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The LiFTED 50 Number 10: Hanumankind [India]

Hanumankind’s appeal now stretches across streaming platforms, cinema & mainstream popular culture

LiFTED | Marcus Aurelius | 30 Jul 2026


The past two years have transformed Hanumankind from one of India's most respected underground MCs into a global Hip Hop star. 2024's ‘Big Dawgs’ changed everything. Produced by longtime collaborator Kalmi and paired with a visually mind-blowing music video directed by Bijoy Shetty, the song became an international viral phenomenon. It charted around the world, earned a remix featuring A$AP Rocky, and introduced millions of listeners to an artist who blended Houston rap influences with unmistakably Indian identity.

Instead of chasing the success of ‘Big Dawgs’ with a copycat single, Hanumankind doubled down on his own vision. In 2025 he released ‘Run It Up,’ another collaboration with Kalmi and Shetty that celebrated India's cultural diversity and his own Keralan identity through music and visuals. Built around the powerful rhythms of Kerala's traditional chenda drums, the song incorporated martial arts, dance, and regional traditions from across the country, proving that Indian Hip Hop could embrace local culture without compromising its global appeal.

After debuting at Coachella and dropping his mixtape Monsoon Season with features from Denzel Curry and Maxo Kream, Hanumankind dropped a collab with Nu Metal legends Papa Roach ‘See U in Hell’ for the Netflix animated series Devil May Cry. He also appeared on the soundtrack to Bollywood blockbuster Dhurandhar, showing that Hanumankind’s appeal now stretches across streaming platforms, cinema, and mainstream popular culture