'Positivity is contagious': Iqaluit rapper spreads love with spontaneous sled giveaway

For Iqaluit's Devin Youngson known to his fans as the rapper Lil Def a recent sale at the community's Northmartoffered a chance to spreada little Christmas magic.

Youngson had just returned from Iqaluit from performing shows in Montreal and Ottawa. With a little money to spare, he caught wind of a 50 per cent off sale at Northmart, the day it re-opened following a warehouse fire.

Initially, the sale didn't offer much that intrigued Youngson. He wandered through the store, but "a lot of things were already gone," and so he decided to leave.

However, just before he headed out the door, inspiration struck.

"I saw the GTs there ... and I thought me and my friends could have a fun time with them," he said. "And then I was like,'Hey, I could just buy all of them, and start giving them out to other kids and stuff like that, and they can have a fun time too."

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The 19-year-old Youngson wound up buying 11 GT Snowracers a type of sled and four snow scooters, at a cost of about $800. He filled up the back of his truck, and set off around town with some friends, looking to provide some holiday cheer for the community's youth.

"I said we should go around in the truck ...and whenever we see kids, just ask them if they want one and just straight up give it to them," he said."So that's what we did."

He said the kids "were super happy, so that's awesome."

Youngson posted a short video of his random act of kindness on Facebook, where it quickly spread around the community.

"They were just saying thank you," he said of the youth. "They were just super happy, and laughing. It was an awesome time."

Youngson said his grand gesture was a spur of the moment decision, and that he hoped it would inspire others to be kind and giving. A well-known performer in the community, he said he felt a sense of responsibility as many youth look up to him.

"I just went to Northmart, saw them and thought,'I could do this,'" he said. "It's the first time I've ever done something that big."

He said he also hopes his video will help carry his message of giving far and wide during the holiday season.

"Spreading positivity is contagious."