French Montana Religion

What religion is French Montana?

French Montana is a Moroccan-born American rapper who is a practicing Sunni Muslim.

French Montana rose to fame in 2012 with his hit single “Pop That.” His rapid ascent continued with chart-topping tracks like “Lockjaw,” which gained even more traction with its infectious Kodak Black feature, and “Unforgettable,” his diamond-certified blockbuster collaboration with Swae Lee. A Morocco native who immigrated to the South Bronx at age 13, French honed his skills through his legendary underground Cocaine City street DVD and mixtape circuits, eventually gaining viral attention and a devoted fan base. In 2024, he began releasing music independently, advocating heavily for artist ownership on platforms like Earn Your Leisure. His mixtape “Mac & Cheese 5” made a strong commercial statement, paving the way for a highly productive era. He followed that in 2026 with “Coke Wave 3.5: Narcos,” a collaborative project that expanded on his signature “wavy” sound alongside longtime partner Max B.

To support his independent movement, French capitalized on his massive international appeal, headlining major festival sets and arena dates across North America, Europe, and Africa. In 2025, he expanded his brand into elite global circles and media, making worldwide headlines by announcing his engagement to Dubai’s Princess Sheikha Mahra, while continuing to produce documentary content that highlights his unique journey from an immigrant teenager to a self-made music mogul.

Early life

French Montana was born Karim Kharbouch on November 9, 1984, in Casablanca, Morocco. Just after his upbringing there, where he spent his childhood playing soccer and listening to rap, his family moved to New York City in 1996. Kharbouch was raised primarily by his mother, Khadija Guled, in the South Bronx after his father chose to return to Morocco. At the age of 13, he faced a massive culture shock as he acclimated to his new home. There, French struggled with severe language barriers, speaking only Arabic and French. He subsequently learned English on the streets and while attending local Bronx high schools.

While navigating the city, Kharbouch started channeling his love for hip-hop culture into creating the underground street DVD series Cocaine City. After his videos and raw street interviews went viral in the mid-2000s, he began to accumulate a significant following. Kharbouch then adopted the stage name French Montana due to his fluency in the French language combined with the influence of the fictitious character Tony Montana from the movie Scarface.

Cocaine City Era

In the early 2000s, Kharbouch, alongside his friend Camz, launched Cocaine City, a hip-hop DVD series featuring raw interviews with artists like 50 Cent and Young Jeezy alongside his own music. The project has a massive blow and became one of the best-selling street DVD franchises of its time.

Alongside the DVDs, he released a steady run of mixtapes starting with French Revolution in 2007, building a loyal underground following while working closely with Harlem rapper Max B and producer Harry Fraud, whose sound became a signature of his catalog. His tenth mixtape, Coke Boys, released in September 2010, produced the local hit “Choppa Choppa Down,” featuring Waka Flocka Flame, and his eleventh, Mister 16: Casino Life, released in February 2011, contained the future smash “Shot Caller,” the song that finally broke him into the mainstream. The track’s success caught the attention of Miami rapper Rick Ross and Sean “Diddy” Combs, both of whom appeared on the song’s official remix, and by December 2011, Montana had signed to Combs’ Bad Boy Records in a joint venture with Ross’s Maybach Music Group, with the deal structured under Interscope Records as distributor.

Global Success

French Montana reached a new commercial level with “Excuse My French” in 2013 and then with “Jungle Rules” in 2017. The latter album produced “Unforgettable,” featuring Swae Lee, which became one of the biggest crossover rap/R&B records of the late 2010s. The song gave French a broader pop audience while still keeping him connected to New York hip-hop.

His biggest collaborative hit came in 2012 with the star-studded single “Pop That.” Built around a simple dance element and a hard, sample-heavy beat, “Pop That” became a massive anthem and remains one of French Montana’s signature records. He followed with more hits and collaborations, including “Lockjaw” with Kodak Black, “Writing on the Wall” with Post Malone and Cardi B, and “All the Way Up” with Fat Joe, Remy Ma, and Infared. “All the Way Up” became a major comeback single and earned Grammy nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.

Business Ventures

Over the years, French Montana has endorsed many major brands, including, most notably, Cîroc, DeLeón Tequila, BoohooMAN, Hublot, and Macallan. When Larry Jackson’s music startup “Gamma” launched, French signed a major multi-million dollar independent partnership. This deal reportedly allowed him to turn down a $20 million major label offer to maintain creative freedom and full control over his global distribution.

In 2002, French formed his own record label, Coke Boys Records, originally Cocaine City Records, which has partnered with various major networks. In addition to French, today, Coke Boys Records reps music for artists and collaborators such as Max B, Lil Durk, the late Chinx, and Velous and producers such as Harry Fraud. He is a prominent “global ambassador” for humanitarian efforts in Africa, raising millions for maternal healthcare in Uganda and building clinics through partnerships with Global Citizen. In 2016, French launched his own premium brand of French-made vodka called French Vanilla in collaboration with Cîroc. The company saw massive commercial success, driving widespread visibility across clubs and retail locations globally. Later, he expanded his business portfolio by investing in international real estate and various luxury lifestyle brands, further cementing his status as a versatile entrepreneur.

Real Estate

In 2016, French paid $3.3 million for a 7,786-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion in Calabasas. Purchased from singer Selena Gomez, the home sits on a three-acre lot within a private gated enclave. He added a custom recording studio before selling the compound for $5 million in 2021.

In December 2020, French paid $8.4 million for a giant mansion high up in the exclusive hills of Hidden Hills in Los Angeles. Purchased from NBA star Paul George, the property features a massive 4,000-square-foot great room with motorized skylights and glass walls. He listed this expansive estate for sale in June 2023 for just under $23 million.

In late 2024, French acquired an ultra-luxury oceanfront home in Golden Beach, FL, for $22 million. Spanning 7,340 square feet of high-end architectural design, the property was previously owned by media pioneer Tom Joyner.