processions. Later on, the people from North India living in the US started developing an interest in chenda, thus inviting the band to perform at weddings owing to their unique blend of sounds, says Jeffrey. The members of the collective include those with roots in different parts of India and musicians from the US. 'One of our original members, Bryan Hughey, is affectionately called Bryan 'Hughthenparambil' (changing the name to make it sound more Malayali). We treat him like a Malayali, and he enjoys our culture,' says Jeffrey. 'Much like our band name Kochuveettil (small house), our operations are small, but we have a big family,' Jeffrey adds. In June 2023, the band performed at Times Square in New York at a programme organised during Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's visit to the country. They have also shared the stage with artistes such as MG Sreekumar, Jassie Gift, and Stephen Devassy among others. The collective is currently preparing for a busy wedding season and aspires to do more shows this year. They are also looking forward to collaborate with other artistes and hope to do more remixes. Adds Jeffrey, 'It is always about connecting with our own culture. We were not born and raised in Kerala, but it is our vision, and we proudly showcase Malayali culture to the best of our abilities in everything we do.'
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hanumankind's 'Big Dawgs' emote debuts in Fortnite, elevating Indian hip-hop across the world; check here
The Indian hip-hop culture has now marked a global gaming scene. Bengaluru-based rapper Hanumankind's signature dance from his breakout track Big Dawgs has been featured in Fortnite as an in-game emote— a significant step forward for homegrown music, making it international. The bold, powerful moves that made the original music video so compelling are now available for players across the globe to flex in-game. The new emote captures the bold choreography from the Big Dawns music video, paired with a punchy segment of the song's bass-heavy beat. Now live in Fortnite's Item Shop, it allows all players to embody the dynamic energy of one of Indian hip-hop's most unique talents. A cultural punch in the gaming industry The new collaboration with Epic Games is more than just a cool in-game addition and a crossover that amplifies local artists on a global scale. "Big Stepper" could be a virtual power move for gamers across the globe and not just a bold statement in a music video. Fans are celebrating the moment as a breakthrough for the Indian hip-hop market, marking a paradigm inow in-house sounds are gaining traction beyond borders. Novo Gesto Série Ícones 'Big Dawgs' com a música de mesmo nome de Hanumankind disponível na Loja de Itens até 5 de Maio! 🔥 #Fortnite — Use code SANDISKI ao adquirir, caso queira! #ad On the other hand, Fortnite as a game has a massive international player base; Hanumankind's moves are now front and centre in a space where music, pop culture, and gaming meet. 'Big Dawgs' isn't just an emote; it's more than that The Big Dawgs emote is just not for entertainment; it represents a new set of cultural recognition. As Epic Games places a spotlight on artists from various backgrounds, the inclusion of Hanumankind is being thought of as a sign of changing tides. Moreover, the players and fans alike look at this as a proud moment. Both players and fans view this as a moment of pride. The emote's warm reception reflects not only its popularity but also a growing respect for the vibrant Indian hip-hop scene.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Hanumankind confirms rap song in Thalapathy Vijay's final film Jana Nayagan: ‘Anirudh's created a great track'
Renowned rapper and songwriter Sooraj Cherukat, known professionally as Hanumankind, has revealed that he has lent his voice to director H Vinoth's upcoming political action thriller, Jana Nayagan. In the news since its announcement for being 'Thalapathy' Vijay's final film before his retirement, following which he would set his complete focus on politics and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Jana Nayagan is one of the most anticipated Indian movies at the moment. 'I have rendered a great rap song for Thalapathy Vijay in Jana Nayagan, composed by Anirudh (Ravichander),' Hanumankind said during a chat with Ananda Vikatan. Although he did not disclose further details about the track, with his involvement, the hype for Jana Nayagan is expected to go up further. After rising to international acclaim with the single 'Big Dawgs' (2024), Hanumankind had recently sent waves across the globe with 'Run It Up', which even received an endorsement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for showing India's traditional martial art forms in the music video. Watch Jana Nayagan first look poster here: Previously, he lent his voice to two movies, singing the tracks 'Maadeva', composed by Charan Raj for the Kannada crime actioner Popcorn Monkey Tiger (2020), and 'The Last Dance', crafted by Sushin Shyam for the Malayalam comedy masala Aavesham (2024). He made his acting debut in director Aashiq Abu's Rifle Club (2024), starring alongside Vijayaraghavan, Dileesh Pothan, Anurag Kashyap, Vani Viswanath and Darshana Rajendran, among others. The shooting for the final leg of Jana Nayagan, which went on floors in October 2024, is currently underway. The film is H Vinoth's sixth directorial venture after Sathuranga Vettai (2014), Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (2017), Nerkonda Paarvai (2019), Valimai (2022) and Thunivu (2023). While Jana Nayagan's music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, with whom Vijay collaborated in movies such as Kaththi (2014), Master (2021), Beast (2022) and Leo (2023), its lyrics are penned by Arivu. Bankrolled by KVN Productions, the movie boasts cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. Jana Nayagan will hit the screens on January 9, 2026, coinciding with the Pongal.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police arrest man after alleged Wilkes-Barre armed robbery
WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police say a man was arrested after allegedly robbing a Wilkes-Barre Township business with a gun. Wilkes-Barre Township Police said they were called on Tuesday shortly after 8:00 p.m. to a robbery at the Dollar Tree found at the East End Center. Police say the suspect, identified as Brandon Warren-Jackson, entered the store brandishing a firearm and demanded money from the cashier. Wearing a face mask and a black 'Big Dawgs' hoodie, the suspect allegedly threatened the victim, pressed the firearm to his head, and stole the victim's personal items, including their AirPods and iPhone 14, according to police. Authorities say the suspect fled the scene on foot. Lackawanna County commissioners accept Matt McGloin resignation Quickly responding to the incident with K9 assistance, police said they tracked the suspect's trail to a wooded area near Red Lobster, where they found the hoodie and other dumped items from the robbery, including the firearm. During their investigation, officers were led to the Wilkes-Barre Inn on Kidder Street, where they identified the suspect and found him wearing some of the same clothing worn during the alleged robbery. Warren-Jackson was taken into custody without incident, police stated. Warren-Jackson was arraigned with bail set to $250,000 and taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
