Stormzy reflects on summer ‘crippled by sadness’ following McDonald’s deal backlash

Stormzy has reflected on his transformative 2025 in a lengthy post, in which he acknowledged the backlash to his controversial McDonald’s collaboration almost a year on.

In February the Vossi Bop singer, 32, (real name Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr.) announced his menu collaboration with McDonald’s, sparking criticism from fans over associating himself with a company that has appeared to support Israel.

This is in conflict with the artist’s own assumed beliefs as he has previously shared pro-Palestinian messages on his social media page.

Now, Stormzy has penned a self-confessed ‘long-winded’ social media message to fans about his year, explaining that he started 2025 out with a ‘middle finger’ up and carried on, only to find himself ‘crippled by sadness’.

Alongside saying he’s ‘triple-certified’, ‘gifted’ and that he could ‘never be a sellout, Stormzy reflected that he’s also human, and has made ‘more mistakes than [he’d] like to admit’.

Following the backlash to his McDonald’s ad, it was claimed Stormzy deleted a previous post in support of Palestine. At the time he explained the deleted post wasn’t pointed, but due to a standard clean up of his social media alongside many other posts. He said his views remained intact, and brands he works with would not impact this.

His response at the time came after stickers began appearing in South London McDonald’s accusing the star of ‘selling-out’.

Stuck onto drive-thru windows was a sticker reading: ‘We regret to inform you that Stormzy has sold out. Apologies for any disappointment.’

Now in response to the backlash, and explaining his social media absence in 2025, Stormzy’s New Year’s Day post began: Ok, I’m ready. There’s poetry in all this chaos so lemme embrace it.’

He explained: ‘Towards the end of 2024, my life took a few unexpected twists and turns and I was forced to pivot. These same events also robbed me of the wide-eyed innocence I once navigated the world with.

‘Kinda like how you used to believe that Disneyland was powered by rainbows and fairy dust, and then one day you see a headless Mickey Mouse arguing on the phone and smoking a cigarette.

‘This made me more resilient and put the final nail in the coffin of my desire to be understood – a part of me that, tbf, was already dying a slow death.

‘So fast forward to the beginning of 2025 where I decide to do a McDonald’s deal – a decision that led to a lot of you reading this to question both my character and my integrity.

‘See now… The younger me and I guess the “version” of my you guys are more familiar with would have desperately wanted everyone to understand my reasons for doing it.

‘The Mike from yesteryears would of been compelled to quickly explain himself, and let you know that there is no world in which he would ever trade his humanity for cash. Whereas the newer Stormz couldn’t give a single f*** to explain that fact.

‘F*** what you think and suck my d***. I don’t need to explain anything to anybody.

‘(I believe that neither of these extremes are helpful and I guess there’s a middle ground I’d like to find but I’ll get to that later.)

‘So 2024 had already kicked my ass and I was not gonna let 2025 have me on the backfoot, so I came out the first quarter with one hand down my trousers and my middle finger up.

‘I kept it moving, I stayed working, I began to create and was back and forth between London and LA. Then towards the end of the summer I found myself crippled by sadness and I was struggling again.

‘I had to rebuild my team and restructure my life and tbh without Jesus’ divine covering over me and the support of my best friend I would have been absolutely cooked.

‘The world that I had come to know and love would never be the same again, and the grief and heartbreak of it all was tough. I had to grow up and I was being challenged in ways that were making me extremely uncomfortable – the kind of discomfort that let me know that God must be preparing me for the future.

‘I just had no idea what for.

‘The demands of this new season challenged every part of my being. I was tested physically, spiritually, professionally and creatively. I had no choice but to reassess every detail of my life. A season of this nature is even more unsettling for me because I have always been extremely clear in my purpose and even clearer of the direction that The Holy Spirit wants me to move in.

‘This year felt like I was in the wilderness, but if you’re a believer then you know that the wilderness is one of the most deliberate places God can choose to put you in – for this is where He often chooses to reveal Himself.

‘So yes it’s been painful and at times I hated it but as the year ends and I reflect I can say that I am so so so so grateful for it.

