Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of Hot New Hip Hop or its affiliates.
Bobbi Althoff faced allegations of being an industry plant the moment she stepped foot into mainstream consciousness. It’s a fair assessment, though. She hardly had a name for herself outside of circles of TikTok enthusiasts before landing a sit down with Drake – a man who notoriously dodges interviews. Mind you, this emerged as one of her first major interviews, followed by Lil Yachty, Offset, J Balvin, and a number of other figures.
At the time, the interview with Drake engulfed the timeline with issues surrounding the state of hip-hop journalism. Although print has practically gone six feet under and a number of notable online hip-hop publications are hardly staying afloat, podcasts are thriving. Drink Champs, The Joe Budden Podcast, Rap Caviar, Rap Radar, and Million Dollaz Worth Of Game are some of the most worthy outlets. Then, there’s the Big Facts Podcast, The Danza Project, My Expert Opinion, and dozens of others that comprehensively cover the culture on a regular basis. With that said, it’s worth posing the question: how did Caresha Please win the award for Best Hip-Hop Platform at the 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards?
Read More: Charlamagne Tha God Claims Yung Miami’s “Caresha Please” Didn’t Deserve BET Hip Hop Award
Yung Miami Is 2/2 But Why?
Yung Miami’s podcast won the award for the second year in a row. In 2022, it tied Drink Champs in the category – a move many considered blasphemous considering the years of work that it took for the N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN-hosted podcast to reach the level it’s at today. Needless to say, people were not happy. That’s especially the case after Caresha Please took home the award again at the 2023 edition of the annual award ceremony.
“So nobody gonna say nothing bout the podcast /media award? Ok me neither!!!” N.O.R.E. tweeted after the show aired. Meanwhile, Charlamagne Tha God questioned whether Diddy, Yung Miami’s supposed partner, sponsored the event. “I love Yung Miami to death, but come on now. Two years in a row? I got mad love for Caresha but you’ve got platforms that come out daily, and you’ve got platforms that come out weekly,” Charlamagne said.
Read More: Yung Miami Reacts To Diddy Comparing Her To Oprah: “He Knows My Potential”
Caresha Please Barely Measures Up To Other Nominees
That’s just it: Caresha Please is still in its infancy stage and it hardly has an output to compete with other platforms in the same category. Drink Champs and Million Dollaz Worth Of Game both release quality episodes on a weekly basis with revered guests, from icons to up-and-coming artists. The Joe Budden Podcast delivers episodes regularly throughout the week, and for the most part, creates just as many viral soundbites as the Yung Miami-led podcast. Add to the fact that The Breakfast Club – a nationally syndicated radio show that runs every morning Monday through Friday – was also in the same category, and it’s truly baffling for Caresha Please to win, especially since she’s only published 10 episodes since June 2022.
Then there are the online publications that stay on top of the ball to provide us with the biggest stories in the culture day in and day out. Ultimately, Yung Miami’s second win should feel like a slap in the face to those who’ve dedicated time, effort, and resources to building their platforms from the ground up on a daily basis rather than creating a few viral moments once every few months.
Read More: Yung Miami Dubs Herself “The Black Oprah”
Conclusion
Regardless of the criteria the BET Hip-Hop Awards used to determine the victor in this category, Caresha Please can’t possibly be the biggest platform in the culture based on statistics alone. Perhaps, because she is Yung Miami, one-half of the City Girls and Diddy’s current partner-in-crime, the celebrity status helps.
But, let’s keep it a buck: Caresha Please isn’t really necessary for the sake of creative conversations. Salacious ones, yes; but not those that actually relate to the music itself. The moments she engages with her guests regarding their music are yawn-worthy and the only clips worth attention often have to do with factors outside of their careers: break-ups, infidelity, and golden showers, apparently.
Yung Miami’s already established herself as a force to be reckoned with. And truly, there’s a good chance she ends up being mentioned in the same vein as people like Charlamagne Tha God or even Oprah down the line. However, she has ways to go before that ends up happening. Yung Miami’s charisma and personality have undoubtedly helped shape her platform but it’s essential that she also works towards highlighting the substance in her show, as well.
