R&B and Neo-Soul singer India Arie is addressing backlash and clarifying her comments after condemning Yung Miami’s potential song of the Summer, “Spend Dat.”
On Tuesday (June 30), the “I Am Not My Hair” singer weighed in on Caresha’s viral and catchy song. On Threads, a critic called for a boycott of Miami’s song, which has climbed up the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week at No. 25. The critical commenter wrote:
“I’m calling for a boycott of Yung Miami’s song ’Spend Dat.’ I believe it’s degrading to our culture. At some point, we have to take seriously the power music has over our perception and the values it reinforces. This can’t be the song of the Summer.”
India Arie replied:
“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 going to make them care. Everything you listen to or eat is going to influence you. So, make wise choices, y’all.”
Another critical commenter continued to mention Yung Miami’s character statement for Diddy. A jury previously convicted the Bad Boy Records mogul in his federal sex trafficking case. He is currently in prison on two counts of violating the Mann Act. India Arie replied to the second user and said:
“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 again commented a similar statement that read, “I finally realized that not everybody wants to get free. And it was a very, very, very rude awakening.”
India Arie — who has previously criticized other Black female artists (like Megan Thee Stallion and Janelle Monáe) — ended up clarifying her comments in a Substack video and subsequent Instagram Story posts to promote her clarity video.
“I want you to have an understanding of what’s good for you and to have the love for yourself to do it. But also, who cares what I want for you? I know what I want for me and I do what is best for me.”
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