Everyone thinks they know the Caresha Brownlee story. You’ve seen the viral clips from Caresha Please, the high-fashion red carpet looks, and the "bad b*tch" energy that has basically redefined Miami rap. But if you scroll back far enough—past the Diamond-certified hits and the Diddy headlines—you find a different version of the City Girl.
Looking at Yung Miami before surgery isn't just about comparing old Instagram photos to her current silhouette. It’s actually a look into the "pre-fame" grind of a girl from Opa-locka who was an influencer before that was even a real job.
She wasn't always the surgical poster child people claim she is today. Honestly, her transformation is as much about the "glow up" of wealth as it is about any medical procedure.
The Instagram Influencer Era (2014-2017)
Before "Fuck Dat Nigga" dropped in 2017, Caresha was already a local celebrity. She didn't need a mic. She had a fashion line. She was selling clothes and promoting her own brand on Instagram, building a following that most aspiring rappers would kill for.
Back then, the look was different.
In her early 20s, Yung Miami had a much more "girl next door" aesthetic—at least by Miami standards. Her face was softer. The sharp, contoured jawline and perfectly snatched nose we see now weren't as prominent. She looked like a regular, beautiful girl from South Florida who spent her weekends at block parties and performing in local clubs.
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She’s been open about this. On her show, she once joked about how getting signed almost mandates a trip to the doctor. "When you get signed, you get your teeth done. You get jewelry. You get a BBL," she said during a conversation with Latto. It’s basically part of the starter pack.
What Did She Actually Change?
People love to speculate. They’ll look at a photo from 2016 and one from 2026 and swear her entire DNA was rewritten. That’s usually not how it works.
Yung Miami has been relatively transparent about her "body enhancements." While she hasn't released a line-by-line medical bill, the most obvious changes involve:
- The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL): This is the one everyone talks about. In the early City Girls days, she had a naturally slim-thick build. Over time, that "thick" part became much more pronounced and sculpted.
- Breast Augmentation: Her silhouette became more "balanced" as her career took off.
- Dental Work: Like almost every rapper who hits a certain tax bracket, she traded her natural smile for a set of high-end veneers. It’s the "industry smile."
The thing is, the "Instagram face" she has now is also a result of elite-level makeup, better lighting, and aging. She was 22 when she started. She’s a grown woman now. Faces change.
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The Pressure of the "BBL Capital"
You have to remember where she’s from. Miami isn't just her name; it's the plastic surgery capital of the world.
A 2025 study highlighted that Miami remains the top destination for cosmetic tourism. For a girl growing up in Opa-locka and performing in strip clubs at 17, these procedures aren't some "taboo" secret. They're a currency.
Caresha grew up in an environment where body modification was as common as getting your nails done. When she talks about Yung Miami before surgery, she doesn't do it with regret. She does it with the attitude of someone who leveled up.
But it’s not all sunshine and perfect recoveries. She’s also pointed out the hypocrisy of the public. In a viral chat with Lizzo, she vented about how the internet is never satisfied. If you’re natural, they say you have no sex appeal. If you get the surgery, they call you fake.
"Pick a side," she told the Club Shay Shay audience. It's a lose-lose situation for women in the spotlight.
Why the "Before" Still Matters
There’s a reason people keep Googling her old photos. It’s because the "before" version of Caresha represents the struggle.
She wasn't born with a silver spoon. Her mom was in and out of the system. She was raising a son while trying to make a rap career happen. When you look at her before the surgery, you're looking at the girl who was paying DJs $20 out of her pocket to play her song in the club while JT was incarcerated.
That hunger is what made her. The surgery is just the polish.
The "raw" Yung Miami—the one with the natural hair and the less-sculpted frame—was the one who survived the streets of Miami to become a mogul. The surgery didn't give her the talent, even if it helped her fit the "video girl" aesthetic that the industry demands.
How to Navigate This Yourself
If you're looking at Yung Miami and thinking about making your own changes, take a second. Celebrity transformations are funded by millions. They have 24/7 recovery nurses and the best surgeons money can buy.
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- Research the Surgeon, Not the Instagram: Most of the "red flags" in Miami's surgery scene come from "chop shops" that look like factories.
- Understand the Maintenance: A BBL isn't a "one and done." It requires specific dieting and often "touch-ups" that celebrities don't always talk about.
- Consider the Mental Toll: As Caresha said, the internet will never be happy. Do it for you, not the comments section.
Moving Forward
If you're interested in the history of the City Girls, start by watching their early documentary Point Blank Period. It captures that transition from local Miami girls to global superstars before the "glam" fully took over. You can also track her style evolution by looking at her early 2017 music videos like "Fuck Dat Nigga," where the aesthetic is much more grounded and "pre-surgery" than the high-budget visuals of her solo era.