Karim Kharbouch was born and raised in Morocco. Like many people in the 80s, Kharbouch was an avid fan of soccer and rap. However, his world changed when his family moved to the South Bronx when was 13. Only speaking a regional dialect of Arabic as well as French, Kharbouch had to learn English from the world around him.
You know Kharbouch as French Montana, the two-time platinum rapper who broke onto the scene in the early 2000s and became a staple of rap in the 2010s. His journey from Casablanca to the Bronx to music stardom will soon be the focus of a new documentary.
French Montana Reveals More About Biography Documentary
Celebrating Arab Heritage Month on The Message Podcast, Montana opened up about what viewers can expect from his upcoming documentary.
“This documentary just tells my immigrant story basically, and all the people that followed me from the day that I started till now. I feel like a lot of people know me, but a lot of people just know me by the music. A lot of people know me from me dating people. It could be this, it could be that, but I want people to know me for the right reasons and I feel like this documentary just is more based on the struggle. We was on welfare, to me getting shot, to me meeting Chinx, me meeting Max B. Max B be getting 75 years in jail. It’s the whole thing. It’s the whole enchilada. Me being almost blackballed after he went to jail. Me just going through all the obstacles.”
French Montana, The Message Podcast April 21 2023
From what Montana said, it appears as though the documentary will not attempt to hide or sugarcoat details of his life. It will be an open and honest look at the path he took and the highs and lows he encountered. “I watch a lot of documentaries and I see a lot of people — this is not no shots at nobody — I see a lot of people just highlight the trophies and highlight the accomplishments and highlight why they got jerked by the Grammys and highlight this and highlight that and I really want to know the actual artists, you know what I’m saying,” he went on to say.
However, Montana also took time to acknowledge Drake, who served as an executive producer on the documentary. He also shouted out various figures like Max B. as well as his mother.
“Shout out to Drake for helping me do it. Shout out to Puff. Shout out to Max B for letting them cameras come inside that maximum security prison and helping me document it. Shout out to my mother. She never been on nothing. That was her first one and it just shows that me, her and my father came here not even speaking English and it shows that your temporary moment doesn’t have nothing to do with your long-term.” However, the documentary does not yet have a release date or a distributor. Despite this, it is reportedly to be ready to go.
April marks Arab Heritage Month, and Apple Music 1 continues the celebration by sitting down with French Montana. The Moroccan-born and bred rapper moved to New York City when he was just a teen, engrossing himself in sports and Hip Hop. He also developed a skill that matched his peers, making Montana determined to become the next great superstar. With his dreams accomplished—and more goals to be met on the horizon—the Rap mogul remains a force to be reckoned with as he amasses awards and tops the charts.
Additionally, French Montana’s love for his heritage is felt in his music, as he often mentions his background or pays homage in music videos. He recently appeared on The Message with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, where the pair discussed various topics related to the rapper’s career. French spoke about relocating to the States during his developmental years, honoring Ramadan, focusing on philanthropy, his upcoming documentary produced by Drake, and much more. Here are a few highlights from the insightful conversation. Make sure to watch the two influential figures chop it up in the video below.
5. French Montana On Moving From Morocco To NYC
Your situation should not determine your success. I’m an immigrant from Morocco who came to the U.S. and put in the work to make success happen for me. My situation does not determine me. I made it out, and now my focus is helping other immigrants get access to life-changing opportunities.
…Everybody’s dream is to come to the United States. I remember when my aunt was getting me dressed to go to the airport, she was like, “You’re getting dressed like you going to America.” I was like, “I am.” She was like, “You are,” and it was a moment. It’s like hitting the lottery. But when you watch it as a kid, they only show you the skyline and they show you the big buildings and the penthouses and this and that. You thinking you going to heaven, you know what I’m saying? You get here. They sent me to Mott Haven projects into East Tremont Lafontaine by Crotona Park with all the Africans. And you just get there and the people downstairs yelling, and Spanish people. She hit them with a chair and it was like, “Yo, where am I at? I should’ve stayed in Morocco for this.”
