Rapper Hanumankind has released the long-awaited rap record GTS, or Go to Sleep. The artist spoke to The Pioneer about his song, rapping, and more.
K. Ramya Sree
One of the finest young artists in India, Hanumankind, has released the long-awaited rap record GTS or Go to Sleep. Produced by Parimal Shais, the latest single was previewed numerous times on Hanumankind’s massive live sets across India and received unprecedented admiration from his listeners. Inspired by his personal life events, Go To Sleep is a therapeutic rap record through which Hanumankind channels his deep-rooted hunger to be the best in the business and protect his artistic pursuits.
The music video, directed by Bijoy Shetty, captures the anarchy and psychotic madness in Hanumankind’s world. Drawing influence from Fight Club – the iconic Oscar-nominated motion picture by David Fincher – Shetty projects Hanumankind’s desperate attempts at finding peace of mind amidst weakened relationships and a dull routine on film.
Notably, this is Hunamankind’s debut single with ‘Def Jam Recordings India’. DJI is Universal Music India’s hip-hop division within India and South Asia, which strives to represent and encourage South Asian hip-hop with unwavering label support.
In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, the young rapper spoke about his new single Go To Sleep, and said, “As a hip-hop artist, I have always strived to evolve and challenge myself with every track that I put out. That has been my greatest endeavor, and I think a lot of it comes from the responsibility I feel as one of the very few English rappers in India. ‘GTS’ is probably the most personal and emotionally engrossing track that I have written and performed until now. It’s maddening what we as artists go through while trying to feed ourselves and our families through performing arts and music. I just want to manifest that through this track. I’m certain that my fans everywhere across the world will appreciate this track and support it like they always have. Everything I do is for them, and I truly hope that it motivates them to get up and do what they always wanted to do. GTS’s basic premise is that nothing is as it seems. Change is the only constant, and our lives are a testament to that. The video shows it, while the song paints the picture, touching on topics like my vices and the struggles of finding peace within chaos.”
The rapper admitted that every line in the song is inspired by something he has experienced or by feelings he has felt. When asked where he gets his musical inspiration, he said, “From my day to day, From my travels. From the countless people that I’ve met and have yet to meet. From the mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned. From the stories I was raised around. From the stories I’ve gathered. Everything is inspiration for new music.”
Furthermore, Hanumakind feels honoured to be able to work with Vishal Bharadwaj. “Honestly, the process was super smooth, and I was willing to experiment and try new things. I’m glad it happened, and I’m looking forward to doing more things in the film realm,” added the artist.
He made his debut performance at NH7. Asked if he had any first time jitters? Like any other first-timers, even he had it, he said. “The jitters are real, and they’ll always be there no matter what kind of stage we get to. I think it gives you an edge, keeps you on your toes. But on stage, it’s almost always a place to let go and connect with people in the purest sense. Freedom.”
Namma Stories got him immense popularity. Explaining about how the project happened to him, he recalled, “The project happened super quickly. Netflix reached out to us and told us about the idea of making a song with southern artists. They sent us the best, I wrote a verse, and we had the song. Honestly, there wasn’t any prep; I just went in and did the deed. I met a bunch of beautiful people in the process as well.”
When asked how his Bengaluru lad got into rapping, he replied, “I always liked poetry and writing growing up. In high school, I had some friends who freestyled, I got into it with them for fun; it turned out I was good at it, but I didn’t really do anything with it until much later in life. Issues that I face internally and externally, things I notice in the community through my music. Recognising the past while anticipating future change. The human condition is what you will find in it.”
The young rapper is working on a couple of projects that are tied into visual experiments with signs.
