Drake urges fans to take part in 24-hour joy challenge

[thunderball]

Hip-hop star Drake is encouraging fans to perform just one act of kindness for another person as part of a 24-hour Instagram challenge.

The Canadian rapper recently showed off his generosity as he filmed his God's Plan music video in Miami, Florida earlier this month (Feb18), giving away almost $1 million (£712,100) to local residents and organisations in need.

On Friday (16Feb18), hours after sharing the heartwarming promo online, Drake called on his 39.7 million fans on the social media site to follow his lead and do something selfless to put a smile on someone's face.

"I am not into challenges on IG I find them annoying...," he begins his Instagram Story post, "but today I am going to challenge everyone to just go out and do something for someone, anything, the smallest thing just to bring another human being some joy... (sic)".

Drake wants participants to report back with their good deeds and tag him in the posts, "so I can see all the love being spread".

However, the Passionfruit hitmaker insists the challenge isn't a marketing ploy to boost the chart performance of his new single: "you don't have to play the song in the background or have some hashtag this isn't about streams and all the other tactics being used... (sic)," he writes.

"just go be kind in any way you can and let's watch the world be nice to each other even if it's for 24 hours ...Thank You".

The video for God's Plan features Drake making surprise donations to officials at Miami Senior High School, the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, the Lotus Home Women's Shelter, and the City of Miami Fire Department, among other institutions. He also presents stacks of cash to struggling families and hands the keys for new cars to underprivileged teens, in addition to covering the grocery bills for all customers in a Miami supermarket, and treating three hardworking women to shopping sprees at top retailer Saks Fifth Avenue.

Shortly before releasing the footage of his various charitable acts, Drake declared the promo was "the most important thing I've ever done in my career".