Who Is French Montana? Age, Biography, and Wiki
French Montana, born as Karim Kharbouch on November 9, 1984, is a celebrated Moroccan-American rapper known for his unique style and influential music. He rose to fame in the early 2010s with hits like "Pop That" and "Unforgettable." By 2025, French Montana has solidified his position in the hip-hop industry with multiple chart-topping albums and collaborations with various artists.
Occupation | Musicians |
---|---|
Date of Birth | November 9, 1984 |
Age | 40 Years |
Birth Place | Casablanca, Morocco |
Horoscope | Scorpio |
Country | Morocco |
Popularity
French Montana's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
French Montana stands tall at 6 feet (183 cm) and typically weighs around 185 pounds (84 kg). His athletic build is a result of regular workouts, which he often shares on his social media platforms. Although specific body measurements are not widely publicized, Montana is known for his strong physique.
Kharbouch first gained recognition hosting the New York City-tailored DVD series Cocaine City during the 2000s, which centered around interviews of hip hop figures.
He embarked on a recording career while doing so, and released several underground projects until signing with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group, in a triple-joint venture with Interscope Records in 2012.
His debut studio album, Excuse My French (2013), peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 despite critical failure; its lead single, "Pop That" (featuring Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne), peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.
His 2017 single, "Unforgettable" (featuring Swae Lee), peaked within the chart's top ten, and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
It preceded his second studio album Jungle Rules (2017), which was met with similar commercial success—peaking at number three on the Billboard 200—and a critical incline.
His third and fourth studio albums, Montana (2019) and They Got Amnesia (2021), were both met with lukewarm critical and commercial reception; the latter served as his final release on a major label.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, French Montana is reportedly in a relationship with a prominent fellow artist. While he has kept details about his current girlfriend private, his love life has often been in the spotlight, especially during his relationship with reality TV star Khloé Kardashian. Montana has a son, Kruz, from his previous marriage, who plays an important role in his life.
In the mid-1990s, Kharbouch left Morocco with his parents and younger brother for New York City, where they settled in the South Bronx. Kharbouch spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija Arabic and French when he first arrived, and learned English in the streets and in the Bronx high schools of Roosevelt and Lehman.
After struggling for two years, his father decided they would move back to Casablanca, but his mother opted to stay back with their children citing lack of opportunities back home. With three children, his mother was dependent on welfare for financial support. Kharbouch eventually found himself the primary breadwinner for the family.
Net Worth and Salary
French Montana's estimated net worth in 2025 is around $40 million, largely accumulated through his successful music career, lucrative endorsements, and business ventures. His earnings continue to rise as he undertakes new projects, with an average salary in the millions each year from album sales and performances.
French marked the end of the year with his sixteenth mixtape Mac & Cheese 3 released on November 20, 2012. which included collaborations with Prodigy, Fabolous, Future, Fat Joe, Ma$e, Rico Love and Trina among others. Acclaimed for its production and track selection, it was among the most downloaded mixtapes of all time.
With several productions from Young Chop, the music video to "Devil Wants My Soul" premiered on November 5, and an in-studio video of "Ocho Cinco" on November 26. Both songs would go viral, prompting another music video for "Ocho Cinco" – featuring Diddy, MGK, Red Café and King Los – released in February 2013.
The song was also included as a bonus track on the upcoming Excuse My French album. The run up to which included further video releases, including the Black Metaphor produced "Sanctuary" (named after sample song "Sanctuary" from Kingdom Hearts II) on February 3, Swizz Beatz produced "Diamonds" featuring Ross and J.
Cole on February 17, and Fraud produced "State of Mind" on May 15 and "Intro (Only If For A Night)" on November 30, among others. Since the tapes' premiere on DatPiff, it would reach the 500K "double platinum" rating by first month, and presently stands at a "diamond" rating with over 1.4 million downloads on that site alone.
Career, Business, and Investments
Montana's career has flourished over the years. He initiated his musical journey with his 2003 mixtape "French Revolution" and gained popularity through his numerous subsequent mixtapes and studio albums. He has not only built a successful music career but has also made investments in various businesses. Notably, he has ventured into the restaurant industry and has stakes in several beverage brands. His business acumen continues to bolster his financial success.
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: كريم خربوش [kæɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ]; born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he immigrated to New York City with his family at the age of 13 and began his career as a battle rapper in the early 2000s — under the name Young French.
Social Network
French Montana maintains a strong presence on various social media platforms. He is active on Instagram, where he shares glimpses of his personal and professional life, along with promotions for his music and brand partnerships. With millions of followers, his influence extends beyond music, impacting fashion and lifestyle trends.
On February 14, 2016, DJ Khaled announced that he would debut French's new mixtape on We The Best Radio. The mixtape, hosted by Max B, debuted on February 19, 2016. On May 5, 2016, French's contract with Interscope and MMG ended, and he signed a joint venture record deal with Bad Boy and Epic Records.
French planned to release his second studio album MC4 in October 2016, however, the album's release was canceled after Target unofficially released the album on CD on its original release date (August 19, 2016), two months before the album was set to release, also leaking in its entirety on internet, as well as having some "sample clearance issues"
on tracks like "I'm Heated" and 2 Times".
It was originally supposed to be the fourth installment in the "Mac & Cheese" series, and the first to be originally released as an album. French later stated that he's planning to start a new record label with Max B when he is released.
On November 5, 2016, Montana unexpectedly released the album as a mixtape instead and premiered it on Drake's Beats 1 radio show, OVO Sound radio later that night. Montana revealed in an interview with Zane Lowe on his Beats 1 radio show that the first and second single from his upcoming project is ready to be released.
He also announced a collaborative track with Chance the Rapper and Quavo, produced by Ben Billions, a collaboration with Swae Lee that is "just like 'Unforgettable'", as well as a song called "No Stylist". On July 14, 2017, Montana released Jungle Rules as his second album.
Education
Although detailed information about French Montana’s educational background is limited, it is known that he moved to New York City at a young age, where he attended school. His experiences in the vibrant city helped shape his artistic career and broaden his cultural horizons.
French was included in XXL's Freshman Class of 2012. At that time he had already been signed to Bad Boy Records following the success of his single "Shot Caller", and had just signed a joint-venture between Bad Boy and Maybach Music Group.