French Montana, born Karim Kharbouch, is a well-regarded Moroccan-American rapper who has made a significant impact on the hip-hop scene. His music often reflects his experiences in both New York and Africa, blending cultural influences and personal narratives. This article delves into his African origins, his rise to fame, and the cultural elements that define his unique style.
French Montana Interview: From Morocco to the Bronx, Building an Empire in the Music Industry
Early Life and Transition to the United States
Born in Morocco, French Montana moved to the United States at the age of 13 and spent his teenage and young adult life in the South Bronx of New York. According to French Montana, music has always been a big part of his life, and moving to the South Bronx inspired his passion for Hip Hop and Rap.
In the mid-1990s, Kharbouch left Morocco with his parents and younger brother for New York City, where they settled in the South Bronx. Kharbouch spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija Arabic and French when he first arrived, and learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools of Roosevelt and Lehman.
After struggling for two years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca, but his mother opted to stay back with their children citing lack of opportunities back home. His mother was pregnant with his youngest brother at the time, who was born in the United States shortly after his father departed for Morocco. With three children, his mother was dependent on welfare for financial support.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
In the early 2000s, French Montana’s career started to take off. Before signing a record deal with Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group in 2012, French Montana was putting out his name and art by releasing underground songs that gained much traction.
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Kharbouch began his career as a battle rapper in his teens under the name Young French. In 2002, Kharbouch and close friend Cams created a series of street DVDs called Cocaine City, drawing inspiration from the Smack DVD series popular at the time. The series featured interviews with major and upcoming rappers, personalities, and a focus on street music and hip hop beefs.
Initially as Young French, he used the DVDs as a means of showcasing his talent as an underground artist, including in it his original music, freestyles, and collaborations with other artists. The first volume in the series featured Pee Wee Kirkland and Remy Ma, among others. What started out as a medium for developing an audience, quickly grew into one of the top-selling street DVDs. The series ran for eight years between 2002 and 2010, totaling 14 volumes, and multiple spinoff films.
In 2007, French Montana released his debut mixtape French Revolution Vol. 1, which included collaborations with Uncle Murda, Jae Millz, Mazaradi Fox and Tony Yayo. The track "Quarter to Eight" was the first of many collaborations with Rick Ross. The J. Cardim-produced "Straight Cash" was French's first underground hit. French Montana and Max B released their debut collaborative mixtape Coke Wave on February 6, 2009. French was included in XXL's Freshman Class of 2012.
Starting in 2009, French Montana had signed a deal with Akon and his Konvict Music label. The two previously met in Miami in 2008, and later appeared on DJ Green Lantern's "Invasion Radio" on SiriusXM's Hip-Hop Nation. The pair collaborated on a series of tracks including their first single "Married to the Streets" on French's seventh mixtape Cocaine Konvicts released on September 25.
French released his tenth mixtape Coke Boys on September 15, 2010, which included collaborations with Three 6 Mafia, Gucci Mane, Akon, Fat Joe, fellow Coke Boys, among others. The record which included the track "Choppa Choppa Down", featuring Waka Flocka Flame, became a hit among clubs and radio throughout the south.
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With French's growing buzz in the South, he was approached by Florida-based rapper Rick Ross who invited him to his studio. French, who admits having been a fan of Ross' music, was invited to come "at like three in the morning" where he listened to his upcoming MMG collaborative album Self Made Vol. 1. The two recorded a track for the album, while Ross hopped on the remix to "Choppa Choppa Down".
With French juggling between Atlanta and New York, his song "Shot Caller" from the Casino Life record would gain traction on New York radio beginning mid-2011. On the night of August 5, 2011, Bronx-based rapper Fat Joe was slated to host Funkmaster Flex's birthday party at Webster Hall. During his performance, Fat Joe brought out French Montana to perform on stage.
Having received offers from several labels, including Jay-Z's Roc Nation and Kanye's GOOD Music; on December 6 on BET, French Montana publicly announced signing with Bad Boy Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. French's first single from the upcoming album, "Pop That" was released on June 15, featuring Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne.
While initially expected for a release in July 2012, French's album went through several pushbacks until its finalized release date of May 21, 2013. In the meantime, French had released his fifteenth mixtape Coke Boys 3 on April 13, 2012, which included collaborations with fellow Coke Boys Chinx Drugz and Cheeze, alongside the likes of Ross, Akon, Kevin Gates and Wale.
Musical Style and African Influences
What makes French Montana different from many other rappers in the game is the inclusion of his Moroccan-North African culture. His culture and stories manifest in a lot of his songs. He quickly became involved in the hiphop space where he started to create well-known music that influenced both his experiences in New York and back in Africa.