Well, this documentary just tells my immigrant story basically, and all the people that followed me from the day that I started till now. I feel like a lot of people know me, but a lot of people just know me by the music. A lot of people know me from me dating people. It could be this, it could be that, but I want people to know me for the right reasons. I also feel like this documentary just is more based on the struggle. I watch a lot of documentaries, and I see a lot of people—this is not no shots at nobody—I see a lot of people just highlight the trophies and highlight the accomplishments and highlight why they got jerked by the Grammys. Highlight this and highlight that, and I really want to know the actual artists, you know what I’m saying?
Basically, it shows for me when I was young. From when my mother met my pops, we came from Africa, we was on welfare. To me getting shot, to me meeting Chinx, me meeting Max B. Max B be getting 75 years in jail. It’s the whole thing. It’s the whole enchilada. Me also being almost blackballed after he went to jail. Me just going through all the obstacles. Shout out to Drake for helping me do it, shout out to Puff, shout out to Max B for letting them cameras come inside that maximum security prison and helping me document it. Also shout out to my mother, she never been on nothing. That was her first one and it just shows that me, her, and my father came here not even speaking English. And it also shows that your temporary moment doesn’t have nothing to do with your long-term.
I take Ramadan very serious. I fast, I don’t go on Instagram, I don’t go on social media, I stay away from all the negative things, I don’t talk to no ladies, I don’t have no sex, I stay away from negative energy, I do everything I’m supposed to do for Ramadan. And I get better with Ramadan every year since I was young, I get more focused. Every Ramadan it gets harder because you’re trying to do things you didn’t do last Ramadan just to get better.
It’s all about energy. For me to not work during Ramadan, I lose a lot of money. But then, it keeps me away from just seeing naked females and this and that. My getting better is to try to cancel shows, try to do this, try to give it all my power. And that’s what I go through every Ramadan. This Ramadan, I also read the whole Quran, again, just to gain more knowledge. Get closer to the man upstairs and things like that. And even as far as fasting, I make sure I don’t sleep most of the day, that I wake up and really experience the fast and just pray Fajr and just do all things I’m supposed to do on Ramadan.
2. Importance Of Discipline
It took me a couple years to understand how to move. And basically, it just made me realize that anything is possible, you know what I’m saying? That impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. It made me just learn discipline, you what I’m saying? Discipline is going to make today hard, but tomorrow easy. Also I learned that having excuses is going to make today easy and tomorrow hard and things like that.
1. French Montana Talks Charitable Work
French Montana is making big moves reaching Diamond status & launching NAQI Healthcare. @FrencHMonTanA joined us on TMZ Live to talk about what motivated him to start NAQI: pic.twitter.com/YwnzOUA6wL
Pencils Of Promise, we working on building a couple of schools now in Ghana and Guatemala, and a bunch of places like that. In Africa, we always working there. We got a couple programs in Morocco. Just also started a rehab. It is called NAQI after a lot of my friends lost their life to taking all the wrong pills. And there’s a lot of laced pills with fentanyl and all this. And I just saw Mac Miller and a lot of people got taken away from me. So, I was just like, “You know what, let me build something.” If I could help one person, it’s worth it.
The upcoming BBC documentary on Kanye West, We Need To Talk About Kanye, will reportedly do more than just sum up the artist’s recent controversies and public image. Moreover, the film’s producer Jeremy Lee recently spoke to Variety and detailed what it will consist of. While we already knew it would chronicle Ye’s antisemitic tirades and 2024 presidential election, it will apparently divulge much more information. Of course, it’s likely that it will take more steps to provide the truth rather than add context to fluff up or justify his actions. However, given what little we know of the project so far, anything could happen.
“Underpinned with world-class journalism and unique access to members of Ye’s inner circle, this is a revelation-driven film which sheds new light on recent events,” Lee stated. Also, he confirmed that Kanye West knows of the documentary, but will not be involved in any way. “Ye’s recent behavior has prompted both condemnation and a re-evaluation of his place in popular culture. With recent events as a starting point, the documentary and accompanying eight-part podcast series [The Kanye Story] explore Ye’s two decades in the public eye amid a rumored YE2024 election campaign.” Said election campaign has reportedly ended.