‘I have fallen and slipped so many times – but I have also blossomed and risen to the occasion. I’m mad proud of myself and by the grace of God I will step even further into my destiny.

‘I’ve gained a lot of clarity around who I am as a man and who I am as an artist, and in 2026 I want to honour that clarity with execution. This is probably a good time to bring up my relationship with my career, my supporters and with social media etc.

‘I’ve tried to be clear about this over the years but as a lot of you may know I hate being online. I find it unbearable. I don’t like most things about the internet and in an ideal world I would have no social media.

‘When I was younger I bloody loved it here and I loved having the freedom to express myself and interact with you guys… But it just doesn’t feel the same.

‘It’s been tricky finding the balance because what was once authentic to me no longer feels in sync with the person I’ve become.

‘I genuinely used to love posting, tweeting, and recording myself doing stupid s**t with my friends but I think I’ve just changed, which is fine lol.

‘And the same joy that I once got from all of that, I now get from living in the moment and finding peace away from my phone and just tryna be more present – but this can sometimes feel like a diservice to the people who f*** with me and would genuinely like to see more of me.

‘It’s been a major (and absolutely annoying) point of discussion for the past few years internally with my team but I do understand it and I’m gonna try and figure out a happy medium.

‘Maybe I’ll download Snapchat again or start writing on Substack or just figure out a way to be more present I dunno.

‘Because I really do love you guys with all my heart and I feel the distance – even though I know it’s necessary and important for selfish reasons, I also sometimes think it’s unfair to the people who genuinely f*** with me.

‘And it feels even more unfair to the people who have watched me grow from the early parts of my career. But yeah… just letting you know that I’m thinking of you and I hope to figure it out.

‘So that’s a long-winded and hopefully a not too dramatic update of my life.

‘I’ve left out some bits and I hope to share it in some music. I am, of course, in the studio creating what will be my 4th album. I am getting myself together and tryna do better. I am gifted and I am brilliant and I am capable. I am also human and I let myself down more than I’d like to admit.

‘I still have big dreams. I still find the most joy in being generous. I am flawed and I am sincere. I can never be a sellout because I am triple-certified. And I’m a real n*****.

‘And I do the Lord’s work so continue to talk on my name so loosely and recklessly, but I promise you the kingdom of heaven knows exactly the kind of work I mash.

‘I am really proud of myself. I am grateful for my best friend April who if I start talking about I’ll shed a thug tear. I am grateful for my cousin and my right hand man Jermaine, Twin, El, Flipz, Rach, Jackie, AK, Kieran, Janice, Emily, Chef Vic.

‘I am eternally grateful to the people who no longer work with me but were God-sent protectors and guided me and helped me in ways I can only be thankful for.

‘I am tired and rejuvenated at the same damn time. I am sorry to God for abusing his grace and his mercy. I am a phenomenal MC and exceptional artist.

‘I am Big Mike, not the lil one. I am a waffler who should wrap this up.’

At the time of the McDonald’s controversy, Stormzy took to social media and explained: ‘Hey guys, I wanted to address some twisted narrative that has been circulating online this past narrative.

‘Firstly, I didn’t archive the post where I came out in support of Palestine for any reason outside of me archiving loads of IG posts last year. In that post I spoke about #FreePalestine, oppression and injustice and my stance on this has not changed.’

He then went on to say that he doesn’t collaborate with brands that would ask him to change his views.

‘The brands I work with can’t tell me what to do and don’t tell me what to do otherwise I wouldn’t work with them.’

‘I do my own research on all brands I work with, gather my own information, form my own opinion and come to my own conclusion before doing business.

He then clarified that he felt he had to speak out about this because there were people who were confused by this move and he wanted to make sure his fans had the full context.

‘I’m writing this because I know there are people out there who have supported me and rooted for me who are genuinely confused and hurt by what they think has happened and I want to give those people clarity so I hope this helps.

‘I understand it must feel disappointing and disheartening when it seems like someone you’ve championed has compromised their beliefs for commercial gain but this isn’t the case here.

‘Social media and the internet quickly pass judgment without full context. While I want to continue to be open and honest, I prefer not to respond immediately to every misunderstanding or clear up every false narrative that surrounds my name.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.