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French Montana

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French Montana
French Montana in 2016
French Montana in 2016
Background information
Birth nameKarim Kharbouch
Born (1984-11-09) November 9, 1984 (age 40)
Casablanca, Morocco
OriginSouth Bronx, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2002–present
Labels
Spouse
Deen Kharbouch
​
​
(m. 2007; div. 2014)​
Children1
Websitefrenchmontanamusic.com

Karim Kharbouch (born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-born American rapper. He was born and raised in Morocco and emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13.[1][2] He is the founder of Coke Boys Records and its predecessor Cocaine City Records.

Kharbouch released his first mixtape in 2007, called French Revolution Vol. 1. He had his first breakthrough with the single "Choppa Choppa Down" in 2010. He released his first studio album Excuse My French in May 2013.[3] In July 2017, Montana released his second studio album Jungle Rules. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. It included the single "Unforgettable" (featuring Swae Lee). The song became Montana's first song as a lead artist to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Early life

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Karim Kharbouch was born on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco.[1] Kharbouch has claimed that he has Moroccan, Ethiopian, and Somalian ancestry.[4][5] He lived in Casablanca for the first 13 years of his life.[1] His favorite hobbies growing up were soccer and rap,[2] and he got into basketball in his later teenage years.[6]

In the mid-1990s, Kharbouch left Morocco with his parents and younger brother for New York City. They settled in the South Bronx.[1] Kharbouch spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija and French when he first arrived, and learned English in the Bronx high schools of Lehman and Roosevelt.[1] After struggling for two years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca. His mother chose to stay back with their children because she believed there was a lack of opportunity back home in Morocco.[1] His mother was pregnant with his youngest brother at the time. He was born in the United States shortly after his father left for Morocco. With three children and low money, his mother had to depend on welfare for financial support.

Personal life

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Montana is fluent in his native Arabic and French as well as in English.[7] Montana has lived in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.[8] In 2016, he bought Selena Gomez's Calabasas, California home for $3.3 million.[9] He is not a practicing Sunni Muslim because he is a rapper/singer].[10]

Montana married Deen Kharbouch in 2007. The couple separated in 2012, and their divorce was finalized in 2014 for around $2 million.[11][12] They have a son named Kruz.[12][13] Montana started dating Khloé Kardashian in June 2014.[14] They broke up in September 2014.[15]

In June 2018, Montana became a U.S. citizen.[16]

Discography

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Albums

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Awards and nominations

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BET Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 "Pop That" Best Collaboration[17] Nominated

BET Hip Hop Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 "Pop That" Best Club Banger[18] Won
Reese's Perfect Combo Award (Best Collabo, Duo or Group)[18] Nominated
2016 "All the Way Up" (with Fat Joe & Remy Ma) Best Hip Hop Video Nominated
Best Collabo, Duo or Group Won
People's Champ Award Nominated
Wave Gods Best Mixtape Nominated

Billboard Music Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2015 "Loyal" Top R&B Song[19] Nominated

Grammy Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2016 "All Day" (as songwriter) Best Rap Song[20] Nominated
2017 "All the Way Up" (with Fat Joe & Remy Ma) Nominated
Best Rap Performance[21] Nominated


References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "French Montana: Homecoming". The Fader. September 25, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Stupid Dope interview with French Montana". Stupiddope.com. January 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  3. ↑ "French Montana's "Excuse My French" Pushed Back Again". Hotnewhiphop.com. February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  4. ↑ https://id-times.com/news/what-is-french-montana-ethnicity/
  5. ↑ https://thevogue.com/artists/french-montana/#bio
  6. ↑ "French Montana Talks About Max B & The Street DVD Hustle – The Combat Jack Show Episode 1". Complex. May 20, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ Peña, Loris (August 28, 2012). "Monsieur Montana". Status Magazine. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  8. ↑ Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (August 15, 2014). "French Montana Talks New Album, Kanye and Media Attention on His Relationship With Khloe Kardashian". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2014. On a sweltering afternoon, a camera flashes on French Montana at his new house in suburban Pompton Plains, N.J.
  9. ↑ "French Montana buys old crib". TMZ. April 29, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ https://thevogue.com/artists/french-montana/#bio
  11. ↑ Melas, Chloe (September 30, 2014). "French Montana: Rapper Officially Divorces Wife Dean Kharbouch". Hollywood Life. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "French Montana – Ain't Worried 'Bout Nothin ... Finally Divorced". TMZ.com. October 3, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  13. ↑ Curry, Shenae (July 3, 2014). "French Montana Reportedly Abandoned His Wife & Child For Khloe Kardashian". The Source. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Did French Montana Just Confirm His Relationship With Khloé Kardashian?". E! Online. June 25, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Khloé Kardashian and French Montana Break Up: Single E! Star Still "Thinks He's a Great Guy"". E! Online. September 10, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  16. ↑ "French Montana Becomes U.S. Citizen". TMZ. June 14, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ "BET Awards '13 Nominations Announced". BET. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "2013 BET Hip Hop Awards: The Complete Winners List". MTV. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Music Awards 2015: See the Full List of Finalists". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Grammys 2017: The Full Nominations List". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
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