French Montana was born on the 9th of November 1984 in Rabat, Morocco. The first thirteen years of his life were spent in a family home outside the town of Casablanca. Montana, whose real name is Karim Kharbouch, loved soccer and rap music when growing up. In 1996, his family traveled to New York City and settled in the South Bronx.
His father wanted to go back to Morocco after two years of failing in the Big Apple, though his mother declined to move along with him. With her three daughters, she remained behind, parenting them on her own and dependent on welfare for financial assistance. Eventually, Montana became the breadwinner for his kin.
Under the name of Young French, he began his career as a fight rapper in his teenage years. A collection of street DVDs named “Cocaine City” was created by Montana and his near friend Cams in 2002, featuring interviews with street hip-hop artists in the Bronx. He began to create his own songs, freestyle and partnership, and on the DVDs he showed them. In the first volume of the series, Pee Wee and Remy Ma were among the others.
In 2003, after he was confronted by two armed gunmen while visiting the Bronx recording studio, Montana suffered a gunshot. He was taken to the hospital and, despite spending several weeks seeking medical attention, began to heal entirely. He later learned that someone near to him had set him up.
Montana eventually launched his debut mixtape, “French Revolution Vol. 1” in 2007 after years of becoming a street rapper. Collaborations with Uncle Murda, Jae Millz, Mazaradi Fox and Tony Yayo were included in the effort. His first collaboration with Max B was a track named “Waavvy” off the set, while the first of his many collaborations with Rick Ross was a single titled “Quarter to 8”
Montana signed a contract contract with Akon and his Konvict Music company after the success of his joint mixtape with Max B, “Coke Wave”, in 200The two worked on several songs, including “Married to the Streets” from the seventh “Cocaine Konvicts” mixtape from Montana, which was released later that year.
In 2010, “Mac & Cheese 2” mixtape was released by Montana, featuring guest appearances from emerging hip-hop artists, such as Wiz Khalifa, Nicki Minaj and Big Sean. He subsequently signed an agreement in November with Mizay Entertainment, a management firm located in Atlanta. After the management arrangement, Montana followed the effect of trap on his songs.
He was selected by Florida-based rapper Rick Ross to enter the studio along with Montana’s rising popularity in the South. He was said to be coming to the studio “at like three in the morning” to listen to the “Self Made Vol. 1” album by Ross. The partnership ignited rumors that Ross’ imprint, MMG, will be signed by Montana.
When it became one of the most-played songs on New York radio in 2011, Montana’s song named “Short Caller” enjoyed huge popularity. Towards the end of the year, P. Diddy revealed that Montana had reached an arrangement with Interscope Music, an imprint of Bad Boy Records. Nevertheless, he formed a joint partnership between Bad Boy Records and Maybach Music Group in January 2012, rendering him part of both labels.
