Hanumankind is an Indian rapper whose single ‘Big Dawgs’ became one of the most unlikely global hip-hop hits of 2024 — a Kerala-born, Houston-raised former Goldman Sachs employee out-rapping the world from Bengaluru. Named after the Hindu deity Hanuman and the idea of mankind, he has become the breakout face of Indian hip-hop’s international moment.
| Full Name | Sooraj Cherukat |
| Born | 17 October 1992, Kerala, India |
| Age | 34 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Rapper, songwriter |
| Known For | Big Dawgs, Run It Up, Damnson |
| Record Label | Def Jam India / Capitol |
| Net Worth (est.) | No reliable published figure; estimates in the low millions vary |
Early Life: Kerala, Houston, Back Again
Sooraj Cherukat was born in Kerala, India, and spent much of his childhood and schooling in Houston, Texas, where his father worked in the oil and gas industry. In Houston he absorbed Southern hip-hop — UGK, Three 6 Mafia, Kendrick Lamar — while his Malayali roots stayed strong at home. The family returned to India in 2012; Cherukat earned a business degree in Coimbatore and took a job at Goldman Sachs, a respectable path that lasted only until music pulled him away.
Quitting Finance for the Bengaluru Scene
Cherukat left his finance job, worked in event management, and began performing in Bengaluru’s underground scene under the name Hanumankind — a fusion of Lord Hanuman, symbol of strength and devotion, with a pledge to represent humankind. His debut EP Kalari (2019) and singles like ‘Southside’ and ‘Genghis’ built a devoted following, and festival slots — including a breakthrough set at NH7 Weekender — established him as Indian hip-hop’s most electric live performer.
His writing carries both of his home cities at once: Houston slang and Southern rap cadences over references to Kerala, Malayalam phrases slipped into verses, and beats that nod to Indian street sounds. Producer Kalmi, his closest collaborator, builds tracks from regional percussion; director Bijoy Shetty’s videos, shot in Indian locations Western pop rarely visits, became central to the Hanumankind aesthetic long before ‘Big Dawgs’ took it global.
Big Dawgs: The Viral Phenomenon
In July 2024 Hanumankind released ‘Big Dawgs’, produced by Kalmi, with a video filmed inside a ‘well of death’ — stunt riders circling a wooden cylinder on motorcycles as he rapped, unflinching, in the middle. The clip exploded worldwide. The song climbed to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped global viral charts, and earned a remix featuring A$AP Rocky. An Indian independent rapper, with no Bollywood or major-feature push, had scored a genuine American hit.
The video’s setting was itself a statement: the maut ka kuan, or ‘well of death’, is a fixture of Indian travelling fairs, where riders defy gravity on the walls of a wooden cylinder. Filming it in Kerala with local stunt riders, Hanumankind put a piece of Indian folk spectacle at the centre of a global pop moment — and the riders, briefly, became as famous as the song. American athletes and teams adopted the track for entrances and hype reels, carrying it far beyond music media.
Run It Up and What Comes Next
He followed the breakthrough with ‘Run It Up’ (2025), a celebration of Kerala culture whose video showcased kalaripayattu martial artists, theyyam performers and traditional drummers — watched tens of millions of times and praised for exporting Indian folk artistry to a global pop audience. Festival headlines, international tours and brand campaigns have followed, with a full-length album among the most anticipated in Indian music.
Hanumankind Net Worth
Unlike Western stars tracked by business magazines, Hanumankind’s finances are not covered by Forbes-style reporting, and no reliable published net-worth figure exists. Celebrity-wealth websites offer guesses that typically place him in the low millions of dollars, based on streaming income from ‘Big Dawgs’, touring and endorsements — but these are speculative estimates and vary widely between sources.
Personal Life
Cherukat guards his private life closely and rarely discusses family or relationships in interviews. He speaks often about discipline — fitness and martial-arts training are part of his routine — and about representing both halves of his upbringing, Kerala and Houston, without diluting either. He is based in India and remains closely involved in the Bengaluru independent scene that raised him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hanumankind’s real name?
Sooraj Cherukat, born 17 October 1992 in Kerala, India.
How old is Hanumankind?
He is 34 years old as of 2026.
How high did Big Dawgs chart?
It reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024 and topped viral charts worldwide; a remix added A$AP Rocky.
What is Hanumankind’s net worth?
There is no reliable published figure — website estimates in the low millions of dollars differ widely and are speculative.
Related Biographies
Ayra Starr, BigXthaPlug and Doechii — more in our Musicians collection.
Sources
Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on publicly available sources and may change over time.