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In 2022, he released the song “Morocco” for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and since the team performed well in the competition, his song circulated for weeks, grabbing the attention of all audiences, not just rap and hip-hop listeners. Additionally, he often wears a necklace that says “Allah,” which means God, in Arabic, in several of his music videos, including “Hard Life,” and in public outings.
Between including Arabic and French in his songs, making rap songs for his Morocco and their diaspora, and physically wearing something vital to him and his country, Islam, French Montana is an artist doing a lot for the North African diaspora.
To focus on his African influences, French Montana directed a music video and was featured in it as well where he primarily focused on the culture and experiences back in Africa. The music video is called “Wish You Well” which also included Swae Lee, Lojay, and Jess Glynee. The video starts of showing some of the cultural traditions that they participate in such as different aspects of dancing and cooking of food outside.
They also wear garments representing North African culture with bright vibrant colors and long cloths with distinct designs. Meanwhile, Their aspect of dancing is usually performed in a group with lively and sharp movements, which they usually perform in unity. Also, French Montana shows his roots by actually participating in some cultural aspects of his home country in Africa.
For example, in many regions in Africa, boats and types of watercraft are commonly used for short-distance travel along bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, or other waterways. Meanwhile, the lyrics French Montana presents reflect on the lifestyle he lives now that he has worked to get where he wants to be in life, and by showing the imagery and hardships of Africa at the same time, it shows the hardships he may have gone through but he has successfully fought through the storm and expanded his lifestyle.
Recognition and Achievements
French Montana has plenty of reasons to pop champagne nowadays - one being his latest feat of becoming the most streamed African-born artist in history. On Monday (Feb. 20), the Moroccan-American rapper reacted to his well-earned milestone on Instagram. Posting a carousel of photos including his RIAA certifications, he captioned them: “That lil immigrant boy had faith. Thank you to all my fans love y’all ( DOCUMENTARY COMING SOON )…..
Per HipHopDX, the Bronx-native’s hit Diamond-certified single “Unforgettable” featuring Swae Lee spearheaded the historical streaming accomplishment. The RIAA accolade also makes Montana the first African-born artist to receive such high musical regard.
As reported back in October, French Montana received the Innovator Award at the 2022 Pencils Of Promise Gala for his charitable efforts toward Ugandan healthcare and education. Upon being able to help raise $226 million for the country, he was also recognized for his work with the Budondo Suubi “Hope” Health Center, which functions as a resource for new mothers and their babies. French Montana celebrated the honor at the time via Instagram.
“MAKING MORE HISTORY FOR MY PEOPLE!” he captioned the post. He added, “Healthcare and education is a fundamental part of our human rights and should be accessible across the globe. I’m grateful for PoP acknowledging my work in maternal healthcare in Africa.
French Montana is setting a goal to “make more history” after being called the “most streamed African-born artist.” In an Instagram update shared on Monday, French-who was born and raised in Morocco-thanked fans while teasing that his previously reported documentary was indeed on the horizon.
“That lil immigrant boy had faith!” French said, as seen below. “Thank you to all my fans love y’all ( DOCUMENTARY COMING SOON )…..whether the most-streamed distinction included data from all platforms or was more specific. The rundown of tracks was also listed alongside platinum and gold certifications.
While the blockbuster “Unforgettable” is listed at 11-times platinum, the RIAA currently lists the song as diamond-certified, which equates to 10 million. “Unforgettable” achieved its diamond status back in August. Notably, this isn’t the only platinum certification to French’s name. His Excuse My French album also received an official RIAA distinction last year. Other French titles to have hit platinum status or higher include Jungle Rules, “Ain’t Worried About Nothin,” “Pop That,” and more.
Shortly after French’s celebratory remarks were shared to IG, a rep shared a separate statement. In it, the rep also said French was now officially the “most streamed African-born artist in history” while pointing to “Unforgettable” alone having amassed three billion streams globally.
Discography Highlights
Here's a glimpse into some of French Montana's successful albums and singles:
| Title | Year | Certification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excuse My French | 2013 | Platinum | Debut studio album |
| Jungle Rules | 2017 | Platinum | Second studio album |
| Unforgettable (feat. Swae Lee) | 2017 | Diamond | Hit single from Jungle Rules |
| Pop That (feat. Rick Ross, Drake, Lil Wayne) | 2012 | Platinum | Popular single |
| Ain’t Worried About Nothin | 2013 | Platinum | Solo single |
