He goes by the name Junk. He鈥檚 an up-and-coming 麻豆传媒映画hip-hop artist. And he has a message for you.
That message 鈥� while strewn with profanities 鈥� might not be too far off the money.
鈥淪ocial media she a mother* 鈥� turn you into a sociopath," that鈥檚 the gist of the chorus of his new song 鈥楽ocioMedia'.
The rap explores how social media is consuming people's lives and shutting them off from the real world鈥� well, from Junk鈥檚 perspective.
You can listen to the rest , if you dare.听
While the rap may not be everyone鈥檚 cup of tea, his message is spreading.
The video clip - created by Liam Lime and produced by Imperetiv - on his official has had over 18k views, 360 shares and 71 comments since it was posted a few days ago.听
Not quite what one would call 鈥済oing viral鈥� nowadays.
And that mentality is the point of his song. To make people stop and think about why we have become so obsessed with social media and being 鈥榣iked鈥� in the online realm.听
It鈥檚 not a new question but one that keeps popping up over and over again. The way Junk has raised the issue may just slap you in the face a little harder than the normal statistics and mental health awareness days.
Ian Tonino, a.k.a Junk, told the Courier he "just wanted to make it clear that everything of value doesn鈥檛 have to be on social media or displayed on social media.鈥�
鈥淭he focus we put into social media is turning us into sociopaths who care less for one another,鈥� he said.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 also stating (in the song) that it鈥檚 a wild world of necessity.
鈥淚 just feel like people, and myself included, are drifting further apart due to the constant search for online approval.鈥�
>Now, I don't quite agree with social media turning "us all into sociopaths" but I do think he has a point. It's not a bad reminder to reflect on the way social media is making you feel, given it is just as much a part of most people's lives as drinking water is these days. 听
Junk, who was discovered in the grimy underbelly of East Vancouver鈥檚 hip-hop scene, has just dropped his third studio album 鈥� Audio Heroin.
He started out in the 麻豆传媒映画rap scene performing at house parties and battle rapping in King of the Dot battles (a rap battle league founded in Toronto).
He鈥檚 also a four-time winner of Vancouver's Rent Money freestyle competition and the Canadian National champion of the End Of The Weak freestyle competition.听
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As an artist, he said he was no stranger to feeling pressure to perform on social media.
鈥淚f it (a song) doesn鈥檛 do well with numbers it鈥檚 like the song was made for nothing and falls on deaf ears 鈥� since it鈥檚 so key to have become a viral sensation nowadays to make a splash on a wider audience," Junk said.
鈥淗ence the parallel universe of hating it and needing it.
鈥淪ometimes I want to throw my phone against a brick wall and smash it with a sledge hammer but then I鈥檇 cry and take it to a repair shop.鈥�
So instead of breaking his phone, to deal with the pressure, Junk does what he does best, raps.
鈥淢aking songs about it and venting in a creative way helps,鈥� he said.
鈥淏ut also eating gelato in English bay and watching the sunset.鈥�
Junk said his overall message to people was to find a balance in life.
He's definitely not the only one sending that message... others are just sending it more politely, like Canadians do.
鈥淛ust realize that it鈥檚 not as important as it seems and that we should enjoy life through our eyes more and not through a filter or screen of a phone,鈥� Junk said.
鈥淚 really do believe that. 听I know everyone deep down in their little black hearts does too."听
I guess it's something to think about... while you sit reading this story about social media on your phone.听
What's social media doing to you?听
Is it time to switch off?听
