The Transformation Of Danielle Bregoli, AKA Bhad Bhabie

Danielle Bregoli first came into the public eye when she appeared on the Dr. Phil Show with her mother. Known for the catchphrase, "Cash me outside, how bout dah," the then 13-year-old took the internet by storm and became part of 2013's meme culture. As a child in Boynton Beach, Florida, Bregoli grew up close to her mother. From the childhood pictures Dr. Phil shared with the audience in the 2017 episode, Danielle can be seen snuggling with her mother. 

However, as she detailed in her song, "Mama Don't Worry (Still Ain't Dirty)," financial instability, drama, and conflicts were the tragic reality Bhad Bhabie grew up in. She started stealing prescription pills and cars for cash at a young age. In an interview with Billboard, Barbara Ann Bregoli, a two-time cancer survivor, revealed that her daughter had a hard time with her diagnosis. She saw a drastic change in Danielle's behavior when her cancer came back the second time. "That's when she started acting up," Barbara said. "I don't think she could handle it." 

As opposed to having a short lifespan of overnight fame, Danielle remained relevant and re-branded herself several times — as rapper Bhad Bhabie, the face of a beauty brand, an independent artist, etc. She has made millions from her OnlyFans account, started a record label, and wrote diss tracks during one of her high-profile public feuds. It's safe to say that Bregoli has come a long way since her time with Dr. Phil.

In September 2016, Dr. Phil introduced a foul-mouthed teenager to the world. In the episode titled, "I Want to Give Up My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old Daughter Who Tried to Frame Me for a Crime!," Danielle Bregoli lived up to the reputation. She stole a crew car during filming and reacted to laughter from the audience, yelling, "Catch me outside, how bout dah," and the audience applauded her challenge (via YouTube).

Users on X, formerly Twitter, flooded the platform with memes featuring her catchphrase, and Bregoli became an internet sensation overnight. She spent some time at a Dr. Phil-referred program and returned to the show in February 2017 with seemingly changed behaviors. "I just feel OK with who I am now. I don't have to put on a front to impress anyone," she said (via Billboard), though not without coining another catchphrase, telling the psychologist, "I guess what's good for you is, I made you just like Oprah made you. You were nothin' before I came on this show" (via YouTube). The same month, she punched a passenger on an airplane.

In 2017, Bregoli trademarked her best catchphrases through Dani B Holdings LLC and sued companies using her catchphrase, demanding around $1 million in damage. Her law-breaking behaviors also resulted in criminal charges. The same month, she pleaded guilty in a Florida juvenile court to grand theft, drug possession, and filing a false police report. In August, she was sentenced to five years probation.

Danielle Bregoli's transition into the music world started when she starred in the music video for breakout rapper Kodak Black's mixtape opener, "Everything 1K" in February 2017. Later that year, she re-branded herself as a young rapper under the alias Bhad Bhabie and released her debut single, "These Heaux." The track opens with a clear nod to her rose to fame, featuring the hook, "I ain't nothin' like these h**s. Don't compare me to no one." The single made Bregoli the youngest female rapper to debut at Number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and resulted in a multi-million dollar, multi-album deal with Atlantic Records. She released a sophomore single the same year, which was also a hit. Bregoli was fast-tracked from a random teen who went viral to a rising young artist in the rap scene.

In reflecting on how she got into music in the first place, Bhad Bhabie admitted that it was never intentional. "Just throwing sh*t on as we go," she told XXL Magainze in 2018. "It's just a blind path and sh*t pops up as you keep going. That's really how it's been for me." She saw through what the new era of rap was about — colors, jewelry, and luxury — and realized that it was all about perception and how things were put together. "And it's just like, 'I can pick this apart and figure out the real formula to it,'" she said, which was exactly what she did. 

A year after signing with Atlantic Records, Bhad Bhabie swung back with a full-length mixtape, "15." The number mirrored her age and her massive 15.7 million Instagram following. The then 15-year-old still had a bad attitude, but there were clear changes: she tied her long hair into a high ponytail, wore chains, got tattoos on her body, and became serious about music. She also had a more mature view of her controversial past. "Everyone is a child once," she told The Daily Telegraph (via Daily Mail) in an interview. "Everyone learns and grows up and 13 to 15 is a huge difference and people don't understand that." Even though it was barely two years from her Dr. Phil appearance, Bhad Bhabie had moved on. "Like, I didn't even remember I said [cash me outside]...that sh*t was so irrelevant," she told Newsweek. 

She initially got into music for fun, but by the time "15" was released, she realized, like many artists, that she loved what she did and had enough promise to make a career out of it. "It's not like I'm out here like, 'Let me do whatever gets me money.' No, I have a real thing that I like," she told XXL Magazine in 2018. By then, she had dipped a toe into acting, modeling, and advertisements. She had offers lining up but decided not to pursue other ventures. "I don't mind doing it here and there, but that's not my real thing. I want to do music."

