While some argue that the universal song of the summer is dead (thanks to scattered listening habits and the power of the For You Page), Yung Miami is staking her claim on the season with her latest hit single, “Spend Dat.” But this song-of-the-summer candidate comes with some added layers of irony considering the times we’ve been living in.
Since its late April release, the catchy, instructional track makes light work of blowing money fast and has ascended the charts just as quickly. The J. White Did It-produced song is currently sitting at No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first solo Top 40 hit of the Miami, Fla. rapper’s career, surpassing her previous peak as part of City Girls, 2019’s “Act Up,” which reached No. 26.
“Spend Dat” has all the building blocks of a timeless summer anthem. With Yung Miami’s slow, confident vocal delivery over a syrupy tempo, the hook is a sing-along that both a tone-deaf 3-year-old and their inebriated uncle can belt out at the cookout. Miami dedicates “Spend Dat” to the scammin’-ass ni**as and boostin’ bitches who are “getting it off the muscle ” despite all the odds stacked against them, hustling harder than their circumstances and rewarding themselves for being able to do just that. It’s a message delivered through the comedic, Southern braggadocio she’s been known for, and like the most memorable songs of summer – think The Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar,” Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” – “Spend Dat” also promotes living unapologetically carefree in the heat of the moment. The only difference is, in the midst of Caresha’s viral moment, she’s also promoting financially reckless abandon – an ironic, escapist message in today’s economic climate.
Although the U.S. economy is not in a textbook-definition recession (yet), it doesn’t take a seasoned economist to know that America has a problem right now. “Recession indicator” memes and videos have been flooding social media timelines since early 2025, right around the time that AI automation and mass layoffs started freezing up the job market, DEI rollbacks pushed hundreds of thousands out of the workforce, and eggs had the nerve to cost $15 a carton. Between creeping inflation and the cost of living, millions of people’s everyday necessities, like housing and groceries, have painfully spiked this year.
“When you outside, you spend a lot of money. You might spend $100 on gas; gas is already high,” Yung Miami said during her Genius Verified lyrical breakdown for the track. “You walk out your door, you’re spending money.” She’s absolutely right. In contrast to this reality, “Spend Dat” spins a tale of digging deep in your Goyard bag to throw out even more cash while on a night out.
The popularity of this record is a modern-day, musical equivalent to the Lipstick Index, the financial theory that suggests people indulge in small luxuries to distract themselves during times of economic uncertainty. Whether you’re reaching in that luxury bag or not, the popularity of “Spend Dat” is a three-minute hit of dopamine that makes you feel like you are. It’s a cheeky break from life’s very real, very overbearing financial responsibilities. But some have already called the nihilism of the track into question.
On Threads earlier this week, soul singer-songwriter India.Arie replied to a post, seemingly co-signing a boycott of the song. The Grammy winner later posted a video on Substack, clarifying that she’s not calling for a boycott but wants people to think more critically about the music they consume.
“I don’t think anybody needs to boycott anything…Do I wish the best for everyone? Yes. Is it my power or realm or influence to say what that should be? No,” Arie declared. “For that song of the summer, I won’t be listening, and if you don’t want that food in your system, don’t listen. But if you just think it’s fun, enjoy.”
Of course, Miami has already made light of the slight at the speed of the Internet, reposting a mix of “Spend Dat” with one of Arie’s songs, “Video.”
As far as recession indicators go, this one’s got motion everywhere on all corners of the Internet and world, from dance challenges, choir renditions, and mashups to weekend day parties and the New York Knicks Championship parade. At this year’s BET Awards, the audience broke out in song as soon as Caresha appeared onstage to present an award.
During a red carpet interview with Complex before the awards show, Miami shared that she wants Drake to hop on the track’s official remix. The last time Miami and Drizzy collaborated on music, the result was the Toronto rapper’s 2018 hit, “In My Feelings,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks. A “Spend Dat” link-up would also mark 10 years since he ruled Summer 2016 with “One Dance” featuring Wizkid & Kyla, making him a reputable choice to secure that “song of summer” title.
As temperatures hit heatwave numbers and the siren song of “outside” grows louder, “Spend Dat” will likely rise like mercury in a thermometer. How high this track goes next is just as unpredictable as the economic reality it’s running from, but no matter what, that’s the feeling of 2026 set to a bassline.