Danielle Bregoli
Danielle Bregoli achieved fame through something she said in the moment that she didn't even think about. After appearing on Dr. Phil when she was just 13-years-old she's gotten a lot of attention, both positive and negative.
The phrase she said on the show "cash me outside, how 'bout that" had been listened to over and over again millions of times. She was ridiculed for being a brat but that didn't dishearten her. She made herself a career and see how well she's done since her time on Dr. Phil.
Not Supposed To Become Famous
Danielle was on the episode of Dr. Phil titled: “I Want To Give Up My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old Daughter Who Tried To Frame Me For A Crime.” Now you can imagine what the episode was like just from its name alone.
It's probably safe to assume that she didn't have the best relationship with her mother when she was growing up. She also used an instantly recognizable street accent that was very distinct from the accent of the state she was born in.
Tough Childhood
Her accent is different from almost anything else we've heard. She said that she learned the accent while she was "on the streets". Those must the streets in Boynton, Florida since she was born and raised there. Both her parents had her only after a year of dating.
Her mother, Barbara Ann Bregoli, raised her while her father, Ira Peskowitz, became estranged and has a job as a deputy at the Palm Beach Police Department.
Unwanted
The reason why they both went onto Dr. Phil was that Barbara said that she didn't want to be Danielle's mother anymore. She claimed that Danielle would hit her, kick her, and even steal from her. Danielle was shown as a wasted teen who had no prospects for any kind of future for herself.
But, when it was time for the show to air it seemed to be fading into the countless other episodes of Dr. Phil and wouldn't stand out. But then something happened that no one expected.
The Catchphrase
After a few months had passed since the episode had aired and it seemed like it was just another episode. Then the internet (as it does) found a clip of Danielle saying the line, "cash me outside, how bow dah" and if you don't understand what she's saying she's telling the audience that they can fight her outside.
It had gained so much traction among people that Walmart decided to start selling shirts with her face and phrase on them. You'd think that's where the story would end but in actual fact, it was only the beginning of Danielle Bregoli's story.
Danielle’s Net Worth
Two years after her appearance on the show, Danielle is pretty well off. She's 15 and has a partnership with CopyCat Beauty where they have product placement in her videos and Instagram posts. Allegedly, the partnership is worth $900.000. This means that in total, Danielle's net worth is at an estimated $3,000,000.
"Money" stated that Danielle really started getting all her cash when she won several lawsuits where brands used her slogan without her permission. In an interview with Time Magazine, she said "I realized that I could literally do whatever I wanted."
Dr. Phil 2.0
She made another appearance on Dr. Phil's show a few months afterward. At this point, she had her own manager and didn't know what she'd do next with her life. In the end, she chose rap. It sounds almost like your friend who's asked you to listen to his SoundCloud.
Now that she had decided what kind of path she was going to take in the entertainment industry, she just had to choose a good name for her rap career. She had to make it a catchy one.
Her New Rap Name
So what name did she finally settle on? She decided her rap name was going to be Bhad Bhabie. We're not joking here, in this industry where you need to pop out and not blend into the background this name is actually pretty perfect.
So how would the rest of the story go for the 13-year-old you got acclaim due to a meme? Would she fade like many others before her or would she make it as Bhad Bhabie?
Her First Public “Appearance”
Her first appearance in a music video was one of Kodak Black's. In the video, she is sitting ontop of the hood of a Rolls Royce, throwing money like it's insignificant. She's also wearing her own merchandise in this video.
Wal-mart may have been the first place to sell her merchandise but she now sells it herself from her online store. But who's the target demographic anyway? We may never know.
More Drama
Both Danielle and her mother are blacklisted on Spirit Airlines after someone recognized her and they got into a fight. We don't know who started it but the person who was involved also got banned.
So far so good, now that we've given you that tidbit of information we can go on to tell you how her music career has been going.
An MTV Award
So you know that she made a lot of her fortune seeing multiple companies for stealing her "intellectual properties" when they used them without her consent. Wal-mart seems to be the only place that got out of it unscathed.
In 2017 she was nominated in the "trending" category at the MTV Movie and TV Awards all thanks to her catchphrase. It seems that the internet didn't know what it would do when her video got so many views after she appeared on Dr. Phil.
It Clicked Instantly
The first time that she was in a studio, she was able to realize what made her different. It was her attitude, her raspy voice, and a knack for a memorable one-liner. She figured that if she was able to keep those three things, mix in some good beats and features, and she could be a legitimate rapper.
During her first session, she stood in front of the mic and repeated the words, “Hi Bich, Hi Bich, Hi Bich” and it ended up becoming something.
And So it Begins…
Her first single was called “Hi Bich” and it ended up being a surprise hit. It now has over 130 million, yes, million, hits on YouTube. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, but it does have a catchy hook which, mixed with the intrigue of Bhad Bhabie, was probably the reason it got the clicks. This surely wouldn’t last. Right?
Well, you’re wrong again. It went certified Gold from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America).
Her Manager Had Big Plans
In early 2017, she would get signed by Adam Kluger. He was a product placement manager that was looking to boost his reputation in the music industry. While signing an internet meme was looked down upon by others, he saw Bhad Bhabie as an opportunity.
He said, “I’m going to find something that’s just so obscure, and I’m going to make it popular. I’m going to pull every trick I’ve ever pulled with brands and make someone into a walking, talking brand to prove my worth.”
She Was Off To A HOT Start
Bregoli was the youngest female rap artist to debut on the Billboard music charts. After the release of her single “These Heauxs” reached number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100, she was signed to the prestigious Atlantic Records.