By 2018, Bhad Bhabie was already unrecognizable from the foul-mouthed 13-year-old she once was. Her troubled past became rich content in her music as she emerged as an artist known for her authenticity and vulnerability. After the debut album's release came the "Bhanned in the USA" tour. She spent a few months on the road in 2018, but at the end of the year, Bhad Bhabie was already working on the next project: her own web reality TV series, "Bringing Up Bhabie." "I've really grown up," she told Interview Magazine on set, claiming she had learned to love the hate. "Everyone is always going to say something about me, but at the end of the day, it works for me.

Becoming a successful musician not only brought in the cash but also a change to her lifestyle. In the interview, Bhad Bhabie revealed that she has been devoting the majority of her income to beauty enhancements such as acrylic nail extensions and false eyelashes. With fame came another interesting development — instead of daring the audience, Bhad Bhabie picked fights with other celebrities. She reportedly threw a drink on rapper Iggy Azalea at Cardi B's party in 2018. Days before the incident, the "15" artist slammed Iggy Azalea for asking whether a friend was going to the teen's concert. "U should come. Would be a good memory for u of what a sold out show looks like," Bhabie wrote (via People). 

Bhad Bhabie kicked off 2019 with a $900,000 beauty deal and became the face of an online cosmetics store, CopycatBeauty. "We chose Danielle for our brand because she speaks to an entire generation and doesn't believe in hype and overpaying," the company said in a statement (via BBC). "Danielle is in it to be a visionary not just for the money." The rapper echoed the sentiment and shared that she actually started using the brand after the company sent her test products. "Working with them just makes sense." She also wrote on Instagram (via People): "Shop smarter not harder...," offering her seal of approval: "[I]t's Bhabie approved!!"

The company, as its name suggests, openly replicated best-selling products from high-end makeup brands by offering the same formulations but being much cheaper. Products, such as Lipstick – GLIP01, cost only $2,99 while the six-colored Exposed 1 Palette – GBP01 cost $8,99. The company claimed to use cruelty-free ingredients but didn't disclose what was used in its products. The shockingly low prices and the lack of transparency raised questions, and Bhad Bhabie's makeup line of choice was met with mixed feedback. Staff members of Refinery 29 tested some of the products and came back with a verdict. "The craziest thing about Bhad Bhabie's new endorsement is that the products aren't actually bad," wrote one reviewer. "The lipstick [GLIP01] was the perfect barely-there pink and it lasted for hours without budging or feeling dry."

After Danielle Bregoli went viral on "The Dr. Phil Show," she spent some time at Turn-About Ranch, a McGraw-recommended facility for troubled teens in Utah. Nearly five years later, she went public with what happened to her and what she witnessed at the ranch. In a YouTube video, she alleged mistreatment, physical and emotional abuse, and malnourishment. According to Bregoli, she wasn't allowed to sleep, shower, or lie down for three days straight. "They strip you of your whole personality." She said the staff lacked sympathy and would physically hold children down and use strenuous chores as punishments. Whoever tried to report mistreatment would receive punishment instead of help. 

Bregoli shared that she was also present when one of the kids brutally murdered a 61-year-old staff member, but the program didn't offer counseling or any emotional support after the traumatic event. "I'm really not sure why Dr. Phil still sends kids here, it really doesn't make sense. Are you trying to help them or hurt them even more?" she asked, demanding an apology from the TV personality. Dr. Phil addressed the allegations, claiming to have nothing to do with what was going on at the facility. Bregoli shot back with a second YouTube video, accusing the TV host of avoiding accountability. She received support from Paris Hilton on a campaign against Dr. Phil and Turn-About Ranch.

Six days after Bhad Bhabie's 18th birthday, the rapper launched her page on OnlyFans, a platform that offers exclusive interactions with celebrities and other creators for a subscription fee. The rapper made headlines once again, revealing that she made more than $1 million within six hours of the launch (via Page Six). "Not bad for 6 hours. we broke the f-k out of that OnlyFans record," she wrote in an online post. In 2023, she unveiled screenshots of her 2021 earnings, which showed $18 million in April and $6.8 million in May (via LADbible). Her monthly income steadily decreased, but she still amounted to $38.6 million from April and November. 

On Emily Ratajkowski's "High Low" podcast, the rapper stressed that her OnlyFans earnings gave her financial freedom. "I wasn't really thinking much of it at the time, but I was actually broke as f**k before I started OnlyFans," she said. "My mom was in control of my money, so she was doing whatever she wanted to do, and I had a $500 limit on my card." However, her manager, Dan Roof, shared that the move wasn't entirely thoughtless. "The truth is, she's gotten a billion-plus views on YouTube and massive success across social media, and hadn't really reaped much of a financial reward," Roof told Rolling Stone. He saw the rapper's OnlyFans account as an empowering move, which offered a platform for Bhad Bhabie to be who she is while keeping the majority of the financial gain to herself.

