Unfortunately, it seems like fanbases are more propense to pit female rappers against each other rather than encourage collaboration. Whether that’s because of a more misogynistic industry landscape, interest in beef, or just pure coincidence is up for debate. Still, competition in rap is natural and even encouraged across all generations, because who wants to sit there and admit that they’re a worse MC than another? French Montana and his kids, though, approached this in quite the light-hearted way rather than feeding into the worst parts of those tendencies. While celebrating one of his sons’ graduation, the rapper acted as a mediator in a debate over whether Ice Spice is better than Latto or vice versa.
“Latto is better than Ice Spice!” the graduate exclaimed after one of French Montana’s friends, presumably, said as such. “He put you on video saying that,” his other son remarked before the graduate jumped in. “Nah, never,” the “I Can’t Lie” hitmaker said in an effort to moderate. “Y’all both equal, y’all both good.” Hilariously, his two sons joked about the femcees hitting them up.
Interestingly enough, the 38-year-old has only worked with one of these artists so far. Him and Latto have a track with Ty Dolla $ign, “Striptease,” off of French Montana’s 2021 album “They Got Amnesia.” Of course, that’s not to say that French Montana and Ice Spice couldn’t have a collab in the future, just that he could’ve easily played into a bias with his comments. Fortunately, he was right to dismiss the competition, if only because his opinion as a fellow famous rapper could have more industry consequences than that of his kids. Let us know what you think of that debate in the comments down below.
Meanwhile, the Moroccan-American rapper is set to premiere his documentary For Khadija soon, which documents his experiences as an immigrant growing up in the Bronx during his teenage years. While the film doesn’t have a release date for wider release as of yet, it will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday (June 16). It will surely be an emotive experience, and one that represents his hard-earned rise to bringing a better life for his family while being inspired by them. For the latest news on French Montana, Ice Spice, and Latto, keep checking in with HNHH.
Insane concert ticket prices have been the talk of the entertainment industry in recent months, but many Americans are more concerned with healthcare prices. Last week, hip-hop artists Fat Joe, French Montana, Rick Ross, and Busta Rhymes teamed up to perform at a “Power to the Patients” advocacy event in Washington DC, bringing awareness to significant issues in the American healthcare system.
The event was sponsored by “Power to the Patients,” a non-profit organization fighting for a more affordable and equitable healthcare system price transparency.
At the event, which was attended by cele French Montana stated that he was involved in the event because he didn’t think that people should be “blindsided” anymore by astronomical healthcare bills, saying that patients “needed prices up front” and that he hoped the event could help the American healthcare system “move forward.”
Rick Ross got on stage and said that people should know if they “gotta sell your house to save your parents” with regard to inconsistent hospital bills.
On the organization’s website, alongside a YouTube video about the subject, Fat Joe explained why he was passionate about the cause, writing:
“We have to change the healthcare system and hold hospitals and insurers accountable to provide more transparency on the price of care. They are charging way too much money and the bills are not even consistent. Somebody could get an MRI for $300 and someone right behind them could be paying thousands for the same MRI. Right now, millions across the country are being dragged into debt because they’re blindsided by the cost of these medical bills. Families are falling apart. People are losing their homes. People are getting bankrupted because of hospital bills and healthcare. Knowing prices is the only way we will be able to lower our costs in healthcare. So, we have to fight for the people. We all have to talk to our politicians and talk to everybody. It’s in the law that hospitals and insurers need to post prices and we all need to know this. I teamed up with Power to the Patients to educate our communities on their rights and help put an end to this injustice.”
French Montana’s journey toward achieving mainstream international success has not been easy. The “Ain’t Worried About Nothin’” rapper is ready to showcase the trials and tribulations on full display in his forthcoming documentary For Khadija. Executive produced by fellow musician Drake and his record label’s founder Diddy, the film includes never-scene-before clips of the recording artist’s start in the rap game, growing up in the South Bronx, his return to his native country Morocco, and more. Artists like Drake and Fat Joe make appearances in the trailer.
Pulling it’s name from Montana’s mother, Khadija Guled, the film’s trailer is a heartbreaking look at the high and lows of his career thus far.
“Us watching America as kids, they sell you the dream. They don’t show you that behind those buildings, there’s the nightmare part,” declared Montana. From his time as a street dealer, to the imprisonment of his longtime friend and collaborator Max B, dealing with the emotional scarring the abandonment of his father left him with, For Khajida leaves no stone unturned.
With everyone celebrated victory, Montana has quietly battled a few losses proving that everything that a life in the limelight isn’t always glitter and gold.
For Khadija is slated to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. For more information, click here.
French Montana has announced FOR KHADIJA (For His Mother Khadija), which will have its world premiere on June 16 at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.
The film, which will be directed by Mandon Lovett and executive produced by Aubrey “Drake” Graham and Sean “Diddy” Combs, will highlight the sacrifices made by an immigrant woman who left her native country and took various jobs to support her sons in order to make a better life for her family.
The premiere will provide fans with an inside look into Montana’s life, family, upbringing, immigration process, and obstacles he faced in the music industry. A moderated panel discussion with prominent figures from hip-hop, social justice movements, and popular culture will take place before the premiere. Following the movie, French Montana, Triplets Ghetto Kids, and other distinguished guests will do special performances.
French Montana was born Karim Kharbouch. Growing up in Morocco in the late 1980s, he idolized soccer and rap music. Then, out of nowhere, he found himself in the South Bronx. He would not find his breakout until the mid-2000s, with “Choppa Choppa Down” and Excuse My French. His journey from undocumented immigrant to worldwide star is one of hardship and grit.
