Who Is French Montana?

While appearing on 106 & Park last month to debut his "Shot Caller" video, French Montana and Diddy announced that the Bronx rapper was officially signing to Bad Boy Records. And so another star is born—but half the story has never been told.

It's been a long road to the top for Karim Kharbouch, who was born in Rabat, Morocco, and came to America in 1996, landing in the Bronx with his mother and little brother.

Ten years ago French launched the "Cocaine City" DVD series, which helped the aspiring rapper establish his name in the streets. His rap name is a combination of his French/Moroccan heritage and Tony Montana from Scarface.

Surviving a close brush with death, French overcame a gunshot to the head to rally back even stronger than before. French eventually landed a deal with Akon's Konvict imprint, but when that situation stalled, his team began fielding a flurry of offers and counter-offers from some of the biggest names in rap. With Boy and the Maybach Music Group, he believes he has found the perfect combination.

Just before the holidays French and his team stopped by Complex HQ to give us the lowdown on his recent collabo with Waka Flocka, his freshly minted deal with Bad Boy/MMG, and what the future holds for Young French.

Interview by Keenan Higgins (@HIGzILLMATIC)

COMPLEX: You’re originally from Morocco. What was life like growing up there?

French: I don’t really remember too much because I came here when I was 12 or 13, but I remember just being poor. If you had money, you lived good. I spoke Arabic and French. [I’m not completely fluent in either one now because] they’re kind of dying down on me after a lot of years.

How did the transition to The Bronx impact your life?

It was like just coming to a whole ‘nother world. Coming from a third-world country to somewhere where everybody has an equal opportunity was kind of different for me. I adjusted to it and learned the [English] language, the ways [of the streets], and the hustles. It’s what helped me now. [The biggest change was] the culture and having to pick up on everything quick.

When did you first start rapping?

It was always something that we loved doing. It got serious during ‘05 or ‘04, but it was always a hobby. [It’s like] when you with your homeboys and everybody’s rapping. When I went in the studio and laid it down, it was a good experience. When you’re from the hood, and you love music, you’re always gonna be rapping. Hip-hop should be a part of your whole life. Everybody gonna think they can do it one time [in their life]. That phase just fades out.

Who were some of your musical influences?

Number one was Tupac. I liked Snoop, B.I.G., and Nas. That was my generation. It was a blend of everything [in '90s hip-hop]. That’s when Wu-Tang was hot. That was my era. I know they had the era of the Rakims, but that’s for everybody that’s 30+. My era is 30 and under with the Wu-Tangs, Nas, Big Pun—just that era.

I hear you almost got killed early in your rap career. What happened? And did you really get your career started with the settlement money?

I got shot coming out of a studio. It was about ‘03-’04. I guess somebody had a hit out on me, and I came out the studio and got shot in the head. I ended up in the hospital. It was murder case that I was dismissed off. No, [there wasn’t any settlement money to start up my rap career]. People will spread all kind of rumors.

How would you describe your style?

Musically, I’ll describe it as what you go through day-to-day. When you first start, and I feel like everybody goes through this, you try to read books and come up with the best words and lyrics or take in whatever you see. Then you get to a certain stage in your life you want to make music that you want people to feel like, "Damn, I just went through that!" That’s how I put my music. I want people to listen to it and be like, "Damn, that’s how I’m feeling today." When you wake up feeling like this, you throw on this song. That’s how I make my music—by what I’m going through or how I’m feeling.

OK, that's your music. What about your personal style?

My personal style is inspired by motivation. I motivate myself to get [the things I want] so that’ll motivate you to get what you trying to get. I feel like you should try the best of the best, get the best of the best, and do the best you can do. That’s how I put it out there. I want for you to see me in the hottest car they made, the flyest clothes they made, with the singer/actress—you know, the good things in life.

We hear you have a closet full of minks. Where does that infatuation come from?

I love them. I’m African—King Jaffe Joe [Laughs.]! Since I been doing it, I see a lot of rappers are trying to bring them back. Stop swagger-jacking!

How did your Cocaine City DVD movement come about?

[Cocaine City started up] with me and one of my best friends, his name is Camz. One day, we were sitting down watching Smack DVD drinking and smoking, and we were like, "Man, we can do this." We knew a bunch of rappers that said let’s go get it. I did my first one with Pee Wee Kirkland, Remy [Ma], a couple of other people, and then I threw myself into the mix. After that, it was history.

You were signed to Akon’s Konvict Music label for a while. What ever happened with that?

Akon tried to help me out. He gave me a shopping deal. A shopping deal is when an artist takes a liking in you, and they try to take you to a label to get you signed. I was gonna go get signed to his label, but they were going through problems with Interscope, Akon’s label over there. [As a result], my deal was over with him, so I went and did my own thing.

You also have a mixtape with Waka, Lock Out. How did that project get started?

Me and [Waka Flocka] have the same management. That’s like my brother, so me and him just got together and was like, ‘Let’s drop a mixtape.’ It was an idea we had and we just did it [with Drama and Green Lantern].

What were those recording sessions like?

We was getting drunk and high. It was crazy. It was a lot of fun doing it.