Miami Rapper Yung Miami Gets Key to City
Miami-Dade County presented the honor at the America-N-Miami festival, with a framed proclamation and a live "Spend Dat" performance.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Hip-Hop and Rap
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Miami rapper Yung Miami, born in Miami and raised in Opa-locka, received a key to the city from Miami-Dade County at the America-N-Miami Veterans & Small Business Festival. She also received a framed proclamation and performed a short set that included "Spend Dat."
Why it matters
For a Miami-raised artist, the honor is a formal recognition from county government of a career that began with JT in City Girls and continued with her debut solo album. It also comes as "Spend Dat" remains a point of public debate over its message, which is part of why the moment has drawn attention here at home.
"Spend Dat" climbed to No. 17 on the Hot 100 and went platinum, the chart record behind the honor. The extraction does not indicate any further county figures tied to the presentation.
The players
Yung Miami
Miami-born rapper, real name Caresha Brownlee, and member of City Girls who received the key to the city.
Miami-Dade County
The county government that presented the key to the city to Yung Miami.
Kionne McGhee
Miami-Dade County Vice Chairman who handed Yung Miami the key in a box.
India Arie
Singer who publicly criticized "Spend Dat" and called for a boycott of the song.
The details
Miami-Dade County Vice Chairman Kionne McGhee handed Yung Miami a key to the city in a box at the America-N-Miami Veterans & Small Business Festival, presented by Jazz in the Heights. A second presenter stood beside her holding a framed proclamation. Yung Miami then gave a short performance of "Spend Dat," the song that has also drawn criticism from India Arie, who called for a boycott, which Yung Miami has defended as music that builds people up to want to be somebody.
Timeline
Oct. 23: her debut solo album, Watch Dis!, was released on Uptown/Republic.
Nov. 8, 2026: the key to the city was presented at the America-N-Miami festival.
Beyond the 305
The honor follows the chart success of "Spend Dat," which reached No. 17 on the Hot 100 and went platinum, extending a Miami rap career into civic recognition. Miami-Dade has also recognized other local figures this way, including a first "Trina Day" presented with keys from the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.
For Miami listeners, the honor puts a homegrown artist's work in front of county audiences at local civic events. Residents who want to hear her perform can watch for appearances at Miami-Dade festivals.
The takeaway
Miami-Dade's recognition of Yung Miami is a reminder that the county honors its music figures in person, not only on the charts. Watch for her next local performance if you want to see the "Spend Dat" set for yourself.
Further reading
For more on the local rap scene that shaped this honor, explore our Hip-Hop and Rap coverage.
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