"I heard the guitar solo in a Limp Bizkit song and thought, 'Okay, I want to go learn guitar'," says the 36-year-old, who began playing small gigs while studying at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. Among his college friends was comedian Kenneth Sebastian, with whom he played restaurant and college gigs.

Anoop eventually stepped away from music, unsure if it could become a viable career. He returned to it at 24, inspired by artistes such as Ed Sheeran and his use of loop stations. Performing extensively around Bengaluru, he experimented with beatboxing, guitars, electronic sounds, singing and rap before settling into hip-hop.

"I realised that although this is an interesting format, it's not as powerful as how rappers can move crowds," he says. "Hanumankind's live shows are pure chaos. I wanted to be able to move people like that."

His music has also changed with him. Earlier tracks dealt with subjects such as Bengaluru's potholes and traffic, partly in an attempt to find a wider audience. Today, he is more interested in personal experiences - relationships, friendships, betrayal, ambition and the ups and downs of everyday life.

That doesn't mean he has abandoned his playful side. His latest track, 'South Funk', imagines what it might sound like if Snoop Dogg's West Coast hip-hop culture met South India. Dr Dre-inspired drums sit alongside a nadaswaram sample and a cow sound, while the track invites listeners to break into the crip walk.

The track is part of a larger DIY approach. A graphic designer by profession, Anoop handles almost everything himself, from writing, recording and music production to video editing and promotional artwork. Cinematography, mixing, mastering and colour grading are among the few things he outsources.

He performs under the name Kata, drawn from "gundigala kaata" - a phrase from his pothole song 'Aladsu'. With 'South Funk' currently being pushed through a stream of reels, Anoop is already working on more music, with another release expected next month.