Hanumankind, NME’s latest star of The Cover, has created an exclusive playlist to accompany the story’s launch – check it out below.
The Kerala-born rapper is on this week’s (July 28) edition of The Cover, a manifestation of NME’s commitment to supporting emerging talent across the globe on a weekly basis. Every week, a rising artist will feature on The Cover – you can read Hanumankind’s profile here, written by Kyann-Sian Williams and featuring photography by Faysal Hassan.
In honour of his debut mixtape ‘Monsoon Season’ – which dropped last Friday (July 25) – the ‘Big Dawgs’ star has shared an exclusive playlist titled ‘Songs To Listen To During Monsoon Season’. The collection blends introspective and thought-provoking picks you can still groove to, featuring tracks from hip-hop heavyweights like Skepta, Kendrick Lamar and Underground Kingz, alongside cuts from Tool, Wardruna and more. Listen to it in full on Spotify below and on Apple Music.
In his The Cover story, Hanumankind opened up about the pressure of being a voice for India’s rap scene – and how he’s still learning to carry that weight without losing himself in the process. “I’m no fucking perfect person. I’m not a fucking role model,” he told NME. “But I also recognise that I’ve affected people in my country and people who are like me.”
The NME 100 alum included his song ‘Someone Told Me’ on his The Cover playlist, and he shared more about the track in the story. Throughout the making of ‘Monsoon Season’, he said he wrestled with the idea of freedom and his purpose in the world. “To me, it’s always been more than music,” Hanumankind explained.
“This is a quest for me to find out more about myself, and in turn the world, my people, everything around us. Through my journey of learning, of seeking truth, maybe I’ll be able to leave something behind: something of love, respect, or just something worthy of remembrance. In the end, you don’t really have any control over anything. Whatever happens, happens.”
Read Hanumankind’s full Cover story here and find out who else has been on The Cover here.