She was given a multi-album recording contract with the company. So far, both of her first two singles had made it onto the Billboard Hot 100, which is incredibly difficult to do so she deserves her respect there.
She Wanted To Leave The Past In The Past
Bhad Bhabie was trying desperately to get rid of the memes that made her famous in the first place. She would release a few more songs and videos in which she is seen burying her old self in a shallow grave.
In the song “Mama Don’t Worry (Still Ain’t Dirty)”, she rapped about how everyone needs to forget about her appearance on the Dr. Phil show because that’s not what identifies her anymore, she has a new identity.
That Was Fast
In May 2018, she released a video for the song “Gucci Flip Flops” and the song debuted at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100. That was her third charted single in less than a year.
Now, she was getting industry credit for her successes. She was nominated for Best Rap Female Artist at the Billboard Music Awards alongside Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Think about that for a second. How is she already a top three female rapper?
She Was Getting Some Big Features
She was getting some incredible features on some of her songs. And, this was before she even had an album out. The next song she put out was “Trust Me” with a feature from one of the hottest rappers in the game, Ty Dolla Sign.
This is where her manager was working his magic. When they released the video for this song, they made sure they had some star power featured in it. Actress Bella Thorne and comedian Theo Von were featured in the video.
The Mixtape Announcement
She would also see another one of her songs be certified Gold by the RIAA. This time it was “Gucci Flip Flops” which was her most popular song to date.
It was now time to announce that her first album would actually be a mixtape called “15”. There was a lot of meaning behind the name of the mixtape and she would have a lot of people featured in it that really legitimized her album.
It Had Many Meanings
The title was in reference to her age, which she was now 15. It was also in reference to the fact that she had 15 million Instagram followers and counting. It’s a nod to the brief period of fame she was supposed to have as just another internet meme.
In fact, in the closing track of the mixtape, she explained that the viral fame was just another inconvenience tacked onto the already hectic existence she lives.
She Was Not In A Good Place
She says, “Like, I didn’t even remember I said cash me outside, that phrase was so irrelevant to me.” She doesn’t paint herself as a victim, but she was not in a good place.
She explains that she was constantly fighting with her deadbeat dad who tattooed all of his kid’s names on him, except for hers. She had to move into her friend’s trailer after the show because she was getting hounded by local kids who recognized her.
Celebrity Appearances Reach A New Level
In the video for “Gucci Flip Flops” Bhad Bhabie took the celebrity cameos to the next level. If you watch the video and are a fan of any Adam Sandler movie, or even Joe Dirt, you’re probably going to be pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face.
Yes, David Spade makes an appearance. Yes, I’m as weirded out as you. Yes, I wish I could be in the room for the moment he was asked to be in it.
She’s Been On Tour
Anyway, back to the music. If you’re wondering if she already has had a headlining tour, the answer is yes. She was already selling out venues across North America and Europe before she even released an album.
She was scheduled to be the opening act on Lil Yachty’s The Disrespect Tour but it was later announced that the tour had to be delayed with no rescheduled dates. That isn’t the end, it’s not even close.
Big Plans For 2019
She currently has a tour set for Austrailia in early 2019. She’s been filming her new reality TV show called Bringing Up Bhabie, which will premiere on Snapchat in January 2019. All of this is going on while working on her first album, and the follow up to the successful 15 mixtape.
Even with the small sample size of music that she’s put out, but it’s clear that she has the ability to capture the public attention.
Her Celebrity Feuds
She does get some negative attention from some big hitters in the rap industry. But, to her credit, she isn’t afraid to spar with anyone. At an LA fashion party that was hosted by Cardi B, she threw a drink at rapper Iggy Azalea.
Snoop Dogg weighed in on the scrap and Danielle. She also got into a little social media war with rapper 6ix9ine saying that she would need a restraining order on him before she ever did a collaboration.
She Is Basically Mozart
Her fan base is what you would expect — 10-21-year-olds. They come to her with stories of their own bullying and she gives them advice on how to stand up for themselves.
There was a popular meme going around that compared her face to that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. While many would shy away from a meme like that, or, just not even draw attention to it, she retweeted it and said she’s Mozart reincarnate.
And There’s Much More To Come
It’s good to have a sense of humor about the whole situation. You have to give it to her — for a young teenager who didn’t ask for any of this viral fame, she’s done pretty well for herself.
It seems that she’s surrounded herself with the right people in the industry to help turn her from an internet meme to a walking, talking brand and bonafide rapper. But, she’s not the only one to make this transition.
The Backpack Kid
Yes, this is Backpack Kid. Yes, he started as an internet meme and has since made a lifestyle out of it. Yes, I would argue he’s the most influential dancer of our generation. Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s pretty darn close.
Named Russel Horning, he became a household meme for his signature dance move: “The Russell” aka “flossing” aka rapidly swinging your arms around while shaking your hips and maintaining a stone-faced creepy glare.
His Famous Cameos
He made a legendary Saturday Night Live appearance which he was showcasing his move while Katy Perry performed her song “Swish Swish”. He then went on to be featured in her official music video for the same song.
His journey started on Instagram where he’s been flossing since 2014. His fame started slow — in fact, his first audience was a kid’s church camp. Now, his videos have appeared billions of times on different formats.
His First Big Break
His first big break was when Rihanna posted his video to her page. He got 55k new followers in two days. He now has millions of followers on social media and looks to further the cause of making people smile, while also ending racism.
Seems a bit deep for a kid doing a funky dance, but his heart is in the right place. People have given him a hard time because most of his friends are black, but he doesn’t think anything of it.