Coronavirus: The drill track by rapper Psychs that's 'spreading awareness'

Rapper PsychsPsychs
By Gurvinder Gill
Newsbeat reporter

No-one can escape the news about coronavirus but amid the gloom some people are doing their best to keep us all entertained.

South London rapper Psychs is raising awareness about the virus with his latest track - Spreadin'.

He says he made the drill track because the virus is "what everyone is talking about at the moment".

"I knew that if I'd done this in the right way, it would grab people's attention... especially my generation."

The 18-year-old's lyrics talk about changes to his daily life like not being able to watch football - but he's also spreading the message that people should avoid hugging and shaking hands, for now at least.

Psychs and his friends use their feet instead.

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The rapper added: "One of the hardest things I'm anticipating is just not being able to see my friends if we do go into lockdown."

As well as making music, Psychs is also studying for a BTEC in performing arts, sport and business.

Like a lot of students, his school is now closed because of the coronavirus - although he's already done his exams.

"But I guess I'm in the same predicament if exam boards close - maybe I'll get a predicted grade? I just don't know."

Psychs

"Let's take this ting serious / Please stay safe and don't get infected / Love to the families who've been affected"

In one part of the song he talks about the virus starting in China but says he didn't mean anything negative by it.

"I was just making a joke - saying, 'Oh, well everything's made in China anyway', because most of the things we have are produced in China."

Psychs' track has been viewed nearly 200,000 times on YouTube over the last week and he says it took him around a day to write.

"I think it's the fastest project I've ever put out in my whole time of doing music, to be honest."

And he's really happy with the reaction it's been getting - he was "gassed" when it was played on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Snoochy Shy's show.

The rapper told Radio 1 Newsbeat now is the time for everyone to come together and that "as a nation, together - we'll overcome it."

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