Today, Montana is one of the best-known rappers and the highest-streamed African-born artist of all time. He is also a two-time platinum recording artist. However, he is also best known for his encounters with law enforcement and criminal involvements. But now fans will get a brand-new look into his life thanks to a tell-all documentary, executive produced by Drake and Diddy.
“Us watching America as kids, they sell you the dream. They don’t show you that behind those buildings, there’s the nightmare part.” The trailer’s opening line sets the tone of the documentary perfectly. This is not a boastful story of Montana’s success, but instead is an unsweetened look at the journey he took to the top. The story, which begins in Morocco and ends on top of the world, is full of hardship.
Named for Montana’s mother, the documentary explores several distinct areas of the artist’s life. There are the early years in the South Bronx, running as a street dealer to make ends meet. Then comes his rise in the early 2000s, his musical breakout. And finally, there is the rise and fall of Max B, Montana’s closest associate. But beyond that, the documentary promises authenticity and vulnerability. The trailer features Montana dwelling on the absence of his father, who returned to Morocco when Montana was 15. It will also provide more insight into Montana’s perspective on the incarceration of Max B and the events that led up to it. The documentary is set to show French Montana in a way that he’s never been seen before. For Khadija is set to debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.
Regarding the music scene in Canada, one may automatically envision Drake, Justin Bieber, and The Weeknd. This trio possibly takes up three of the four spots on Canada’s Mount Rushmore of music. These significant artists have contributed immensely to the scene throughout the years, including today. Do you know who else deserves some recognition? Murda Beatz. In case you didn’t know, the megaproducer hails from Toronto. His songs have been crucial to this generation of Hip Hop.
The 29-year-old is behind some of your favorite songs. Murda Beatz has strayed away from what his peers are doing lately, such as creating joint albums with artists. Additionally, Murda Beatz has worked with the biggest artists, such as Migos, Gucci Mane, French Montana, and Nicki Minaj. He has either solely produced or co-produced on plenty of hit records. Let’s take a look at some of Murda Beatz’s hottest songs.
7. “No Shopping” – French Montana ft. Drake
Of course, everyone remembers “No Shopping” for Drake’s verse. This was during his beef with Joe Budden, so he reportedly had a few lines for him. Besides that, Murda Beatz made a sound that was just as fun as the video. Like in the visual, French Montana and Drake rap without a care, crafting another hit. This was Murda Beatz’s first time colliding with French, but he made a sound that the rapper could work with.
Murda Beatz mixed a few sounds together for “4 AM.” Having two Southern artists on the song, with 2 Chainz and Travis Scott, the producer came up with a HoustAtlanta sound. “4 AM” has the ATL vibe with the trap drums, but also has a Houston feel as the song is slower. It’s interesting what Murda Beatz does with the beat. It may remind you of the Houston rapper’s song “Butterfly Effect,” to which Murda produced as well. He adds sounds that loop throughout the track. This is what makes a Murda Beatz song.
5. “Pipe it Up” – Migos
As stated earlier, Murda Beatz has worked with the Migos since early on in their career. He produced one of their lead singles, “Pipe It Up,” from their debut album, Yung Rich Nation. Murda has a knack for adding interesting sounds to his productions. In “Pipe It Up,” it sounds like he uses a combination of a xylophone and a piano. Murda produces a sound fit for the Migos’ signature flow.
4. “It’s A Vibe”- 2 Chainz ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Jhene Aiko and Trey Songz
Murda Beatz created a sound you can vibe to on “It’s A Vibe.” 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Trey Songz, and Jhene Aiko all float over this production. This song is surely something to relax to. It appears on 2 Chainz’s album, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. This Hip Hop-R&B-Trap blend is fit to be on this album based on its title.
Although the topic of discussion on “MotorSport” was Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Murda Beatz made a Top 10 record. The Canadian producer proves he can do some of everything by adding another trap hit to his catalog. This is up the Migos’ alley and became, arguably, one of their best songs. Murda Beatz has been known to work with the trio and Young Money artists such as Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Lil Wayne. This was the first time he had worked with Cardi B. They later collaborated on Invasion of Privacy with “I Do” featuring SZA.
2. “Butterfly Effect” – Travis Scott
Murda Beatz cooked up a sound that only Travis Scott can use in “Butterfly Effect.” The tempo of the song matches the Houston rapper’s flow. Travis Scott isn’t the typical Houston rapper. However, at times he does remain true to his roots. ”Butterfly Effect” has a bit of a hometown feel as the gloomy yet upbeat sound might be perfect for “swangin,” a popular Houston activity.
1. “Nice For What” – Drake
Drake’s “Nice For What” gave Murda Beatz his first and only No. 1 record. It’s arguably Drake’s best song which he can thank the young producer for. “Nice For What” was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Murda shows his abilities on this track as he samples a bit of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor.” He also gets creative and uses a clip of New Orleans artist Big Freedia. It’s not hard to produce a record for Drake, as he makes anything sound good.
Let us know which Murda Beatz songs are your favorite in the comments.
Druski, the comedian and social media star, is branching out beyond his usual comedic content with a new cooking series called In The Kitchen. Known for making people laugh online, Druski is now expanding his horizons. This move marks another step for Druski toward becoming a well-rounded content creator. Comedian Druski, known for his hilarious […]
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.
In a special episode of The Message celebrating Arab American Heritage Month, rapper French Montana joins Ebro in-studio on Apple Music 1 to discuss the lessons he learned immigrating to the US from Morocco as a teen, how he honors Ramadan, philanthropy, his upcoming documentary executive produced by Drake, and more.
Speaking on coming from the African nation of Morocco as a young teen, the Bad Boy feature artists said, “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.”
Check out the entire French interview on The Ebro ShowHERE
