Cities and City Girls

What did Yung Miami and JT (The City Girls) mean when they uttered the famous line “I’m a MF city-girllllll”? According to The Urban Dictionary, there are many definitions of a city-girl (some more profane than others). Being a city-girl is a mindset, it changes depending on person or place. Similarly, one’s definition of a city can change depending on their values or interests.

When I think about a city, I imagine a region with a dense population and a local government that collects taxes and provides public amenities. Without this government, cities would be incapable of providing public infrastructure such as roads, sewers, or access to fresh water that allow people to live, work and travel. I likely gravitate towards this definition because of my background in political science and public policy. It’s quite possible that The City Girls would come up with a different set of criteria.

What’s the allure of being a city-girl, or more broadly, living in a city? Individuals often gravitate towards cities because of the economic, educational, and cultural opportunities available. However, there are instances where these opportunities grow or contract depending on economic, environmental and political factors.

For example, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 160,000 households fled New York City between March 2020 and February 2021. With the shift to work-from-home and online school, individuals moved to suburban areas where there was more space, and a slower paced life-style. Once life started returning back to normal, people came back to New York to reap the many cultural, social, and economic benefits the city has to offer.

In other words, cities are complex and ever-changing systems. More importantly, you can be a city-girl no matter where you’re from.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Double-CCs-Clean/dp/B08KZHG1QB