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After a historic 2024 following the release of his international super hit Big Dawgs, Hanumankind has finally returned with his first solo single Run It Up.
Sooraj Cherukat, professionally known as Hanumankind, released his first single for the year on Friday (March 7) via Capitol Records and Universal Music India. The record was released alongside a hyper-energetic music video directed by friend and frequent collaborator Bijoy Shetty.
The music video was uploaded to the rapper's YouTube channel several hours after the single was distributed to all major streaming platforms and has since crossed 1.8 million views as of this writing.
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The visuals, production, and overall sonic direction of Sooraj's new single appear culturally rooted in Kerala's passionate energy, elevated by the creative use of Chenda, a cylindrical percussion instrument that truly accentuates the song's listening experience.
Bijoy's direction adds massively to the record's narratives, featuring stunning scenes of Kalaripayattu warriors and Kathakali & Theyyam dancers, with the rapper delivering bars that double down on his roots and pursuit of legacy.
Producer Kalmi and engineer Akash Shravan's contribution to Run It Up's sonic direction cannot be understated as both artists put together a thunderous production featuring drum sequences whose well-crafted percussions draw listeners into Sooraj's relentless battle against cultural oppression.
Bar-For-Bar: Breaking down Hanumankind's latest single Run It Up
With Run It Up finally hitting major DSPs, Hanumankind fans' rising anticipation for an official follow-up to Big Dawgs has finally been satisfied almost eight months after the rapper rose to international status.
With electrifying visuals, an iconic production, and deeply passionate lyricism, Sooraj's latest outing is a masterclass on pushing culture as he attempts to unite the nation in a chase for something larger than himself.
Notables themes explored on Run It Up have been listed below:
- Wealth
- Success
- Luxury
- Power
- Status
- Society
- Culture
- Community
- Oppression
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
(Chorus)
"Run it up, the sun is up / To when its down, get ya money up / I put money down on all of us / On my people now, on what I love"
Hanumankind's Run It Up opens with the record's hook, where the rapper explores themes of wealth, power, and success, as he highlights his intention to bring his people up with him.
(Post-Chorus)
"Ooh, baby, it's dangerous / 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 / We healin' with ways that don't last for long / Don't have us the time, ain't it obvious? / No help for the weak but the liquor strong / Plenty here, pour it for all of us"
Hanumankind continues by delivering lines that highlight a difference between his people and those he considers outsiders, citing the struggles of oppression his ancestors faced.
He ends the hook by explaining how he's aware that the changes he intends to instill in the culture will take time to have an impact, hence suggesting pouring a drink for all of his people as they wait.
(Verse 1)
"Now, bring out the drums in this b***h / All my homies got rich doing sh*t that they said wouldn't work / Bring out the guns in the b***h, here to load up a clip / And go shoot up the place we don't care (Brrt)"
He then delivers his first verse, emphasizing the powerful drum sequences that carry the record. He proceeds to shed light on the success of his peers while poking fun at people who criticized and never believed in his team's ambitions and goals.
"I see the bums that be wishing we end in a ditch / Yeah, they prayin' to see a man hurt / I see the love that we give and the love that we get / Make sure everything comin' full circle (Woo) / We went from nothin' to something / Got all of 'em jumpin' to sh*t that we made from the air"
The rapper appears to be referencing the massive success of Big Dawgs as he reminisces on going from "nothing to something," given the rapper garnered international fame and praise following the release of his 2024 chart-topping single.
"We went from running and gunning with nothing in stomach / To feeding the neighborhood, bruh / There ain't a person alive that be matching the vibe / And it honestly ain't even fair (Woo, woo) / There ain't a dude with the drive and the vision like I have / Unless I go look in the mirror, baby (Woo, yeah)"
Hanumankind ends his verse by highlighting his appreciation for how his community and people get to reap the benefits of his success, while simultaneously proclaiming himself as a one-of-a-kind artist, claiming that nobody else could have achieved what he did.
Listeners are then reintroduced to the record's hook and post-hook before the rapper delivers his second and final verse on Run It Up.
(Verse 2)
"Now, we go from angry and mad to happy and glad to find a solution for us (Hu) / We go from sorry and sad to ready to grab our weapons and get to the front / I want the money, the cash, the moola, the bag, the currency, stacking it up (Yeah) / We want the freedom to live and the freedom to have the things we been lackin', my bruh"
With a slowed-down production that rapidly begins to amp up as the song progresses, the rapper opens on his second verse delving deeper into his perception of how he and his people are viewed.
The rapper appears to be tackling themes of success, wealth, and luxury, as he delivers lines that highlight his desire for materialism and status.
"So what are we lackin', huh? / I could point it out so much that's around, better settle down (Woo) / No point doing that or they send the hounds (Yeah) / Bite me in the a**, put me in the ground (Ayy) / Turn me into ash, culture carried down (Ayy)"
Hanumankind continues by explaining the impact of speaking up against the supposed negativity that plagues the culture. He states how freedom of speech doesn't truly exist and if he does "point out" the flaws of the world around him, he'd be silenced or killed.
"From those who came up before me (Ayy) / I'm here to change up the story (Yeah) / Find me at work in the morning (Yeah, yeah) / Find me where people are mourning, man (Yeah) / 'Cause death is around every corner (Yeah) / When life isn't free for a person, dog / You act like an animal cornered"
Hanumankind proceeds to share his appreciation for artists and inspiring individuals who came up before him, citing that his intention lies in "changing the story" or revolutionizing the current state of hip-hop in the country.
He ends his bar by explaining that one's behavior is correlated to their life and situation they're currently in, empathizing with erratic decisions people sometimes make when feeling cornered.
"Savages speak in a language y'all / You don't understand, you a foreigner (B***h) / Don't nobody need an advantage, nah / We needin' some balance and order / But you know that's never the case / Never a chance that they changing their ways (No) / It's never a choice that they giving to you / There will never be justice to face"
The rapper continues to address the impact societal norms have on the culture, citing language barriers, imbalance, and lack of justice as major threats to improving the country.
While citing that society needs proper "balance and order," the rapper seemingly accepts this to be a dream that may never be attained.
"We sing for the sorrow and dance for the pain (Yeah) / No one to follow it's just you and me (Yeah) / I swear that it's coming, we starting today / But we wake up tomorrow and things are the same, damn"
With a final bar, where the rapper highlights how regardless of the many people who speak up against cultural oppression, society may never truly change, Hanumankind closes Run It Up on a reflective note.
Hanumankind's Run It Up is an exceptional display of passion and honesty, tying deeply into his perception of societal norms impacting the newer generation. His latest record also follows up on the Big Dawgs (remix) with A$AP Rocky and his Squid Game season 2 theme song The Game Don't Stop.
