French Montana

French Montana, born Karim Kharbouch in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1984, emigrated with his family to the Bronx, New York, as a teenager. He built his name in the mixtape era, hosting the long-running «Cocaine City» DVD series alongside mentor Max B, which established him as a fixture of New York street rap before he ever signed a major deal. His stage name fuses his Moroccan-French roots with Tony Montana from «Scarface», reflecting the immigrant hustle narrative that runs through his music.

After an early deal with Akon's Konvict Music fell apart, French landed a joint signing with Bad Boy Records and Maybach Music Group around 2012, giving him the platform for his commercial breakthrough. His sound blends trap-influenced production with hook-driven, radio-ready rap, often built around ad-libs and guest verses rather than dense lyricism, which made him a reliable hitmaker and collaborator across hip-hop and pop.

His biggest commercial moment came with «Unforgettable», featuring Swae Lee, which became a global smash. Other well-known records include «Pop That», «Ain't Worried About Nothin'», «No Stylist» and «No Shopping». Known as one of the most prolific figures in the genre, he has released dozens of mixtapes and albums and worked with a huge range of artists, cementing his reputation as a connector figure in modern rap.