Kanye West BBC Documentary Will Reportedly Reveal A Lot About The Artist
Kanye West Documentary Sold to Several Broadcasters and Platforms, Producer Promises ‘Revelation Driven Film’ (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/WxHTTyfFZ2
Furthermore, Variety also reported that BBC sold the doc to various countries after ordering it in February. Networks in Finland, Belgium, Australia, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark already secured rights to the project. Moreover, investigative journalist Mobeen Azhar took the helm in the movie, who also explored Britney Spears’ conservatorship in the film The Battle For Britney. In addition, The Kanye Story will further explore Kanye West’s career with help from top music industry executives. As such, this documentary reportedly aims to shed more light and context into what Ye’s recent questionable behavior means for the past, present, and future of his career.
Meanwhile, this film’s focus on Kanye West’s 2024 presidential campaign recently took a turn. “Right now, I am living my life,” he allegedly told a documentary producer he hired, according to a Daily Beast report. “Like I’m concentrating on the school, The Donda Academy, and my new wife, and my kids, and that’s it. I just want to be left alone.” Regardless, We Need To Talk About Kanye shaped up to be a much more informative affair with this Variety report. For the latest news and updates on Kanye West, stick around on HNHH.
The King Von documentary, Rap’s First Serial Killer, has returned to YouTube after briefly being taken down, earlier this week. The piece connects him to several alleged murders before his death in November 2020. The creator, Trap Lore Ross, confirmed that the video was taken down in a post on Twitter, Sunday.
“Video got taken down,” Trap Lore Ross wrote at the time. “Hopefully I can get it back soon, working with YouTube now but it’s Easter weekend. Still on Patreon if you’re desperate.” The video has since been re-uploaded to the platform. The documentary puts forth the theory that Von was connected to at least ten murders. In the killing of Malcolm Stuckey, Von was acquitted prior to his death.
King Von Performing In Atlanta
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 11: Rapper King Von performs during The PTSD Tour In Concert at The Tabernacle on March 11, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
As for reactions to the documentary, plenty of King Von fans came to his defense. “You got p5, Ki and modell. The rest of the bodies you are accusing him of are speculated but still you chose to use ‘rap’s first serial killer’ as the title and went ahead to compare a gang banger to jeffery dahmer,” one popular Reddit post reads. “Stop spreading false information on a dead man and get your shit together you are becoming like hip-hop daily which is embarrassing.”
Others sided with the documentarian. One of the most-liked comments on the video reads, “The wild part is folks can’t be mad at dude for making this documentary the same information he’s sharing is the same information that Von HIMSELF and his peers put out there, NOBODY ELSE. This information was already there he just cumulated all of it into one complete video.”
King Von was shot and killed in Atlanta, Georgia following an altercation with Quando Rondo’s crew. He was just 26 years old. The prime suspect in the killing was identified as Timothy Leeks shortly afterward. He was later released on a $100,000 bond in March 2021. Check out Rap’s First Serial Killer below.
Nostalgia for the 90s is all the rage right now. From music to fashion, the decade has experienced a renaissance in recent years. Thus, it only makes sense to do a documentary on one of the most iconic names of the decade. Freaknik was a street concert that took place in Atlanta during the 80s and 90s. Subsequently, the event has become one of the most discussed topics of the decade. Now, a new project seeks to tell the untold story of the event.
“Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” will air on Hulu. According to Variety, the project “Recounts the rise and fall of a small Atlanta HBCU picnic that exploded into an influential street party and spotlighted ATL as a major cultural stage.” The company did not announce when the documentary would be released. However, some Twitter users seem to be nervous about the contents of the new documentary. Comedian David Alan Grier tweeted his humorous reaction to the project, “On my way to court to get a cease and desist for this new Freaknik documentary,” he said.
Freaknik Goes From Small Concert To Massive Event
Guests attend Freaknik21 – Celebrating 21 Savage Birthday in Underground Atlanta (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Freaknik has its roots in historically black universities. The event was created in 1983 by students at Spelman College. Initially, it was conceived as a small picnic for students at Spellman and fellow Atlanta HBCUs, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta. However, the event would explode in popularity during the 90s. During this time, the event evolved from a small picnic to a massive multi-day event. Subsequently, students from HBCUs across the country began to make the annual pilgrimage to Atlanta.
