Fan Steals Travis Scott Meal Poster From a McDonald’s Window: Watch
by C. Vernon Coleman IITravis Scott and McDonald's have created a craze with their new Travis Scott meal collaboration and fans are doing anything to get their hands on this stuff. We mean anything.
On Saturday (Sept. 12), video surfaced of a young man stealing a poster promoting Travis' new meal deal right off the McDonald's restaurant window. In the clip, a person wearing a black coat and grey sweatpants walks up to a Mickey D's while someone films from afar. He steps up to the window containing the La Flame meal advertisement and begins to peel it off. After loosening the edge, he brazenly pulls the whole poster off in one motion and dips off into the night and drives off while the person filming has a good laugh.
Travis Scott and McDonald's officially launched their collaboration on Sept. 8, which includes a menu deal dedicated to the Texas rap star. The Travis Scott meal includes a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon and lettuce; medium fries with BBQ sauce to dip and a Sprite. There is also tons of merch, including shirts, hats, hoodies, sweatpants, key chains and full-body McNugget pillow, which has been selling like hotcakes (pun intended). Custom Travis Scott McDonald's employee shirts are even being sold on the secondary market for hundreds of dollars. Travis was also mobbed by fans when he went to a McDonald's to promote the collab the day it was announced.
The whole thing has led to confusion for some unfamiliar McDonald's employees who are clueless as to who the rapper even is, unlike their ecstatic younger coworkers. Not everyone is fully onboard with Travis' new burger though. NLE Choppa recently urged his fans not to give in to the burger hype and eat healthy instead.
See Every Travis Scott Project Ranked
12. The Classmates, The Classmates (2010)
Travis Scott was thumbing through textbooks far before he was flipping through racks. While attending classes at University of Texas in San Antonio, he and his The Classmates group mate Jason Eric dropped their third self-titled EP, in 2010. The three-song effort is way too short to even grasp on the first listen. And on it, there isn’t much distinction between the two artists. But what’s immediately obvious is how youthful it sounds, highly reminiscent of the MySpace era it came out in. On songs like “Tree," Travis humorously raps about chiefing some weed, copping retro air Jordans and taking girls on dates at Waffle House. His content is funny but style-wise, he was still in the testing stage. With the second track only being an instrumental, this EP is really only two songs that are barely blimps on his track record and that of the group.
11. The Classmates, Buddy Rich (2009)
Following the release of the B.A.P.E. mixtape in 2009, and with some local success attached to their names, The Classmates (comprised of Travis and Jason Eric) dropped their second project, Buddy Rich, before the year 2009 ended. Though the bars have been criticized by fans for being mid, the two rappers are notably lyrically sharper than they were on their prior project and the beat selection, handled mostly by Scott again, benefits from having no concrete and underlying motif. On this project, they come closer to finding their sound while dabbling in that of others, too. For example, on “Baggage,” the two rip through Fabolous’ “Throw It in the Bag (Remix)'' instrumental with the same type of flavor. And tracks like “Ahoy” have Kid Cudi’s intergalactic aura sprinkled all over it. Reeling things back in though, songs like “8th Wonder” have an out-of-the-box feel that only this pairing could create from scratch. You can see the vision with Buddy Rich, but it’s far from a crystal clear line of sight.
10. The Classmates, Cruis'n USA (2011)
Cruis’n USA was the final collaboration for The Classmates. The 2011 project theme and cover is based off the old Nintendo 64 game of the same title, speaking to the nostalgic memories we all have. Sound-wise though, there are some low points on the 20-track tape when the lack of consistent effort becomes detectable. The high moments come in songs like “The Mack,” “Amazing” and “Low,” which all show artistic promise. With no consistent direction, fans did note that one overhauling sound could’ve worked better than multiple, and there’s truth to that. The Classmates reportedly disbanded due to personal and financial reasons after this project. Luckily for Scott though, going solo would become the best decision he made in his music career. This mixtape is rarely brought up by anyone other than die-hard riders. To the average Travis Scott fan, it barely holds any weight.
