Who is Hanumankind, the Indian rapper whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged in US?

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged Hanumankind after he performed at a diaspora event in New York this weekend, it was a defining moment in the Indian rapper's career. 

While hugging him, Modi said "Jai Hanuman", hailing the Hindu god.

Born to Malayali parents, Hanumankind, real name Sooraj Cherukat, has emerged as the new sensation in the Desi Hip Hop or DHH scene.

His viral hit "Big Dawgs" has been at number 1 of Spotify's India top 50 for weeks. Having debuted at number 57 on Billboard Hot 100, it also moved ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" on Spotify's global Hip Hop list in August. It was at one point at number 9, while Lamar's track was at 11th position on the music streaming app.

Watch: PM Modi's US visit: Indian PM to address Indian diaspora in New York

Spotify also featured Hanumankind on the cover of the Global Hip Hop Playlist. 

Here is what you need to know about Hanumankind:

Who is Hanumankind? His real story

Sooraj Cherukat was born in 1992 in Ponnani, a town in Malappuram, a northern district in the south Indian state of Kerala, to Malayali parents.

He moved to the US as a child to Texas, where his father worked at an oil company.

He did his schooling in Houston and attended Houston Community College.

Hanumankind had been bullied as a child, as he mentioned in his lyrics.

During his formative years in the US, he listened to hip hop from artists including Project Pat, whom he gave a shoutout in "Big Dawgs." 

He was a keen listener of US music, particularly southern hip hop. His musical sensibilities were shaped by artists like Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and DJ Screw. His style is influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Logic, and one can find traces of Lil Wayne in his delivery.

The word Hanumankind is a play on the humankind, with the Hindu god Hanuman added to it. But Cherukad had said there was no particular religious significance to the name.

How Hanumankind became an Indian hip hop sensation

After attending college in Texas, he moved to India for further studies, enrolling for a course in business administration in 2012 at PSG College in Coimbatore in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. 

After studies, he moved to the south Indian city of Bengaluru, where he worked at Goldman Sachs for some time before deciding to pursue a full-time career in music.

He released several singles and collabs while performing at events like the NH7 Weekender and earning a name for himself in the underground hip-hop scene in the Indian city.

His debut Extended Play album was named Kalari, in a nod to the Kerala martial art form. The rapper-songwriter released his first single "Daily Dose" in 2019.

The Malayalam-language hit movie Aavesham had a song by him, "The Last Dance", in its soundtrack.

Also read: Kerala rapper Hanumankind goes global with 'Big Dawgs'; know all about the viral sensation

"Big Dawgs", featuring Kalmi, became viral not only for the song but also for the stunning music video directed by Bijoy Shetty.

Shot in a 'well of death' car circus at Sooraj's native town of Ponnani, "Big Dawgs" was released this July and went on to become a global hit.

(With inputs from agencies)