Monica, aka “Goonica,” defended rapper Yung Miami‘s song “Spend Dat,” following criticism from R&B singer India.Arie.
On “Spend Dat,” Yung Miami, 32, sings off-key while shouting out scammers, boosters, and glorifying retail theft.
R&B singer Monica, 45, performed “Spend Dat” during the 2026 Essence Music Festival at the Superdome in New Orleans over the weekend.
Monica closed out Day 2 of the festival while changing her stage costumes and wigs during her 2-hour performance.
R&B icon Monica (@MonicaDenise), dubbed “Goonica” by fans, shut down the Essence Festival stage and had the crowd going wild after incorporating Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat” into her set. pic.twitter.com/VSzGKwoVtH
— Pop Core (@TheePopCore) July 5, 2026
Controversy erupted when well-respected singer/songwriter India.Arie called out the BET Awards for glorifying a song that promotes scammers, boosters and retail theft.
The 4-time Grammy winner, best known for her hit songs “I Am Not My Hair” and “Video,” wrote on Threads: “I’m calling a boycott of Yung Miami’s song ‘Spend Dat.’ I believe it’s degrading to our culture.”
The vocalist urged young people to “make wise choices” when listening to artists who don’t reflect our values. “Everything you listen to or eat is going to influence you. So, make wise choices, y’all,” she added.
The reaction to India’s criticism of Yung Miami’s music was swift.
Old skool rappers such as Uncle Luke, 65, and Trick Daddy, 51, defended Yung Miami.
“It’s always Black on Black crime. You never hear them talking about each other,” Luke said during an Instagram Live session. “If anybody lived in the world of Jill Scott, and all music was Jill Scott, and India Arie, and all Afrocentric, we would be bored as f**k,” he said.
Trick Daddy was more blunt. He told India and other critics to leave Yung Miami alone. “You old raggedy h*es is mad and jealous,” he said.
Yung Miami, real name Caresha Brownlee, is a former member of the rap duo City Girls with JT. “Spend Dat” is the highest charting song in her brief solo career, landing at No. 25 on the Billboard chart.
My crew!!!! We NUMBER ONE!?? pic.twitter.com/kSQHplY56D
— Yung Miami (@YungMiami305) July 6, 2026