The City Girls have made a name for themselves in the world of rap for their unapologetic and risqué rap bars. The duo consists of longtime friends, Caresha “Yung Miami” Brownlee and Jatavia “JT” Johnson. Their careers took off unexpectedly in 2017 after their diss track “F*ck Dat N*gga” went viral. This eventually led to an uncredited appearance on Drake’s Billboard chart topper, “In My Feelings.”
The City Girls continued to work their way up into the consciousness of mainstream music. Soon enough, they began to rack up hits on various music charts. Now, the rap duo has achieved great success, not just for their music but for their bold fashion and outspoken personalities. They’ve also earned several wins and nominations over the years.
Early Days & The Formation Of City Girls
JT and Yung Miami are Miami natives and met as teenagers in middle school. JT was quickly determined to become close friends with Yung Miami, and the rest soon became history. Both women have stuck close to each other since their teenage years, proving a valuable help for their relationship.
JT has gone on record to share her difficult upbringing marred by a drug-addicted mother. The pair turned to rap, eventually buying a beat from MajorNine. The production, which featured a sample of Khia’s hit song “My Neck, My Back,” became the foundation for their debut track, “F*ck Dat N*gga.” The song was a diss track aimed at their respective broke ex-boyfriends and became a viral sensation. City Girls signed with Quality Control Music and featured on the successful compilation album, Control the Streets, Volume 1. By mid-2018, after their debut mixtape, Period, the City Girls would receive a huge career boost when their vocals were tapped to feature on Drake's massively successful song “In My Feelings.”
Commercial Breakthrough & JT’s Prison Sentence
After skyrocketing to fame with the appearance on the Drake single, the City Girls experienced a major setback. JT turned herself in to the authorities and began a two-year sentence for identity theft. Much of the duo’s heavy lifting was placed on Yung Miami, who continued striving for more success. She worked hard to get their songs played at clubs in Miami and beyond.
While JT was in prison, the City Girls released their anticipated debut album, Girl Code. The album housed the Billboard charting singles “Twerk” and “Act Up.” “Twerk” quickly became a viral hit and featured a guest verse from Cardi B, who also appeared in the music video. “Act Up” remains the duo’s highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100.
After JT’s release from federal custody in March 2020, the duo quickly began recording their sophomore album. Titled City on Lock, the project received very positive reviews from music critics. It featured appearances from Lil Durk, Lil Baby, Doja Cat, and Yo Gotti. City on Lock enjoyed a successful rollout and peaked at the 29th position on the Billboard 200 chart. City Girls also enjoyed another viral moment with their popular song “Twerkulator.”
Personal Lives & Other Ventures
Yung Miami is a mother to a son and daughter, born in 2013 and 2019, respectively. Her son’s father was shot in 2020, and her daughter’s father is producer Southside. She has been romantically tied to Diddy since 2021.
Yung Miami has also released music as a solo artist and hosts a podcast. Her debut single, “Rap Freaks,” was released on October 29, 2021. It was a love letter to all the rappers currently killing it in the game. “Rap Freaks” peaked at the 81st spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Her podcast, Caresha Please, continues to enjoy success and has featured many notable guest stars.
Meanwhile, JT and fellow rapper Lil Uzi Vert have been dating for years and show no sign of slowing their romance down. She is also very active on social media, particularly Instagram. JT is a prominent influencer, showing off her unique fashion styles and choices.
Besides their work in music, the ladies are executive producers of the Max original series, Rap Sh!t. The comedy series created by Issa Rae follows the lives of Miami-based rappers navigating their journey to the top. Rae revealed the City Girls partly inspired the series and that “you can’t do a show in Miami about female rappers and not involve City Girls.”
