Karim Kharbouch, known professionally as French Montana, is an American rapper born in Morocco. At 13, he migrated to the United States with his family. His music career began in 2002, releasing numerous underground projects. In 2012, he signed a joint-venture record deal with Bad Boy Records, led by Puff Daddy, and Maybach Music Group, owned by Rick Ross.
November 9, 1984: Birth of Karim Kharbouch
Karim Kharbouch, later known as French Montana, was born on November 9, 1984.
2002: French Montana Begins His Music Career
In 2002, French Montana began his music career, focusing on underground material and mixtapes.
2003: Shooting Incident
French Montana was shot by two gunmen outside a recording studio in New York in 2003, resulting in his hospitalization. One gunman died at the scene.
2003: French Montana Shooting Incident
In 2003, French Montana survived a gunshot wound to the head after being confronted by two gunmen outside a Bronx recording studio. He was hospitalized for several weeks and discovered later that someone close to him had orchestrated the attack.
2007: Marriage to Deen Kharbouch
French Montana married Deen Kharbouch in 2007.
2007: Release of "French Revolution Vol. 1"
French Montana released his debut mixtape, "French Revolution Vol. 1," in 2007, marking his entrance into the music scene.
2008: Founding of Coke Boys Records
French Montana established his record label, Coke Boys Records (formerly Cocaine City Records), in 2008.
February 6, 2009: Release of "Coke Wave"
French Montana and Max B released their first collaborative mixtape, "Coke Wave," on February 6, 2009.
February 24, 2009: Release of "The Laundry Man"
French Montana released "The Laundry Man," his own mixtape, on February 24, 2009.
April 19, 2009: Release of "Mac Wit Da Cheese"
French Montana released his fifth mixtape, "Mac Wit Da Cheese," on April 19, 2009, featuring his first collaboration with Harry Fraud.
September 15, 2010: French Montana Releases "Coke Boys"
On September 15, 2010, French Montana released his tenth mixtape, "Coke Boys," featuring collaborations with prominent artists such as Three 6 Mafia, Gucci Mane, Akon, and Fat Joe.
October 2010: Birth of Son
French Montana's son was born in October 2010.
2010: Conclusion of "Cocaine City" DVD Series
French Montana's "Cocaine City" DVD series, which he started in 2002, concluded in 2010 after running for eight years and releasing 14 volumes.
April 28, 2011: French Montana Collaborates with Rick Ross
On April 28, 2011, French Montana released a remix of "Choppa Choppa Down" featuring Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa, marking the beginning of his relationship with Ross and Maybach Music Group.
October 2011: French Montana Gains Traction in New York
In October 2011, French Montana's song "Shot Caller" started gaining traction on New York radio.
2011: "Shot Caller" Gains Traction
In 2011-2012, French Montana's track "Shot Caller," produced by Harry Fraud, gained significant attention and radio play.
February 2012: Release of "Shot Caller" Remix Music Video
In February 2012, the music video for the remix of "Shot Caller," featuring Diddy and Rick Ross, was released.
April 13, 2012: Release of 'Coke Boys 3' mixtape
On April 13, 2012, French Montana released his fifteenth mixtape 'Coke Boys 3', featuring collaborations with artists like Ross, Akon, and Kevin Gates. The mixtape included notable tracks like 'Tap That' and 'Headquarters'.
August 2012: French Montana featured on XXL's Freshman Class of 2012
In August 2012, French Montana revealed on MTV's RapFix Live that he almost turned down the opportunity to be featured on XXL's Freshman Class of 2012 cover, feeling he deserved it earlier. This cover included notable artists like Future, Kid Ink, and Iggy Azalea.
September 2012: French Montana's homecoming to Morocco
In September 2012, French Montana was featured on the cover of The Fader magazine, which documented his first trip back to Morocco after seventeen years. The trip included an emotional reunion with his estranged father, whom his younger brother Ayoub had never met before.
November 20, 2012: Release of 'Mac & Cheese 3' mixtape
On November 20, 2012, French Montana released his sixteenth mixtape 'Mac & Cheese 3', featuring collaborations with artists like Prodigy, Future, and Fat Joe. The mixtape was highly acclaimed and went viral, reaching a 'diamond' rating on DatPiff.
2012: Gaby Acevedo Becomes Manager
Following the closure of SRC Records, Gaby Acevedo, a longtime friend and supporter of French Montana, became his manager in 2012.
2012: Separation from Deen Kharbouch
French Montana and Deen Kharbouch separated in 2012.
2012: French Montana in XXL's Freshman Class
French Montana was featured in XXL's Freshman Class of 2012, acknowledging his rising prominence in the hip-hop industry.
April 15, 2013: Release of 'Ain't Worried About Nothin'
On April 15, 2013, French Montana released his third single 'Ain't Worried About Nothin', which quickly became a viral hit. The music video premiered on May 7, just before the release of his debut album on May 21.
