UPDATE (July 1):
India.Arie is clearing the air on her remarks about Yung Miami’s hit song, “Spend Dat.”
On Wednesday (July 1), the soul singer posted a video on her Substack and posted several messages on her Instagram Story denying some of the reports that she wanted people to boycott Yung Miami’s tune, “Spend Dat.” In her posts below, India.Arie makes it clear that she did not call for people to boycott the song.
However, she is concerned about the cultural acceptance of the song.
“I also said that the way we are embracing the songs says a lot about where we are as a culture[,] which … IS JUST FACTS,” she wrote on her IG Story.
On her Substack video, India.Arie cautioned about the song’s overall influence on young people, suggesting “the frequency” and the lyrics of the song are problematic. “The melodic use of words is a frequency… it has power,” she said. “Whatever you do with it, is your choice,” she added.
You can read India.Arie’s IG messages and watch her Substack video below.
Original Story:
Not everyone is feeling Yung Miami’s song “Spend Dat.” Singer India.Arie has expressed concern over the mass acceptance of the former City Girls member’s summer hit.
On Monday (June 29), India.Arie hopped on Threads and responded to a fan’s comment urging people to boycott Yung Miami’s catchy tune “Spend Dat.” In her since-deleted posts, the Grammy Award-winning singer criticized the cultural embrace of the rapper’s hit, suggesting that the success of the song proves not all want to “get free.”
“I spent my entire adult life, caring way too much. [Because] I finally learned that not everybody Cares ( with a capital C) And explaining it to them is not gonna make them care,” she wrote. “Everything you listen to see or eat is going to influence you. So make wise choices y’all.”
“The mass acceptance of this song itself is a [CRYSTAL] CLEAR sign of the bigger problem,” she continued. “I finally realized that not everybody wants to get free. and it was a VERY rude awakening.”
“I finally realized that not EVERYBODY wants to get free. And it was a very, very, very rude awakening. smh. because the mass acceptance of this song is a crystal clear sign of this much bigger truth,” she concluded.
India.Arie may be frustrated with the lyrical content of “Spend Dat.” Although some fans may feel that the J. White Did It-produced track is an innocent party song, other verses on the song references scamming and boosting, which are crimes.
Nevertheless, the singer’s comments have sparked various opinions from readers.
“It’s a catchy song for the clubs, nothing more, nothing less. Anyone who gets brainwashed by it is stupid. People pick and choose who they criticize without thinking about the past, which wasn’t perfect either,” wrote one fan.
Another person typed, “She isnt wrong but the culture is way past saving. Let them enjoy things.”
You can view India.Arie’s messages below.
See India.Arie’s Comments Regarding the Mass Acceptance of Yung Miami’s ‘Spend Dat’