Freaknik undoubtedly made an indelible impact on black culture during the 90s. Many lifelong friendships were made at the event. Moreover, many festival-goers will tell you attending the event was among the happiest times of their lives. However, there was also an ugly side to the event. Women in particular reported sexual harassment from male festival-goers. Moreover, reported rapes and sexual assaults became commonplace. Subsequently, authorities in Atlanta intervened, and the festival was shut down in 1999. However, the event did make its triumphant return in 2021. That iteration of the festival was headlined by Atlanta native 21 Savage. It will be interesting to see how this new documentary balances the good and bad from the festival’s 40-year history.
King Von was killed almost three years ago in a lounge shooting in Atlanta. A fight broke out between Von’s people and another group, resulting in two dead and four injured. The rapper’s murder remains unsolved, but plenty of information about him has come out in the years following his death. In 2021, the FBI named Von as the culprit in the killing of 17-year-old Gakirah “K.I.” Barnes. Both the rapper and Barnes were members of Chicago gangs. Earlier this year, FBI witnesses also revealed that he had put a $100k hit out on FBG Duck. Just days later, Duck’s mother took to Instagram to reveal that Von was also involved in the killing of Boss Trell. “Von allegedly killed Trell, him, and T. Roy,” she said. “Only the streets know and only the people who did it know, so that’s why I’m saying ‘allegedly’.”
Last week, Youtube documentarian Trap Lore Ross added a pretty serious accusation to the mounting number of disturbing headlines about King Von. Ross’ new documentary is a nearly four-hour exposé on the late rapper and his history of violence, titled King Von: Rap’s First Serial Killer. According to the video, Von had committed at least ten murders. The video didn’t last long, however.
Hiding Von’s Alleged Murderous Past
Video got taken down. Hopefully I can get it back soon, working with YouTube now but it’s Easter weekend. Still on Patreon if you’re desperate.
The YouTube documentary alleging that King Von was a serial killer didn’t last very long on the video platform. It was removed just two days after being posted. Trap Lore Ross tweeted a simple response, only saying, “Video got taken down.” The reason for the video’s removal is still unclear. It could simply be that there was a copyright claim on some of the material used for the documentary. This is often the case with Youtube videos. Still, given the serious accusations, it could very well be that the late rapper’s team is doing what they can to suppress them.
The documentary received mixed reactions from social media. “Ain’t gona lie I’ve just watched like 10mins of this documentary, and man o man,” said one Twitter user, praising the video. “The amount of effort that went into this is INSANE…” While there were plenty of compliments for Ross’ video, some felt the need to call him out for allegedly lying about Von. “Video taken down like I said,” one commented. “Any other bloggers wanna defame his character?” King Von may or may not have been a serial killer. Still, the late rapper was clearly involved in a number of violent crimes. What do you think of the allegations? Let us know in the comments below.
J Dilla left an imprint on rap that will never fade away. The crispy drums he used influenced people like Kanye West. Years later, he birthed the new generation of lo-fi producers. The Donutsproducer’s influence continues to be heard in hip-hop nearly 15 years after his tragic passing. His collaborators and friends have shared his story and kept his legacy alive. However, for new fans who’ve yet to fully comprehend his genius, Hulu and FX are releasing a documentary titled, The Legacy Of J Dilla.
The upcoming documentary will make its debut on FX on April 7th at 10 p.m. Afterward, Hulu will upload it to their platform to stream on the same day. The New York Times will present the upcoming doc, which they describe as “an intimate portrait” of Dilla’s life and legacy. The documentary also includes exclusive access to his family. The Legacy Of J Dilla will certainly become a must-watch for hip-hop heads. It’s no doubt that it’ll explore his life and legacy in a way that hasn’t been done before.
The Legacy Of J Dilla Drops On April 7th
‘The Legacy of J Dilla’ original documentary is coming to FX / Hulu on April 7th, courtesy of the New York Times.
The documentary, which has been directed and produced by Christopher Frierson and Esther Dere, will include contributions from Dilla’s family and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his estate and legacy following his 2006 death. “I’m a Detroiter, and I’m a fighter,” his mother, Maureen Yancey, says. “I will stay in there, and I will fight. I won’t let anybody put my son down, what I do for him down, because I’m here to lift up his music, his legacy.”
