What was Karrueche Tran doing before dating Chris Brown? Model’s life before fame explored amid Deion Sanders dating rumors

Actor Karrueche Tran and University of Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders have sparked dating rumors after she was seen by his side during his cancer surgery.

According to the New York Post, Sanders underwent surgery to remove his bladder after he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in May 2025. He revealed that he is now cancer-free following his surgery.

In a YouTube video titled, “For Your Glory (Part 1): Coach Prime Bladder Removal Surgery,” shared by his son, Deion Sanders Jr., Tran can be seen crying as she sat beside Sanders at the hospital, which led to their dating speculation. However, neither of them has confirmed their relationship.

Karrueche Tran gained fame from her relationship with Chris Brown. Before dating him, she was building a career in fashion. She started working as a personal shopper and later on went on to work as a stylist at Nordstrom in California.

Here are more details on her life.

All you need to know about Karrueche Tran’s life before fame

Born on May 17, 1988, Karrueche Tran is currently 37 years old. She is reportedly half Vietnamese and half African American. She was raised in Los Angeles by a Vietnamese mother and Jamaican grandmother. Her father is an openly gay British man.

According to a report in the National Today, she attended Fairfax High School before being transferred to Birmingham High School in 2006.

She started her career in the fashion industry as a personal shopper and freelance stylist before stepping into the film industry as an actor. She is inspired by Victoria Beckham, Yoko Ono, Solange, and Karla Dera. In an interview with W magazine, she opened up about how her career as a personal shopper motivated her to work hard. She said:

“To go from where I started in a department store to acting is such a big leap for me. It motivates me to push myself harder and succeed; to understand that life is unexpected, and to be ready to handle whatever comes your way.”

The model is well-known for her relationship with Chris Brown. They were in an on-and-off relationship since 2011. They reportedly split in 2015 after Tran came to know Brown had fathered a child from another relationship, as per People magazine.

Karrueche Tran landed her first big modeling assignment in 2013 for the “Lady Crooks” fashion line. The actress and socialite gained recognition for her role as Vivian Johnson in the Emmy Award-winning series, The Bay. It aired from 2013-2016. She won two Daytime Emmy Awards for her performance on the show.

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In the following years, Tran collaborated with ColourPop Cosmetics and released their top-selling makeup line, KaePop. Her other collaborations include Lady Crooks, Le Coq Sportif, Maybelline, and Ruechi Beauty. She also landed the E! News co-host role during the 2017 Golden Globes red carpet. Her other projects include 3-Headed Shark Attack, House Party, Claws, and Bel-Air.

Beside her relationship with Brown, Karrueche Tran has been linked with Chelsea FC player Jadon Sancho, Migos rapper Quavo, and New York Giants star Victor Cruz.

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