Hanumankind has been changing how Indians are viewed with his music. Since the release of Run It Up, the reactions to him have been revealing just how degraded we have been.
We have experienced profound rejection. Of mind. Of body. Of soul. Mind is limited to spaces of science or medicine, and we are rarely respected or seen as artists, as fighters. Body is ridiculed constantly. How we look, sound and smell remains the butt of many jokes. The social media trend of “what race wouldn’t you date” overwhelmingly was responded to with “Indians.” Soul is cast as the canvas for someone else to pilgrimage on, rather than for our bodies, our minds to be animated by.
The fight in our souls, the rebellion, our beautiful confusion has poor realisation worldwide. Hanumankind reveals the specific expereince of racial prejudice we face as Indians. This is not just a criticsm of the West. There is a worldwide adoption of the West’s disapproval of how we sound, smell, look. Our larger features, our imperfect clothes, our meals eaten without fork, knife, or chopsticks.
Most Indians are even embarrassed of themselves as a result. But we are one of the largest, most diverse and rich countries when it comes to culture, academia, music, art, food, dance, martial arts. And let me tell you, there is a serious level of beauty to us. So severe that maybe you had to turn it into a joke because you were blinded by it. So, if we’re a joke— these are my clowns and this is my circus.
One of the first reactions to Hanumankind has been, “there’s no way this is an Indian guy.” The idea that he isn’t a soft sitar instrumental, or a raaga is that far away from your minds. If you wanted evidence of our alienation, feel free to look within. The ways your eyes look, the way you wouldn’t check to see for us in the rap game.
Hanumankind is from Kerala, and he blends instrumentals of classical Indian music using tabla beats, bass claps from 70’s Malaylam films as well as Marathi hip hop. This all blends to make his personal sound, which perfectly joins rap technqiues used by black artists. His lyrics are the same defiant and self possessing typical of artists like Kendrick Lamar, note many reactions to him are “he’s the Indian Kendrick.” He also participates in the treasure of Punjabi artists who have been making some of the best music for years now—rapping, storytelling, blending. Most notable Sidhu Moose Wala, whose association with Burna Boy brought him to the West’s knowledge. He was shot in 2022 by the Indian government, but lives on in his music. A musical funeral held for him in his own song Mera Na featuring Burna Boy.
In the Run It Up music video Hanumankind importantly features his people, and not from any one region. The history of India is like the history of a cake that never stopped getting cut — we’re in pieces and nobody’s eating these stale crumbs. Hanumankind doesn’t shy away from featuring his own culture of the South, but we also see the North, the East, the West. He meant it when he said he was “standing on buisness.” All of our buisness. That’s a powerful move, especially considering the political climate of India and our own hostility towards each other: “Your problems, they just not the same to us. We dealin’ with things you ain’t seen before. We feelin’ the weight of our ancestors“ (Run It Up, Hanumankind & Prod. By Kalmi).
In the Run It Up music video watching Singh stand up on both horses with his Shastar (weapons) in hand and mouth was something I didn’t expect to see at all. As a Punjabi Sikh Woman born and raised in East London, my people are always consumed by another religion, another culture—we end up becoming another people entirely. To see a single shot of Singh alone like that— it confirmed we exist to someone else, and fiercely too. I’m afraid to talk about my culture, my childhood, my home—all that I am. A huge reason is I’m always sure no one knows anything about us Sikhs. We’re so hidden, I don’t even know if I know enough. As if I’m not what I am. As if I’m not where I’m from. I learned long ago that I just don’t count. But let me unlearn that so called lesson: “not the lesser (most, not the lesser). Straight terror, product of your errors.”
Hanumankind is a great bridge into existing and happening Indian music and culture— I highly encourage you to cross over. Especially if you have any interest in taking on the responsibility of properly seeing a people who gave you your Friday night naan and mid week chai latte’s: “I see the love that we give and the love that we get, make sure everything comin’ full circle.”
It has been exhausting to wage war on myself in the same places I wonder and walk. When I look in your eyes I’m never there, and I keep wondering where I went. Then I listen to a song like Run It Up and there’s a seat, didn’t have to chase this musical chair. “I swear that it’s coming, we starting today but we wake up tomorrow and things are the same, damn” (Run It Up, Hanumankind & Prod. By Kalmi).