In addition to his forthcoming documentary, Questlove also has a documentary in the works based on the Welcome To Detroitartist. Dilla Time is described as “part biography, part musicology, and part musical meditation,” based on the 2022 biography, Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, The Hip Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm by Dan Charnas. “J Dilla was our teacher. And what he taught us was how to feel rhythm in a way we had never felt before,” Quest said. “I’m so honored to be a part of bringing his story to the world through this documentary.”
Kanye West has kept to himself over the past few months, for the most part. Following a tumultuous end to 2022, Ye seemingly decided to take a break from the media circuit and social media which undoubtedly got him into hot water. However, during his recent public outings, he had his phone in his hand. Though that’s rather common for most people living in the 21st-century world, Ye has bigger plans, according to Wallo267.
The Million Dollaz Worth Of Game co-host recently detailed a meeting he had with Kanye West. Wallo explained that he met a producer whose job was to solely film Ye with an iPhone. The footage apparently is being used for a new documentary on the Yeezy founder. “I was with Ye months ago. This mothaf*cka had a white bull, right? Me and this bull talkin’. This white bull got an iPhone that’s all day… He documenting everything. This gon’ be the documentary, the iPhone,” he said holding up his iPhone.
Kanye West’s Documentary Teaches Wallo A Valuable Lesson
Wallo explained that the individual he spoke to has “hard drives of hard drives” of content surrounding Ye. “When I’m talkin’ to Ye, Ye’s like, ‘Do you mind if I record this?’ Nah, he could record,” he recalled. “He like this all day, he don’t say nothing,” Wallo said, mimicking the videographer’s actions as he held up his phone. Though Wallo didn’t get the scoop on when this documentary might drop, he explained that it was impressive to see this type of dedication. Ultimately, Wallo said that witnessing the documentary being filmed became a valuable lesson to “document everything.”
It will certainly be interesting to see how this documentary turns out. Last year, Netflix debuted the three-part Jeen-Yuhs documentary, directed by Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, who began documentary Kanye’s career before he signed with Roc-A-Fella. However, Ye took issue with the final product, demanding Netflix and the directors to give him access to the editing room so he could have the final say in what is and isn’t included. Ultimately, Coodie and Chike refused to give Ye creative control of their project.
Be prepared to take a journey with Keke Palmer as the multihyphenate entertainer has teased a new project. These days, Palmer’s life has done a 180 now that she’s welcomed her baby boy into the world. She shared the good news of her pregnancy while hosting Saturday Night Live months ago, and more recently, she praised single parents after her first few days with her newborn. Becoming a mom isn’t the only new arrival from Palmer; she shared the first trailer for her docu-film earlier today titled Big Boss.
“I grew up in a very spiritual home. Went to church every Sunday,” Palmer explains in the clip. “I was always in practice as a child. Yet, still curious about what the ‘word’ actually meant. They always said the ‘word’ is meant to be lived. I never knew why until I started living.” A montage of images from the actress’s childhood intermingled with scenes from the docu-film was showed, beginning with a nine-year-old Palmer slating her name.
Keke Palmer Struggled With Self-Worth
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: Keke Palmer attends the AFI Awards Luncheon at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
“Overcoming this inner narrative that tells me no matter how far I’ve come, I’m still not good enough. Being different is one thing. Feeling lonely? That’s another.” She added that she didn’t need to “be accepted by the cool kids or the elitist. I just need to be accepted by me.” In the caption, she called the project a “musical narrative that chronicles my experience in the music industry.”
Palmer hasn’t been shy about sharing the ups and downs of her career—including the negativity she receives from trolls and critics. In December, she posted a photo of herself at a read-through for Saturday Night Live. Naysayers hopped online to spew hate about her not wearing makeup. “I just saw a few comments of ppl saying I was ugly cause I wasn’t wearing any makeup. And I really want y’all to get the help y’all need because makeup isn’t real,” Palmer wrote. “I’m beautiful in real life, because of who I am, not what I look like.”
She further added, “I wish I could bottle how I feel about myself and sell it. Because some people take comments to heart and these ppl just say anything. I mean truly it’s insane to say anyone is ugly, but especially me. .” Check out the trailer for Big Boss above.
