Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: كريم خربوش; born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 13.[1] He embarked on a musical career in 2002, releasing a slew of underground material until signing a joint-venture record deal with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group in 2012.
Kharbouch first gained recognition hosting the locally-tailored DVD series Cocaine City during the 2000s, which focused on interviews of hip hop figures and personalities. His debut studio album, Excuse My French (2013) was met with generally unfavorable reception despite commercial success, mainly stemming from its lead single, "Pop That" (featuring Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne).[2] His 2017 single, "Unforgettable" (featuring Swae Lee) peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It preceded the release of his second studio album Jungle Rules (2017), which was met with further commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, as well as an improvement in critical reception. His third and fourth studio albums, Montana (2019) and They Got Amnesia (2021) were released to lukewarm critical and commercial response.[3]
Early life[]
Karim Kharbouch was born on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco. He grew up at the family estate outside Casablanca where he lived for the first 13 years of his life. Growing up, he was consumed with soccer and rap, describing them as his two favorite childhood hobbies, before getting into basketball in his later teens.[4]
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.[5] 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. Kharbouch eventually found himself the primary breadwinner for the family.
Discography[]
- Excuse My French (2013)
- Jungle Rules (2017)
- Montana (2019)
- They Got Amnesia (2021)
Collaborations[]
- "COKEBOY REMIX" (unofficial remix by Doja Cat of French Montana's song) - 2013
- "Too Fast" (featuring Doja Cat) - unreleased song (2020 - 2021)
- "Handstand" (with Doja Cat) (featuring Saweetie) - They Got Amnesia (2021)