# French Montana
**French Montana** is the stage name of Karim Kharbouch (born 1984), a Moroccan-American rapper who rose from the New York mixtape underground to mainstream success through the Cocaine City DVD series, a run of mixtapes, and hit singles such as "Pop That" and the diamond-certified "Unforgettable" with [Swae Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/swae-lee).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) He is described by AllMusic as one of the world's most successful African-born artists.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Karim Kharbouch, 1984, in Morocco; sources place his birthplace in Rabat[2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) or Casablanca[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) |
| Immigration | Moved with his parents and younger brother to the South Bronx in 1996, at age 13, speaking Arabic and French but no English[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-montana-new-documentary-for-khadija/) |
| First platform | Cocaine City DVD series, begun in 2002 with his friend Cokeboy Los; fourteen volumes released between 2002 and 2010[2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) |
| Label history | Signed to Akon's Konvict Musik in 2009; in late 2011 signed jointly to P. Diddy's Bad Boy and Rick Ross's Maybach Music[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) |
| Biggest hit | "Unforgettable" with Swae Lee (2017), his first top-10 Billboard Hot 100 hit as a lead artist at No. 3, diamond certified in the United States and double Diamond in Canada[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) |
| Album peaks | Excuse My French (2013) reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200; Jungle Rules (2017) reached No. 3; Montana (2019) debuted at No. 25[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) |
| Recent era | Released independently with Max B after Max's release from prison in November 2025; "Ever Since U Left Me (I Went Deaf)" topped U.S. rhythmic radio[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) |
## Early life in Morocco and the Bronx
Kharbouch spent his first thirteen years in Morocco. [The FADER](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-fader) reports that he grew up on a sprawling family estate just outside [Casablanca](https://www.edgepedia.org/casablanca);[5](https://www.thefader.com/2012/09/25/french-montana-homecoming) Universal Music France gives his birthplace as Rabat,[2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) and AllMusic lists Casablanca,[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) a disagreement the sources do not resolve. In 1996 his family moved to the [South Bronx](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-bronx), where he learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools he attended, Lehman and then Roosevelt, before dropping out.[5](https://www.thefader.com/2012/09/25/french-montana-homecoming) His early years in New York were marked by economic hardship: his mother was on welfare and his father was compelled to return to Morocco.[6](https://time.com/4913354/french-montana-unforgettable/)
## Cocaine City and the mixtape years
Around 2002, noticing the growing popularity of street DVDs, Kharbouch and his friend Cokeboy Los began producing the Cocaine City series themselves.[7](https://ccme.org.ma/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/MagazineVresionHommesoct2014-modif-1.pdf) The DVDs mixed his own tracks with interviews of established hip-hop artists and unsigned talent, and ran for fourteen volumes between 2002 and 2010.[2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) In 2009 he began releasing his own mixtape CDs with hosts including Evil Empire, DJ Drama, and Big Mike, and that year signed to Akon's Konvict Musik label.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
During these years he formed a close partnership with the Harlem rapper [Max B](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-b) (born Charly Wingate), whose melodic, "wavy" style was a distinctive voice in New York's late-2000s mixtape world. Their first Coke Wave mixtape, released in 2009, became a cult document of that era.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
## Bad Boy, Maybach, and the albums
In late 2011 Montana left Konvict Musik and signed to both P. Diddy's Bad Boy and [Rick Ross](https://www.edgepedia.org/rick-ross)'s Maybach Music imprints in a joint venture. His 2012 single "Pop That," featuring Drake, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross, was the first release for the united labels and reached No. 34 on the Hot 100.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) • [2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) His major-label debut album, *Excuse My French*, arrived in May 2013 with guests including Rick Ross, Puff Daddy, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Wale, M.I.A., Lana Del Rey, Nicki Minaj, and [The Weeknd](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-weeknd), and reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.[2](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169) • [4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
The follow-up, *MC4*, was slated for late 2016 but was repeatedly delayed. Montana cited sample clearance issues; [L.A. Reid](https://www.edgepedia.org/l-a-reid) later admitted it was delayed because there was no buzz for it, and Pitchfork reported that the stated clearance problems were unmasked as low pre-order numbers. After a retailer leaked the album months early, Montana scrapped the rollout and issued it as a mixtape.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) • [8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22612-mc4/)
**Jungle Rules and "Unforgettable."** His official sophomore album, *Jungle Rules* (2017), debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in the United States.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) Its lead single "Unforgettable" with Swae Lee topped the Billboard rap chart and peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100, behind "Despacito" and [DJ Khaled](https://www.edgepedia.org/dj-khaled)'s "Wild Thoughts."[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) • [6](https://time.com/4913354/french-montana-unforgettable/) The song later earned Diamond certification in the United States and, nearly a decade after release, double Diamond certification in Canada, making French the second rap artist with a 2x Diamond certified single in Canada.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) The music video, filmed in Uganda with a local kids' dance troupe he found while searching for African music online, spawned a viral dance challenge; he committed to funding the dancers' education and partnered with Global Citizen and the Mama Hope Foundation on a neonatal care hospital in Uganda.[6](https://time.com/4913354/french-montana-unforgettable/)
His third album, the 67-minute double album *Montana* (2019), debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and carried the singles "No Stylist" with Drake and "Writing on the Wall" with [Post Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/post-malone) and [Cardi B](https://www.edgepedia.org/cardi-b).[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407) • [9](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/french-montana-montana/) Later projects include *They Got Amnesia* (2021), the Harry Fraud collaboration *Montega* (2022), *Coke Boys 6* with [DJ Drama](https://www.edgepedia.org/dj-drama) (2023), which reached the Top 20 of the Billboard 200, and *Mac & Cheese 5* (2024), issued in a "Versions" edition with sped-up, slowed-down, a cappella, and instrumental versions of every song.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