9. The Classmates, B.A.P.E. (2009)
As seniors in high school, Travis Scott and his homeboy Jason Eric released their first project as a duo, B.A.P.E., in 2009. The nine-song collection gained momentum for the duo in Houston at the time, and also gave them confidence to keep moving forward with an early distorted yet bright sound. Among the best songs on the tape are “Bape,” which is named after the popular Japanese streetwear brand, and the screwed-up track “Bad Bitch.” Successfully, Travis Scott handles most of the production, crafting a plethora of styles from luxurious rap beats on songs like “Good Life” and Kanye-esque rhythm on records like “O.D.” Upon listening, you can instantly imagine Travis in real-time looking up instrumentals on YouTube and laying down vocals by way of a webcam. And while that rawness is able to be appreciated, it also does make for a lack of overall audio quality.
8. Jackboys, JackBoys (2019)
Right before the monumental arrival of 2020, Travis Scott and the signees on his own record label, Cactus Jack Records, dropped their first label compilation, JackBoys, on Dec. 27, 2019. The collective, made up of Scott, Don Toliver, Sheck Wes, Luxury Tax and Chase B, opted to keep their effort short and concise, releasing only seven songs, which doesn’t feel like enough to enjoy. Don Toliver gets the project MVP award for his money shots on “Had Enough” and “What To Do?”. Unfortunately, Travis himself and Sheck Wes underwhelmingly never excel past supporting roles. Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke, Young Thug and Migos appear on the project as well. However, even their placements steal a lot of shine from the group that everyone came to get introduced to. This isn’t a bad project, but in its sample-sized attempt to assert JackBoys as a giant in the rap game, it’s probably the most humdrum release in the label’s entire discography.
7. Travis Scott and Chris Holloway, The Graduates (2008)
La Flame has always been comfortable when it comes to melodies. And on his 2008 collaborative tape, The Graduates, released with his longtime friend and singer Chris Holloway, he really tested out his knack for a harmonic approach. The project reflects Travis’ extension past punchy rap on songs like “Have You Heard,” where he wins with a sing-song flow. What we also have to note is that at the time of this release, artists like Kanye West and Kid Cudi were heavily aiding in changing the sound of hip-hop. Their influence is everywhere here, from “No Introductions,” which samples Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights,” to the pop-rap track “Day ‘n’ Night,” named after Cudi’s smash hit. What Travis and Holloway do successfully is feed into the type of sounds that were already popular and working for others at the moment. For that same reason though, The Graduates lacks the inventiveness that Travis would later pioneer his sound from. So this one doesn’t rank too high in his overall release history.
6. Travis Scott and Quavo, Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho (2017)
The reception has always been split on Travis Scott and Quavo’s 2017 collaborative project Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho. The duo’s debut joint album does make a case for their chemistry and is further proven on the intro track “Modern Slavery” and the outro “Best Man.” But sandwiched in the middle, most of the songs, while not bad, aren’t memorable either. There’s a gloomy production style that thematically makes up the body of this album, thanks to producers Southside, Murda Beatz and Vinylz. But with that, it's imperative that Trav and Quavo extend their efforts when it comes to having high-energy lyrics and flows. Both artists seem reserved and whether intentional or not, remain far too contained for this project to rank high in the list. With the potential for the whole thing to sound like “Oh My Dis Side” or “Rerun,” Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho is a diminutive display of what it could’ve been.
5. Travis Scott, Owl Pharaoh (2013)
No matter what your thing is, it takes time to get your game right. You could show flashes of greatness off rip, but real eminence comes from years of refining and polishing what’s already there. With that in mind, the 2013 release of Travis Scott’s Owl Pharaoh mixtape, his first with T.I.'s Grand Hustle label, marks the beginning of his journey to finding his true musical genius. The raucous “Upper Echelon,” the entrancing “Hell of a Night” and roaring, Wale-aided “Quintana” are standouts that still have heavy replay value today. As far as production goes, Travis' dark trap sound begins to solidify itself. Though he shows respectable strides in reaching the top of his game on the 13-track tape, he isn’t quite there yet with this one. Yes, this project is an important project for his entire body of work, but Owl Pharaoh seems like a well-grounded demo in comparison to the fire he began to drop next.
