French Montana

Karim Kharbouch, known by his stage name French Montana, is an American rapper born in Morocco. He is the founder and CEO of Cocaine City Records.

French Montana's documentary, "The French Montana Story: For Khadija," is available for streaming on Paramount Plus. The film chronicles the rapper's life, from his childhood in Morocco to his rise to fame in the Bronx, with a focus on his mother's sacrifices and his pursuit of the American Dream. It was released on November 19, 2024, in the US and Canada, and November 20 in the UK and Australia.

In 2012, he signed a joint venture recording deal with Maybach Music Group and Bad Boy Records. Montana is known for his frequent collaborations with Max B and, more recently, with Rick Ross, along with his group Coke Boys, which includes rappers Chinx Drugz, Cheeze and Flip. His debut album, "Excuse My French," was released in 2013.

In 2002, along with his friend Cokeboy Los, French created a series of street-flavored mixtapes called "Cocaine City," inspired by the "Smack" DVD series. Performing under the name Young French, he used the DVDs to showcase his talent as an underground artist. To reach a broader fan base, he included interviews with major artists as well as up-and-coming talent. The series ran for eight years, from 2002 to 2010, and included a total of 14 editions.

French Montana was featured in XXL's Freshman Class of 2012 alongside Future, Kid Ink, Danny Brown, Macklemore, Don Trip, Hopsin, Iggy Azalea, Roscoe Dash and Bad Boy label mate MGK.

Montana speaks several languages including English, Arabic and French.