## Max B's return and the independent era
Max B received a 75-year prison term in 2009 for his part in a 2006 New Jersey robbery that ended in a man's death, even though he was not physically present when the robbery took place. His conviction was later vacated over a conflict of interest involving his former defense attorney, and after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter he received a reduced 20-year sentence. He served 16 years and walked out of prison on November 9, 2025, French's birthday.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
French had held the record "Ever Since U Left Me (I Went Deaf)" for roughly a year and a half waiting for Max's release and gave it to him as a homecoming gift. The song became the centerpiece of their independent run, climbing to the top of U.S. rhythmic radio and earning a Best Collaboration nomination at the 2026 [MTV Video Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/mtv-video-music-awards); it also appears on the [Madden NFL](https://www.edgepedia.org/madden-nfl) 27 soundtrack. The pair's "Minks in Miami" with Rick Ross and "Ever Since U Left Me" both reached No. 1 at Urban radio, and they were nominated for Best Group at the 2026 [BET Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/bet-awards), where they performed on the main stage.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
The recent projects with Max have been released independently, outside the major-label structure that accompanied much of French's ascent. He has described the move as "the greatest thing I ever did, being independent and betting on ourselves," noting that the pair still reached three Number Ones in a year and performed at the BET Awards without major-label backing.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) Further releases in this period include the Max B collaborations *Coke Wave 3.5: Narcos* and *Wave Gods 2: Cosmos Brothers* (both 2026) and *WORLDWIDE WAVE* with the British duo D-Block Europe.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
## International reach and Morocco
Geography has rarely functioned as a boundary in his career. His catalog has brought together Drake, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, The Weeknd, and others, and grew increasingly international alongside its creator.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) Recent collaborations include "Three Nations" with 21 Savage and Natanael Cano, mixing Spanish, English, and Moroccan; "Shine" with the French producer HUGEL and David Guetta; and RedOne's "Follow Me" with JIHYO of TWICE, Ludmilla, and Adriana C.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) He has said he and a U.K. collaborator intend to be "the first artists to bridge the gap between the U.K. and America by doing a full-length album."[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
Morocco has remained part of his public and musical identity rather than simply the opening line of his biography.[4](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/) He has spoken about building schools in Morocco,[10](https://andscape.com/features/rapper-french-montana-building-schools-in-morocco-soccer-new-video-famous/) and Monster Energy credits him with more than 25 billion career streams worldwide, more than 40 million records sold, and the role of Global Citizen's first-ever rap ambassador.[11](https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/music/french-montana/) In 2023 he told his immigrant story in the Paramount documentary *The French Montana Story: For Khadija*.[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-montana-new-documentary-for-khadija/) • [11](https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/music/french-montana/)
## Reception
Critical reception of his albums has been mixed. Pitchfork's review of *Jungle Rules* argued that the album "acts as a funnel for everyone's strongest qualities but his own," noting that guests such as Future, Quavo, Young Thug, and T.I. upstage him.[12](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/french-montana-jungle-rules/) The same outlet called *Montana* "a bloated, grab-bag of singles," while acknowledging his persistence and his standing as a curator of blockbuster singles in the tradition of Fat Joe.[9](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/french-montana-montana/) Listeners and critics have often described him as better known for collaborations and features than for solo work, a characterization his guest-heavy discography reflects.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
## References
1. [French Montana – Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic (biography by David Jeffries)](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/french-montana-mn0001490407)
2. [French Montana, Universal Music France](https://www.universalmusic.fr/artistes/30499763169)
3. [French Montana tells his immigrant story in new documentary, "For Khadija," CBS News (May 23, 2023)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-montana-new-documentary-for-khadija/)
4. [The World According to French Montana, Rolling Stone Canada (September 10, 2026)](https://ca.rollingstone.com/editorial/en-featured/french-montana-september-cover-2026/)
5. [French Montana: Homecoming, The FADER (September 25, 2012)](https://www.thefader.com/2012/09/25/french-montana-homecoming)
6. [French Montana Reflects on Why 'Unforgettable' Will "Last Forever," TIME (September 11, 2017)](https://time.com/4913354/french-montana-unforgettable/)
7. [LA COUV' II Sur le toit du Monde, CCME magazine (2014)](https://ccme.org.ma/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/MagazineVresionHommesoct2014-modif-1.pdf)
8. [French Montana: MC4 Album Review, Pitchfork (2016)](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22612-mc4/)
9. [French Montana: MONTANA Album Review, Pitchfork (December 19, 2019)](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/french-montana-montana/)
10. [French Montana opens up about building schools in Morocco, soccer, his new video 'Famous,' and more, Andscape (2017)](https://andscape.com/features/rapper-french-montana-building-schools-in-morocco-soccer-new-video-famous/)
11. [French Montana, Monster Energy Music](https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/music/french-montana/)
12. [French Montana: Jungle Rules Album Review, Pitchfork (July 19, 2017)](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/french-montana-jungle-rules/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Hip hop scenes worldwide › Artists, groups, and people: Hip hop scenes worldwide › East Coast rap (New York and Philadelphia)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license