4. Travis Scott, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016)
Travis Scott avoided the sophomore slump with the fall 2016 release of his Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight album. Focusing more on cohesion, BITTSM showcases how Travis’ drug-laced raps and trap-centric artistry can be molded into something mainstream. With a sound that finds him demonstrating more comfortability in its execution, he's able to put more effort in his lyrics as well. This is heard best on the heartfelt ballad “First Take.” Additionally, his wordplay gets an upgrade, highlighted on tracks like “Sweet Sweet” and “Beibs in the Trap.” The warm synths and trap production style is credited to the likes of Mike Dean, Vinylz and Cubeatz, who lay perfect foundations for Travis to soar over. The commercially successful “Pick Up the Phone” and “Goosebumps” are standout selections. Each song on this project is a fun-to-experience anthem that transports you into the musical paradise that Travis Scott has made his home. No matter where it’s ranked, the fire in this album could never be nullified.
3. Travis Scott, Astroworld (2018)
In the fall of 2018, the Grammy Award-nominated Astroworld album finally dropped with Travis Scott in peak form. He had already earned his stripes in the game when it came to being transcendent. The project, carrying a theme of the old Houston theme park Astroworld, really is that roller coaster that people love comparing it to. From the dizzying intro “Stargazing” to the racing Drake-assisted “Sicko Mode” to the ascending “Yosemite,” each track is served with intention to transport listeners to a different place. While some argue that Trav lacks lyricism, he still piles his songs with meaning, heard on “R.I.P. Screw,” which pays homage to the Texas legend DJ Screw and the life tell-all “Coffee Bean.” The features are typical appearances from artists like The Weeknd and Migos, but also refreshingly push limits with the assistance of Tame Impala and the score of a rare Frank Ocean feature. Easily his most solid project to date, Astroworld is an animated arcade of amazement, and we shall respect it as so.
2. Travis Scott, Days Before Rodeo (2014)
At the end of summer 2014, Travis Scott dropped the most pivotal project in his catalog with Days Before Rodeo mixtape. The 12-track effort is charged with polarizing trap ballads that are paired with Travis' dark, chopped-and-screwed essence. For the mixtape, La Flame benefits from having a winning team around him, too. The grimy production is animated by the likes of Metro Boomin, Lex Luger, FKi, Wondagurl and Travis himself, among others. And the features tag hallmarks like Big Sean, indie rock band The 1975, Migos and Young Thug, who all help secure the firepower with songs like “Don’t Play,” “Sloppy Toppy” and “Mamacita." Contrasting the darkness, “Drugs You Should Try It” and “Grey” are placed as ascending hymns that are manufactured with the idea of clouds and spaciness. As one of the best mixtapes to come out of the 2010s, the peak performance of Days Before Rodeo marks Travis Scott’s full assertion into the major league rap game.
1. Travis Scott, Rodeo (2015)
Days Before Rodeo was widely received as a muti-faceted classic for the soon-to-be supreme trap subgenre. The effort was certainly a hard prequel to follow, but Travis Scott made a masterful tether when he released his debut album, Rodeo, in 2015. Well worth the wait, the platinum-selling project is a kaleidoscope of sounds that range from the raging “Antidote” to the tranquilizing Young Thug and Justin Beiber-assisted “Maria, I’m Drunk.” On the 16-song collection, La Flame globetrots with his musical flexibility, ricocheting from sound to sound alongside Quavo on “Oh My Dis Side,” The Weeknd on “Pray 4 Love,” and Kacy Hill on “90210.” The LP is also imprinted with the influence of Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Travis' early mentor T.I., who also narrates the rhythmic circus. Upon its release in Sept. 4, 2015, the album received a welcome salute from fans for living up to every expectation that was set for it. For this, Travis Scott declared gametime, and brought home the best sonic win of his career.