In September 2021, Bhad Bhabie freed herself from major label deals and became a record label owner, taking full charge of her intellectual properties. She launched BHAD Music and released a new single, "Miss Understood" under the banner. In an interview with Variety, the rapper credited Kanye West as her inspiration. "Kanye brought a lot of attention last year to artists owning their masters," she said. "I feel lucky to be 18 and now I get to own mine going forward. I have my own platform to get my music out to my fans." Reflecting on her time with Warner Music Group over the years, she told HipHopDX it started out good but ended bad. "I never thought I would have multiple platinum and gold singles and the success I did, but I also never thought I would not get the support I could have got after that kind of success either." 

Bhad Bhabie shared that she didn't fully understand the deal she signed when she first entered the business, and in retrospect, it wasn't really that good since the label had almost total control over upcoming music. She also claimed they received an 80% cut of her earnings, which was nowhere near fair. With her own label and a new single, Bhad Bhabie reintroduced herself as an independent artist. "I've grown up a lot in the past year and know what I want my sound to be like now and this is a little taste," she told Variety. 

From 2023 to 2024, Bhad Bhabie took a break from her music career to focus on her personal life. After taking back control of her money and creative content, she seemed to want to slow down. "I hate all my early music," the then 20-year-old told Rolling Stone. She revealed her high ponytail and the sound of her record-shattering debut album followed the same branding formula that made stars like Eminem and Lady Gaga famous, and she struggled to find herself in the things she did. "I was so robbed of my childhood that I don't really care to work no more. I just want to chill, party, hang out." 

In December 2023, Bhad Bhabie announced her pregnancy on Instagram, and in March 2024, her daughter, Kali Love was born. Motherhood came naturally to the young mother, who seemed excited from day one. "[My boyfriend Le Vaughn] was still asleep, and I was just too eager to tell him," she told People. "I probably could have did it in a cute way, but I just woke him up and was like, 'Look, look, look!'" 

However, her joy was later accompanied by health issues. In early October 2024, fans noticed her drastic weight loss from Instagram photos. In November, the rapper revealed her a cancer diagnosis and urged fans to stop speculating. "I'm sorry my cancer medicine made me loose [sic] weight," she said in an Instagram story (via the Los Angeles Times), sharing that she was gaining it back.

Bhad Bhabie and Alabama Barker's public feud started when Bhabie accused her then-boyfriend, Le Vaughn, of cheating on her with the singer. Barker, who lives an extremely lavish lifestyle, replied through her Instagram story to share her side of the story. Barker claimed that she and Vaughn met on a trip to Las Vegas. She had no idea Vaughn was with Bhabie and has only found out about it after, calling Vaughn's behavior deceptive and manipulative. "I have apologized multiple times to Danielle, understanding that her partner misled me," she wrote (via Complex). "LV has confessed his feelings for me repeatedly, and despite his dishonesty and betrayal of his relationship, I chose to disregard his advances." She claimed that their exchanges didn't result in anything substantial and she had no interest in Vaughn. 

Enter Vaughn, who took to Instagram (via The Shade Room) with a cozy photo of the two cuddling together, claiming that Barker was only protecting her own image. The feud between Barker and Bhabie escalated, resulting in diss tracks from both sides. In January 2025, Bhabie released a single titled "Over Cooked" with bombshell lyrics attacking Barker, including insinuating that she was intimate with fellow rapper Tyga." Tyga denied the claim in a post on X. Barker fired back with her own diss track, "Cry Bhabie," to shut down the rumors, even referencing her father, Travis Barker, who she absolutely roasted for his baby name choice. 

In the midst of Bhad Bhabie and Alabama Barker's feud, the "Gucci Flip Flops" singer promised a major makeover, and she wasn't joking. "I'm bout to get back to myself and getting back to work," she wrote in an Instagram story (via Cosmopolitan). "Minor set back for major comeback." In January 2025, Bhad Bhabie shared news about a recent nose job. She posted before and after photos, showing her post-surgery bruising around her eyes on Instagram (via The Shade Room). "Day 6!" she wrote. "Nose jobs are not for the weak." She slammed those who criticized her getting plastic surgeries. "I don't know who told y'all you can't get surgery when you have cancer," she wrote. "I was cleared by my dr. mind the business that pays you," (via People). 

In February 2025, the rapper debuted a drastic new hairstyle in a teaser clip for the "Ms. Whitman" music video. In the clip, Bhad Bhabie ditched her usual dark red curls for platinum blonde locks and blunt bangs — a look that draws similarities to Alabama Barker's style. She also highlighted her features with thick lashes and nude lips. "Ms. Whitman," inspired by Barker's namesake, Alabama Whitman, only added fuel to the public feud. More of Barker's family members got caught in the crossfire, including her step-aunt and stepmom, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian.