2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Hanumankind on why Big Dawgs fame still feels unreal: 'It wasn't planned, the universe unfolded it'
When Big Dawgs blew up last year around the same time, Sooraj Cherukat aKa Hanumankind wasn't ready — not for the scale, not for the speed, and definitely not for the way strangers suddenly began connecting with his words. The track's runaway success turned him from an artist slowly finding his lane into one of the most talked-about names in the Indian rap space almost overnight. And yet, ask him if he saw it coming, and his answer is instant: 'I didn't anticipate any of this… you can't really predict these things. The universe unfolds in very unpredictable ways.' Hanumankind became famous overnight after the release of Big Dawgs
It's that unpredictability — both in life and in art — that seems to be a constant in his story. Long before Big Dawgs went viral, the Delhi-based rapper had been putting in the hours, experimenting with sound, and slowly building a catalogue. The turning point came in December 2019 in Pune at NH7 Weekender, his first-ever festival slot. 'That was the moment I decided I was going to do music. I didn't know if I was going to succeed… but I realised I'd rather do this than anything else,' he recalls.
Even with that clarity of choice, he wasn't prepared for what came next. The sudden attention after Big Dawgs was thrilling, but it also left him processing a reality he hadn't quite imagined. Which is why his new release — the Monsoon mixtape — feels so telling. It's not a product of his recent success, he stresses, but a compilation of songs written and shaped over the years, before he fully stepped into the idea of being an artist. 'These are bits and pieces of my journey… me testing things out, feeling things out. There's a wide range of sounds and emotions in there, because they're all from different spaces I was in before I came to where I am now,' he says.
The decision to call it Monsoon wasn't aesthetic — it was personal. Growing up, the season was tied to strong memories of travel and time spent in India. More than that, it became a metaphor for the way his life and career often feel: beautiful one moment, overwhelming the next, and impossible to control either way. 'Some days it feels romantic, other days it's heavy… either way, it's going to happen,' he says.
For him, the monsoon also symbolises unpredictability as a natural rhythm — something you adapt to rather than resist. The mixtape carries that spirit. Some tracks are reflective, others are bold experiments in style. The shifts aren't about chasing trends but about allowing himself the freedom to explore without being boxed in. 'I like to rap, but that doesn't mean I'm only going to do one style… change is the only constant,' he says.
While Big Dawgs might have introduced him to a much larger audience, Hanumankind insists that his approach hasn't changed. The collaborators he chooses are still people he admires, and the respect is mutual. 'First off, you gotta like them as people… when you have that foundation, everything else falls into place,' he says.
Therefore the success of Big Dawgs, he adds, wasn't an accident — it was the result of consistent work and steady growth in quality over previous releases. 'If you look at the videos before Big Dawgs, you can see we've been doing this for a while. The intent was always there. The song was just a byproduct of what we'd been doing consistently,' says the 33-year-old rapper who was born in Malappuram, Kerala.
But that doesn't mean he's immune to the pressure that comes with being 'the next big thing.' He's still learning how to carry the weight of expectation without letting it dictate his art. In many ways, Monsoon is his way of telling listeners that the artist they discovered through Big Dawgs is still evolving — still figuring things out.
Through all the changes, the one constant in his life is writing. 'I just try and make sure that I write, that's all. I write as much as I can… this is the one thing that has given me life,' he says. For him, writing isn't tied to location, fame or even the need to release music. It's about keeping in touch with the core impulse that started this journey. 'No matter where I am, I'll keep doing it,' he says.
That philosophy keeps him grounded. Fame might open doors, but it's the act of creating — not the recognition — that defines his purpose. 'That's not going to change what my intention is and what my life source is,' he says firmly.
Looking back, the road to Monsoon has been a series of shifts — some planned, others entirely unexpected. The NH7 Weekender performance sparked the first big decision. Big Dawgs brought validation and visibility. And now, Monsoon Mixtape serves as both a time capsule and a statement of intent: a record of where he's been and a signal that he's ready for the next chapter with a clearer sense of self.
The album's emotional range mirrors his own relationship with success — equal parts excitement, disbelief and acceptance. 'Before, I wasn't sure if this was going to work for me… now I have clarity,' he says. That clarity, however, doesn't mean predictability. Just like the season it's named after, this project is proof that Hanumankind plans to keep embracing the unexpected — in life, in fame, and in music.
