French Montana
Born Karim Kharbouch in Casablanca, Morocco, French Montana immigrated to New York's South Bronx at thirteen and came up through the city's mixtape circuit, first as a battle rapper and then as the founder of Cocaine City (later Coke Boys) Records, where his 'Coke Wave' tapes with Max B established a laid-back, melodic street sound. Signing to Bad Boy and Maybach Music in 2012, he crossed over with party anthems like 'Pop That' and the multi-platinum, Swae Lee-featuring 'Unforgettable,' pairing hazy, sing-song hooks with Afro-Caribbean and pop textures. His 2010s run made him one of hip-hop's most durable hitmakers, bridging New York street rap and radio-ready melody.
Max B is the single clearest source of French Montana's sound: the two built the 'Coke Wave' mixtape series together in the late 2000s, and French carried Max's 'wavy' blueprint — half-sung, hazy, melodic hooks draped over street beats — into the mainstream after Max was incarcerated. French has repeatedly credited Max B and kept his name in his music throughout his career.
listen forCue Max B's 'Why You Do That' and then French's 'Unforgettable' — listen for the same woozy, half-crooned hook that floats just behind the beat, more sung lullaby than rapped chorus.
French Montana has named The Notorious B.I.G. among his idols, and the debt is structural: like his fellow Bad Boy signee, French favors an unhurried, conversational flow and builds singles around glossy, celebratory hooks about coming up from nothing. Biggie's template of turning street-corner detail into radio-sized luxury runs straight through French's party records.
listen forPut on Biggie's 'Big Poppa' and then French's 'Pop That' — both ride a slow, grinning club groove and center a laid-back, unbothered voice presiding over the party rather than sprinting across the beat.
French came up in the same New York orbit as Cam'ron's Diplomats — his Coke Wave partner Max B was a Harlem contemporary and ByrdGang affiliate of the Dipset camp — and you can hear Cam'ron's flossy, sing-song melodicism in French's approach to a hook. The Harlem tradition of turning a taunt into a lilting, singable phrase is part of French's DNA.
listen forPlay Cam'ron's 'