Kanye West has just broken his Instagram silence. After a tumultuous start to the year that consisted of a new album, cyberbullying, and some startling behavior against his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, the rapper took a much-needed hiatus from social media. Now, Kanye is getting back into his old grind with the long-awaited announcement of a McDonald’s partnership.
The French fries have a plan —
Ye and McDonald’s first teased the collab during a commercial slot for the 2022 Super Bowl, when the rapper rolled up to the drive-thru in a massive tank and uttered the iconic “Can I get uhhh…” line. With the help of Muji industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa, the newest chapter of the project is a reimagination of the fast-food giant’s food packaging design. Kanye’s Instagram post depicts a Big Mac box with the golden arches logo on its top and a side-view of a sad-looking burger on its front.
The rapper posted the image to his story along with text saying: “Next week it’s the fries.” A reference to his song “Gold Digger” from his 2005 album Late Registration, the line is just one of many references Kayne has made to his love for fast food, Mickey D’s especially.
In 2016, Ye tweeted (and deleted), “McDonald’s is my favorite brand.” Two years later he tweeted, “McDonald’s is my favorite restaurant.” Kanye even penned a tribute poem to the fast-food chain for Frank Ocean’s Boys Don’t Cry magazine in 2016. (You can bask in the full poem down below.)
The new HappYe meal? —
Whether or not we’ll get a full Yeezy meal at McDonald’s remains to be seen. He would join a growing list of artists that have partnered with the franchise, including Saweetie, J Balvin, and Travis Scott. We already know his meal too, thanks to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet: a large caramel Frappé, one Chicken Tasty (a European exclusive), medium fries, a large chocolate milkshake, a three-pack of hot wings, and six barbecue dipping sauces.
If McDonald’s upgrades its uniforms to reflect the partnership, as it usually does with artist collabs, we can only imagine the hype and havoc that will ensue in trying to score one. Maybe Kanye’s bestie Demna, Balenciaga’s creative director, will advise on the design, seeing as rumor has it one of the luxury label’s shoes was inspired by a fry carton.
“McDonald’s Man”: Kanye West’s Ode to McDonald’s
“McDonald’s man / McDonald’s man / The French fries had a plan / The French fries had a plan / The salad bar and the ketchup made a band / Cus the French Fries had a plan / The French fries had a plan / McDonald’s man / McDonald’s / I know them French fries have a plan / I know them French fries have a plan / The cheeseburger and the shakes formed a band / To overthrow the French fries plan / I always knew them French fries was evil man / Smelling all good and shit / I don’t trust no food that smells that good man / I don’t trust it / I just can’t / McDonald’s man / McDonald’s man / McDonald’s, man / Them French fries look good tho / I knew the Diet Coke was jealous of the fries / I knew the McNuggets was jealous of the fries / Even the McRib was jealous of the fries / I could see it through his artificial meat eyes / And he only be there some of the time / Everybody was jealous of them French fries / Except for that one special guy / That smooth apple pie.”
