Karim Kharbouch
| French Montana | |
|---|---|
French Montana performing at the 2014 MAMAs
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Karim Kharbouch |
| Born |
November 9, 1984 Rabat, Morocco |
| Origin | South Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | frenchmontanamusic |
Karim Kharbouch (born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American hip hop recording artist. Born in Morocco, he immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13 years old. He is the founder of Coke Boys Records, and its predecessor Cocaine City Records. In 2012, he signed a joint-venture recording deal with Bad Boy Records and Maybach Music Group.
French made his mixtape debut in 2007, and released his debut studio album Excuse My French on May 21, 2013. In 2003, he survived a gunshot to the head. Allegedly blackballed by radio and media in his earlier career stemming from his stint with Max B, in 2010, he had his breakthrough with "Choppa Choppa Down".
In July 2017, Montana released his sophomore studio album, Jungle Rules, which peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard 200. The album was supported by the single "Unforgettable", featuring Swae Lee, which became Montana's first song as lead artist to reach the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Karim Kharbouch was born on November 9, 1984 in Rabat, 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.
In 1996, at the age of 13, Karim left Morocco with his mother, his father Abdela and younger brother Zack for New York City, where they settled in the South Bronx. Speaking only his native languages Arabic and French when he first arrived, he learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools of Lehman and Roosevelt. After struggling for 2 years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca, when his mother opted to stay back with the kids citing lack of opportunities back home. His mother was pregnant with his youngest brother Ayoub at the time, who was born in the US shortly after his father departed for Morocco. With 3 kids, including an infant, his mother was dependent on welfare for financial support. Karim eventually found himself the primary breadwinner for the family.
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