french montana

French Montana, whose real name is Karim Kharbouch, is a Moroccan-American rapper, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur born on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco. He spent his early years there before immigrating with his family to New York at the age of 13. Arriving in the United States without speaking English, he quickly adapted to American culture while maintaining a deep connection to his Moroccan roots. His stage name “French Montana” comes from his fluency in French and from Tony Montana, the main character in the film Scarface.

He began his music career in the mid-2000s by releasing several underground mixtapes, including the Cocaine City series, which helped him gain attention on the New York hip-hop scene. In 2012, he signed with Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group. The following year, he released his debut studio album Excuse My French, featuring hit singles such as Pop That (with Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne) and Ain’t Worried About Nothin’.

In 2017, French Montana achieved massive international success with the single Unforgettable featuring Swae Lee. The track, blending African influences with trap sounds, became a global hit and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Since then, he has collaborated with major artists including Drake, Cardi B, The Weeknd, Post Malone, and DJ Khaled, solidifying his place as one of hip-hop’s most recognizable figures.