As the rapper prepares to release her debut solo album, her dating preferences are back in the spotlight. I understand wanting a man who can match your lifestyle, but I wonder whether putting a price on partnership leaves enough room for love.
Yung Miami‘s debut solo album, WATCH DIS, is out today on October 23, and the promotional run has put her views on money, relationships and what she expects from a man back in the spotlight. In recent interviews, the former City Girls rapper has talked about her career, motherhood, independence and the $100 million standard she first described earlier this year. Her label announced the album and its release date on October 2. As a woman in my 30s who has built a comfortable life for herself, I understand wanting a partner who can provide. But I also wonder whether Miami’s expectations have her searching for a financial statement instead of a meaningful relationship.
I pay my own bills, have an established career and take international trips with my girlfriends twice a year. Those experiences matter to me because I worked to afford them. If I’m considering a serious relationship, I want a man who enjoys a similar lifestyle or has the means to be part of it. I also know that plenty of men my age are dating women a decade or more younger, which can make dating feel competitive. Still, I refuse to treat being in my 30s as a reason to give up the independence I’ve earned. I want a partnership to add something meaningful to my life, not ask me to surrender the things that make it fulfilling.
Different Generations, Similar Expectations
I thought about that while reading about Latoya in SSC’s recent story on who decided that being single at 50 means something went wrong. Latoya is 56, divorced and approaching retirement after a successful government career. She owns her home and a rental property, raised a son and loves running, travel and the friendships she’s built through fitness. She has turned down four marriage proposals because protecting her peace matters more to her than looking partnered.
Latoya and I are at different stages of adulthood. She’s happy without a husband, while I’m still open to finding someone to share my life with. But our expectations come from the same place. We’ve both worked to build stability, financial independence and routines we enjoy, and I don’t believe a relationship should automatically require a woman to give those up. Marriage can offer companionship and support, but staying single can also be an intentional choice rather than proof that something went wrong.
There’s a Difference Between Providing and Being Wealthy
Miami’s standard operates on a very different scale. During a February appearance on Uproxx’s Sound Check, she said she wanted a God-fearing provider worth about $100 million. In a March interview with Charlamagne tha God, she added context about wanting financial security, protection and care. I can respect those priorities. What I struggle with is the idea that a man needs an extraordinary fortune to meet them.
Miami previously dated Sean Combs, whose business empire and lavish lifestyle exposed her to a level of wealth most Americans will never see up close. That history may shape what she wants, though only Miami can say how. What surprises me is how specific she’s willing to be in public, because the math is brutal, and it gets worse if she’s hoping to marry within her own community. Federal Reserve data has long shown how lopsided wealth is at the top: one St. Louis Fed analysis found that 12.5% of white families were millionaires compared with just 1.3% of Black families, and Black households have made up only about 1.4% of the country’s top 1%. Even today, the typical white household holds roughly six times the wealth of the typical Black household. If a millionaire Black man is already rare, a Black man worth $100 million is a few names on a list. A standard that high doesn’t just narrow the dating pool. It nearly empties it before values, attraction or emotional availability ever enter the conversation.
What I Actually Want From a Partner
For me, financial compatibility means being able to enjoy shared experiences without constant fights about money. It means a man who plans responsibly, understands his obligations and can contribute to the life we’re building together. He doesn’t need to be worth $100 million to do that. A man who earns a comfortable living, handles his responsibilities and treats me well could offer far more than someone with a fortune who isn’t emotionally available.
Miami is entitled to want whatever she considers important, just as Latoya is entitled to stay single and I’m entitled to pursue partnership on my own terms. But standards have consequences. Every requirement shapes who we’re willing to consider, and some can rule out people who might have been a great fit. The freedom to choose a partner should include the freedom to recognize someone whose character exceeds expectations even when his bank account doesn’t. I’ve built a life I’m proud of, and I want a relationship that makes it better. That takes financial compatibility, but it also takes companionship, respect and someone who actually wants to share the life we’ve worked so hard to create.
Sources: Universal Music Canada; Uproxx, Sound Check; iHeart, The Breakfast Club; Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis via CBS News; Black Enterprise; Federal Reserve.