Bronny James is him. The young phenom, McDonaldâs All-American, and son of NBA legend LeBron James is currently enjoying his journey to the NBA. Named an All-American, Bronny took part in the Powerade JamFest, most notably the Slam Dunk Contest, which his father was in decades ago.
Bronny jumped over his 6â5âł brother Bryce James during the dunk contest for his most impressive dunk. He also put down an impressive windmill during the warmups. You can see all of the moments from Bronnyâs session below.
 McDonaldâs Future 22 is an integrated, creative campaign, launched during Black History Month, that highlights 22 young, Black visionaries who are creating meaningful change in communities across the country. Â
During the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture, McDonaldâs furthered its commitment to serving up bright futures by surprising 22 young, Black leaders with $10,000 each â totaling to $220,000 â to help them achieve their community-driven goals, with the help of award-winning actress, singer and entertainer and campaign spokesperson, Keke Palmer.  Â
âItâs an honor to join McDonaldâs to recognize and celebrate these awesome leaders, while also supporting their work and mission,â said Keke. âThey are creating bright futures for themselves and the next generation â and, really, all of us â and the excitement on their faces during the McDonaldâs surprise gave me joy.â Â
During the celebratory event held at Essence Fest last weekend in New Orleans, which McDonaldâs sponsored for the 22nd year, Keke and Marissa Fisher, a second-generation McDonaldâs Owner/Operator in New Orleans, participated in a fireside chat moderated by McDonaldâs Senior Director of Cultural Engagement, Elizabeth Campbell, to inspire Future 22 leaders and provide tips on staying true to oneâs mission, finding balance while changing the world and paving the way for others, among other topics.  Â
âThis yearâs Essence Fest theme was Black Joy, and we couldnât wait to celebrate all 22 leaders and bring them to New Orleans, in honor of their accomplishments,â said Campbell. âWe certainly couldâve surprised them virtually but making them a part of our Essence Fest moment meant unlocking the additional community of supporters who are McDonaldâs Owner/Operators and the Essence Fest family, to further celebrate them and demonstrate our belief in their work. It was more special than imagined, representing our commitment to feeding and fostering the communities we serve.â   Â
All weekend long, the Future 22 leaders were invited to celebrate the Essence Festival of Culture 2022 theme of âBlack Joyâ through different McDonaldâs activities, including a celebratory event in their honor, impactful experiences at its branded booth, loads of entertainment, and show-stopping performances.  Future 22 campaign spokesperson Keke Palmer announced the funds during the celebratory event following a fireside chat with New Orleans-based Owner/Operator Marissa Fisher on staying true to oneâs mission, creating your own opportunities and finding balance while changing the world. Moderated by McDonaldâs Senior Director of Cultural Engagement, Elizabeth Campbell.Â
McDonaldâs Future 22 and the Essence Fest partnership are two of the many company initiatives that celebrate Black excellence. For more than 65 years, McDonaldâs and its Owner/Operators have awarded scholarships to HBCU students, and created impactful partnerships with community organizations like the National Urban League, NAACP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and more. And this year, McDonaldâs is proud to congratulate the National Black McDonaldâs Operators Association for 50 years of entrepreneurial and community excellence.Â
Watch the interviews above for more on Keke Palmer and McDonaldâs Future 22 campaign.
Is YE set to bring his talents to the Golden Arches? Kanye West returned to Instagram and let off a post of what appears to be a redesign of McDonaldâs packaging.
The image appears to show a burger in the shape of a box with the golden arches attached. The caption offers a bit of context: âYe teams up with legendary Muji industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa to reimagine McDonaldâs packaging.â
Over the years, McDonaldâs has teamed with notable industry figures for specific meals and merchandise. Those meals include Travis Scott, Mariah Carey, and Saweetie. Could Ye be next? Check out the post below.
This isnât YEâs first encounter with McDonaldâs. The DONDA creator appeared in a McDâs commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. In the commercial, Kanye did what most of us do when we hit a drive-thru and tried to figure out our order, suddenly freeze and try to figure out your order. The result is the typical âCan I get uhhhhhhhhhâŠ..â
Kanye pulled up on a SHERP but is also joined by NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and more.
Seem random? Not at all. Kanye has been vocal about his love for McDonaldâs. You can see the ad below.