April 22, 2013: Acquisition of Tiger Cubs
French Montana acquired two tiger cubs, Ike and Tina, and shared a picture on Instagram on April 22, 2013. The cubs were later featured in his music video for "The Gifted" with The Weeknd.
May 21, 2013: Release of French Montana's debut album
On May 21, 2013, French Montana released his debut album which coincided with the birthdays of Max B and the late Notorious B.I.G. The album faced several delays before its final release.
2013: Revisiting the Shooting Site
In early 2013, French Montana returned to the location of the 2003 shooting with a Life+Times camera crew, reflecting on the incident and his upbringing in the Bronx.
2013: Release of "Excuse My French"
French Montana released his debut studio album, "Excuse My French," in 2013. While commercially successful, it received generally unfavorable reviews.
January 2, 2014: Release of 'Coke Boys 4' mixtape
On January 2, 2014, French Montana released his seventeenth mixtape 'Coke Boys 4', featuring collaborations with artists like Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Durk. The mixtape included the viral hit 'Paranoid (Remix)'.
January 20, 2014: Release of 'Paranoid' music video
On January 20, 2014, French Montana released the music video for 'Paranoid' featuring Johnny May Cash. The song was inspired by French's near-death experiences, including surviving a gunshot to the head in 2003.
December 12, 2014: "Mac & Cheese: The Appetizer" Release
On December 12, 2014, French Montana released his collaborative EP with Harry Fraud, "Mac & Cheese: The Appetizer." This mixtape marked a departure from his usual feature-heavy style, incorporating a blend of rap and R&B influenced by Max B's style.
2014: Giving Up Tiger Cubs
In 2014, French Montana revealed that he had given up the two tiger cubs due to the complexities of their care and feeding.
2014: Divorce from Deen Kharbouch
French Montana's divorce from Deen Kharbouch was finalized in 2014.
2014: Pet Monkey
French Montana became the owner of a pet monkey named Julius Ceasor in late 2014.
February 19, 2016: Mixtape Release
French Montana's mixtape, hosted by Max B, was released on February 19, 2016.
May 5, 2016: Record Deal Signing
French Montana's contract with Interscope and MMG ended on May 5, 2016, and he subsequently signed a joint venture record deal with Bad Boy and Epic Records.
August 19, 2016: "MC4" Unofficial Release
French Montana's album "MC4" was unofficially released by Target on CD on August 19, 2016, two months ahead of its intended release date, leading to its leak online.
October 2016: "MC4" Planned Release
French Montana initially planned to release his second studio album, "MC4," in October 2016.
November 5, 2016: "MC4" Mixtape Release
French Montana unexpectedly released "MC4" as a mixtape on November 5, 2016, premiering it on Drake's Beats 1 radio show, OVO Sound radio.
2016: Purchase of Selena Gomez's Home
French Montana purchased Selena Gomez's residence in Calabasas, California, for $3.3 million in 2016.
July 14, 2017: "Jungle Rules" Release
On July 14, 2017, French Montana released his second studio album, "Jungle Rules."
2017: "Unforgettable" Achieves Diamond Certification
French Montana's single "Unforgettable" featuring Swae Lee, released in 2017, reached the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified diamond by the RIAA.
March 28, 2018: Alleged Assault Incident
On March 28, 2018, an alleged incident occurred involving French Montana and a woman who later accused him of drugging and raping her.
June 2018: U.S. Citizenship
French Montana became a U.S. citizen in June 2018.
December 6, 2019: "Montana" Release
French Montana released his third studio album, "Montana," on December 6, 2019, which included the track "Writing on the Wall" featuring Cardi B, Post Malone, and Rvssian.
2019: Release of "Montana"
French Montana's third studio album, "Montana," was released in 2019, receiving lukewarm critical and commercial response.
March 2020: Lawsuit Filing
In March 2020, French Montana was sued by a woman using the pseudonym "Jane Doe" for assault, battery, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, supervision, and negligence related to the March 28, 2018 incident.
2020: Sexual Battery Lawsuit
French Montana faced a lawsuit alleging sexual battery in 2020.
2021: Release of "They Got Amnesia"
French Montana's fourth studio album, "They Got Amnesia," was released in 2021 to a lukewarm reception from critics and the market.
April 13, 2022: Lawsuit Dismissal
The lawsuit filed against French Montana by "Jane Doe" for assault and battery, sexual battery, and other allegations, stemming from the March 28, 2018 incident, was dismissed on April 13, 2022, following a settlement.
June 9, 2022: "Je M'appelle" Release
French Montana, along with Moroccan-British artist Benzz and Tion Wayne, released the song "Je M'appelle" on June 9, 2022.
2022: Lawsuit Dismissal
The sexual battery lawsuit against French Montana was dismissed in 2022.
2023: "For Khadija" Documentary Premiere
The documentary "For Khadija," directed by Mandon Lovett and co-executive produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs and Drake, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023. The film chronicles French Montana's family's journey from Morocco to New York, his mother's resilience, and his path to success.