PM Modi gives shoutout to rapper Hanumankind's latest track 'Run It Up', here's what he said

HanumanKind

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded Kerala-born rapper Sooraj Cherukat, known professionally as Hanumankind, for his recent song 'Run It Up', which is gaining international recognition for promoting India's traditional culture.

PM Modi's highlights Run It Up success

In the 120th edition of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi highlighted the track's role in showcasing Indian martial arts globally.

"Our traditional games are increasingly becoming integrated into mainstream culture. The latest track by the famous rapper Hanumankind, 'Run It Up', is gaining significant popularity at the moment," the Prime Minister said.

He further praised the 33-year-old rapper, for integrating traditional Indian martial arts such as Kalaripayattu, Gatka, and Thang-Ta into the song, noting, "I congratulate Hanumankind that due to his efforts, people of the world are getting to know about our traditional martial arts."

The Prime Minister also shared his appreciation on social media, writing, "Be it Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago, our cultural linkages are thriving! #MannKiBaat."

Additionally, a post from the official PMO X handle stated, "Renowned rapper Hanumankind's new song has become quite popular these days. Our traditional Martial Arts like Kalaripayattu, Gatka, and Thang-Ta have been included in it."

About Hanumankind

The rapper gained worldwide recognition with his hit track 'Big Dawgs' from 2024. He slashed global records with the track and also surpassed Kendrick Lamar's ‘Not Like Us' on Spotify's Global Chart.

Hanumankind's 'Run It Up' has continued to dominate the music scene, securing the top spot on the Official Asian Music Chart for three consecutive weeks.

The music video for 'Run It Up' pays tribute to India's rich cultural diversity by blending elements of folk traditions with martial arts, adding a visual dimension to the celebration of the country's heritage.

Hailing from Malappuram, Kerala, Sooraj released his first single 'Daily Dose' in his debut EP Kalari in 2019. He grew up in Houston, Texas, where he attended Houston Community College. In 2012, he returned to India and enrolled at PSG College in Coimbatore to study Business Administration. He completed an internship at Goldman Sachs in 2014 and later worked as an Operations Analyst at the company for over a year starting in 2017. Following this, he left Goldman Sachs to join BigCity Promotions as an Alliance & Partnership Specialist.

His other popular tracks include ‘Genghis,' ‘Skyline,' ‘Damnson,' ‘Southside,' and ‘Rush Hour,' among others. His style has been largely influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Logic which has solidified his position in Desi Indian hip hop.

(with inputs from ANI)