City Girls
| Company type | Hip hop duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Miami, Florida , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Parent | Quality Control Music (under Motown and Capitol Records) |
City Girls was a hip-hop duo originating from Miami, Florida, composed of members Yung Miami and JT. They secured a deal with Quality Control Music, a label under the umbrellas of Motown and Capitol Records. Their initial mixtape, Period (2018), marked their entry into the music scene. Their rise to widespread recognition occurred through uncredited contributions to Drake's 2018 hit single, "In My Feelings", which achieved the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The duo’s first full-length album, Girl Code (2018), was met with favorable critical reception and included successful singles such as "Twerk" featuring Cardi B, and "Act Up". Both tracks secured spots within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and attained platinum status. Their sophomore album, City on Lock (2020), continued to receive positive reviews and experienced moderate commercial performance. However, their third studio album, RAW (2023), did not meet expectations either critically or commercially. Subsequently, the group declared an indefinite break to focus on individual projects.
Career
The name of the group pays homage to their roots in Opa-locka and Liberty City, two of Miami’s most difficult neighborhoods, as highlighted by Complex.
2017: Formation and initial releases
Their first recorded track, "Fuck Dat Nigga", served as a diss aimed at former partners who withheld financial support. Yung Miami actively promoted the song through social media platforms and by financially incentivizing DJs to feature it in club rotations. The track incorporated a sample from Florida rapper Khia's "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" and rapidly accumulated hundreds of thousands of streams. The official video, released in January 2018, featured a cameo by rapper Trina. Later that year, the song was included on Quality Control’s compilation album, Control the Streets, Volume 1.
2018–2019: Mixtape release, debut album, and mainstream success
Following the growing popularity of "Fuck Dat Nigga", JT was apprehended for aggravated identity theft and sentenced to two years in federal prison starting July 2018, with an anticipated release in March 2020. During JT's imprisonment, Yung Miami sustained their momentum by continuing to pay DJs for club airplay.
After joining Quality Control Music, City Girls were recognized as leading emerging artists based on their activity across various Billboard charts such as the Hot 100 and Social 50. In May 2018, they dropped their debut mixtape Period, which peaked at number 16 on Heatseekers Albums and was ranked 26th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 30 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2018. Their major breakthrough arrived in July 2018 when Yung Miami made an appearance in Drake’s "In My Feelings" music video; although uncredited vocally, this exposure significantly increased their profile. Additionally, they released a documentary titled Point Blank Period in August 2018.
In November 2018, City Girls unveiled their debut studio album Girl Code, featuring collaborations with Cardi B, Lil Baby, and Jacquees. The album debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 chart. The singles "Twerk" featuring Cardi B and "Act Up" reached positions No. 29 and No. 26 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100. JT was moved to a halfway house on October 8, 2019, approximately five months ahead of her scheduled release date.
2020–2022: City on Lock and individual endeavors
In September 2019, Yung Miami revealed intentions to work on a new album, aiming for a release in early 2020. On June 19, 2020, the second studio project by City Girls, City on Lock, surfaced online prematurely; JT announced the official launch would occur at midnight. The album's lead track, "Jobs", was released just hours ahead of the full album alongside a music video. Featured collaborators included Yo Gotti, Doja Cat, Lil Durk, and Lil Baby.
By March 2021, their unreleased song "Twerkulator" gained significant traction on TikTok after dancer Layla Muhammad choreographed a routine that went viral, accumulating over 1.1 million uses from creators such as Charli D'Amelio and Malu Trevejo. Despite its popularity, the track remained officially unreleased initially due to uncleared samples from "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force. The song was finally made available on May 21, 2021.
Yung Miami launched her solo career on October 29, 2021, with the single "Rap Freaks" and an accompanying video. This sex-positive anthem references artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Diddy, and Meek Mill, showcasing her playful style. The single reached number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her first solo entry on the chart. Additionally, in 2021 she appeared on Migos & Quavo's track "Strub Tha Ground". In March 2023, she featured on rapper Lola Brooke's remix of "Don't Play With It," alongside Latto. February 2024 saw the debut of her second solo single "50/50," which initiated her "YAMS era," followed by "CFWM" featuring Detroit artist Skilla Baby in April 2024.
2023–2024: RAW and separation
JT continued to pursue her solo career actively, contributing to songs such as Summer Walker’s “Ex for a Reason” (2021), Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl (Queen Mix)” (2022), Kali Uchis' "Muñekita" (2023), Stunna Girl's "Like Dat (Remix)" (2023), and Doechii's "Alter Ego." She also released solo singles including "Sideways" and "Okay," with the latter entering the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In October 2023, City Girls released their third studio album, RAW, which did not meet commercial expectations. The duo attributed its lackluster performance to factors such as "ineffective management," "poor timing," and being physically separated during promotional activities. Following this period, they gradually grew apart and eventually disbanded officially. In June 2024, Yung Miami confirmed the split, explaining that "it just wasn’t connecting, it just wasn’t working no more," with both members deciding to concentrate on their individual careers.
