French Montana

Born in Casablanca as Karim Kharbouch, French Montana grew up in Morocco before moving as a teenager to the South Bronx — a shift that left a lasting imprint on his musical identity, blending New York rap, immigrant references and a strong sense of melody. Initially active in battle rap under the name Young French, he gained recognition in the 2000s with the Cocaine City DVD series, functioning both as street media and a springboard for his own tracks. His career then developed through mixtapes, notably alongside Max B, and through an aesthetic that mixes East Coast hip-hop, trap, sung hooks and often airy productions, especially with Harry Fraud. After the turning point of “Shot Caller,” French Montana signed into the orbit of Bad Boy and Maybach Music Group while building his Coke Boys collective. His studio discography includes Excuse My French (2013), Jungle Rules (2017), Montana (2019) and They Got Amnesia (2021). He has also collaborated widely with Rick Ross, Diddy, Drake, Lil Wayne and Swae Lee, in a catalogue that spans club tracks, street rap and more melodic songs.