Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, September 22, met the internet sensation, rapper Hanumankind, at the 'Modi and US' event at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York, as part of his three-day visit to the country. He also hugged the other artists, Aditya Gadhvi and Devi Sri Prasad, who performed at the international event.
Videos of Kerala-born rapper Sooraj Cherukat, who goes by the stage name HanuMankind, performing at the 'Modi and US' event were shared widely on the internet. In the videos, the audience is seen enjoying his performance and grooving in their seats. After his performance, the rapper met PM Modi, who shook hands and hugged him, presumably praising him for his performance. Before hugging him, PM Modi also said, "Jai Hanuman".
Singer Aditya Gadhvi also performed in front of PM Modi and a crowd of 13,500. Aditya took the internet by storm last year with his song Khalasi, which "tells the tale of the limitless sailor who has set out to explore through the shores of Gujarat." Composer Devi Sri Prasad, popular for his music in films like Pushpa: The Rise and Waltair Veerayya, was also present at the event and met PM Modi.
Members of the Indian diaspora from Tamil Nadu showcased the traditional musical instrument 'Parai' at the event before PM Modi addressed the crowd. Earlier on Sunday, a group performed Mallakhamb—an acrobatic art form that originated in Maharashtra—outside Nassau Coliseum in New York, Long Island.
HanuMankind is emerging as one of the leading figures in mainstream hip-hop with tracks like 'Big Dawgs', 'Rush Hour', 'Genghis', and 'Go To Sleep'. Sooraj spent his formative years in Texas and incorporated Texas-influenced sounds into the 'Big Dawgs' music video, creating a perfect fusion of desi and global elements.
