If you’ve been anywhere near the internet in the past two years, you’ve heard “Big Dawgs.” That irresistible, high-octane track with a music video shot inside a real Well of Death in Kerala — motorcycles, a speeding car, and one rapper hanging out the window with a grin on his face. That rapper is Hanumankind, and on May 12, he’s bringing the whole energy to Petaling Jaya.
From Goldman Sachs to Global Hip-Hop
Born Sooraj Cherukat in Malappuram, Kerala, Hanumankind is the product of an almost cinematic life. His father’s career in the oil industry meant a childhood spent bouncing between Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Egypt, Qatar, Italy, and eventually Houston, Texas — where Southern hip-hop legends like DJ Screw, UGK, and Project Pat shaped the way he heard music forever.
He came back to India in 2012, finished a business degree, and took a job at Goldman Sachs. The rap thing was a side hustle. Then it wasn’t. He signed to Def Jam India, started building a loyal fanbase through a string of sharp EPs and singles, and waited for the moment that would change everything.
That moment was “Big Dawgs.”
The Song That Broke the Internet (and Then Some)
Released in 2024 with producer and longtime collaborator Kalmi, “Big Dawgs” didn’t just do well — it rewrote what people thought was possible for an Indian rapper. The track cracked the US Billboard Hot 100 at #23, hit the global top 10, racked up over 400 million Spotify streams, and went viral on TikTok with 150 million views. The music video — raw, chaotic, and shot entirely at a traveling carnival in Kerala — had the internet obsessed.
Then came the A$AP Rocky remix. The two debuted it live at Rolling Loud Thailand, and the clip of that moment went everywhere. Rocky’s co-sign wasn’t just a feature — it was a full-throated declaration that Hanumankind belonged on the world stage.
He went on to perform at Coachella 2025, has been praised by Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and NME, and was recently named one of GQ India’s Most Influential Young Indians of 2026. He’s also set to appear on the soundtrack for Season 2 of Netflix’s Devil May Cry. The momentum hasn’t slowed for a single second.
The PJ Show: What You Need to Know
The Malaysia date is part of his OTW 2026 Asia Tour, slotted right in the middle of stops in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore. He lands at JioSpace in Seksyen 19, Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, May 12, doors from 8PM to 11PM. The event is promoted by Collective Minds and is strictly 18 and above.
JioSpace is key here. This isn’t a festival stage or an arena show — it’s an intimate venue, which means you’ll actually be in the room with an artist who, by all logic, should be selling out much bigger spaces right now. That window doesn’t stay open forever.
Why This One Matters
Hanumankind represents something genuinely new — a rapper who is deeply, proudly South Indian, shaped equally by Kendrick Lamar and DJ Screw, who proved that the world would listen if the music was good enough. He didn’t water anything down or package himself for an international audience. He just made the realest version of himself, and the world caught up.
Malaysia has a long, passionate relationship with hip-hop culture. This show is the kind of moment the scene will be talking about for a while.
Don’t sleep on it.
Hanumankind performs at JioSpace, Petaling Jaya on May 12, 2026. Doors open at 8PM. Event is 18+.