Personal lives
JT was raised in both Carol City and Liberty City, whereas Yung Miami grew up in Opa-locka. JT has openly shared that "my mother was an addict" and that "drugs ruined my childhood." At age 17, both performed in venues such as strip clubs, nightclubs, and block parties. Yung Miami developed an early enthusiasm for trap music, recounting to Rolling Stone that her boyfriend would drive her to school daily while exposing her to the genre. Prior to pursuing music professionally, Yung Miami worked as an Instagram influencer promoting her own fashion brand.
Family
Yung Miami is a mother to a son born in 2013 and a daughter born in 2019. The father of her son tragically died from a shooting in 2020. Her daughter’s father is the record producer known as Southside.
On August 6, 2019, Yung Miami narrowly escaped harm during a drive-by shooting incident after departing from Circle House Studios in Miami. An unidentified shooter fired at her vehicle, hitting the spare tire of her red Mercedes-Benz G-Class, but she was not injured.
2018–2020: JT's imprisonment
Following the release of their debut single "Fuck Dat Nigga" in 2017, JT was apprehended and found guilty of aggravated identity theft associated with fraudulent credit card transactions. She received a federal prison sentence of two years. After postponing her surrender, JT began serving her sentence at FCI Tallahassee in July 2018, with an anticipated release date of March 21, 2020. In October 2019, she was moved to a halfway house in Atlanta, which permitted her to work during the day and visit family. To celebrate her freedom, JT released the song "JT First Day Out," expressing gratitude for Yung Miami's encouragement. Prominent figures such as Megan Thee Stallion and Trina publicly voiced their support for her release. JT was officially discharged from federal custody on March 7, 2020.
Yung Miami’s remarks on homosexuality
In 2013, Yung Miami made controversial statements expressing that she did not want a gay son and admitted she would discipline him physically. When earlier homophobic tweets resurfaced in August 2018, she faced public backlash and issued an apology on Instagram. However, during an appearance on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club in November 2018, she reiterated her position concerning her son but clarified that her comments were not intended to target the LGBTQ community as a whole. She compared her statements to typical parental disciplinary warnings and emphasized that she harbors no animosity toward gay individuals, noting close personal relationships with members of the LGBTQ community.
Despite these clarifications, social media users criticized her remarks as homophobic and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, raising concerns about the association of corporal punishment with intolerance toward sexual orientation among some parents.
Allegation of sex work involving Yung Miami
In an amendment filed on March 26, 2024, to his sexual abuse lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones claimed that Yung Miami was paid to engage in sex work for Combs.
Discography
- Girl Code (2018)
- City on Lock (2020)
- RAW (2023)
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Category | Result | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BET Awards | 2019 | Themselves | Best New Artist | Template:Nom | |
| Best Group | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2020 | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2021 | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2022 | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2023 | Template:Nom | ||||
| BET Hip Hop Awards | 2019 | "Twerk" (featuring Cardi B) | Best Hip-Hop Video | Template:Nom | |
| "Act Up" | Single of the Year | Template:Nom | |||
| 2020 | Themselves | Best Duo/Group | Template:Nom | ||
| 2021 | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2022 | "Good Love" (featuring Usher) | Best Hip Hop Video | Template:Nom | ||
| Best Collaboration | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2023 | Themselves | Best Duo/Group | Template:Nom |
! scope="row"| BET Social Awards | 2019 |"Themselves" |"Issa Wave" |"" |"style=text-align:center;"| |} ! rowspan="2" scope="row"| Billboard Music Awards |"2019" |"Themselves" |"Top Rap Female Artist" |"" |"style=text-align:center;"| |} |"2020 Billboard Music Awards" |"" |"style=text-align:center;"| |} ! scope="row"| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards |"2020 Kids' Choice Awards" |"Themselves" |"Favorite Breakout Artist" |"" |"style=text-align:center;"| |} ! scope="row"| Variety Hitmakers Awards |"2021" |"Themselves" |"The Future is Female Award" |"" |"style=text-align:center;"| |}
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2017 establishments in Florida
- African-American girl groups
- American hip-hop duos
- Capitol Records artists
- Women hip-hop groups
- Female musical duos
- Musical duos from Florida
- Musical groups established in 2017
- Musical groups from Miami
- Quality Control Music artists
- Southern hip-hop groups
- Musical groups disbanded in 2024
- Musical groups disestablished in 2024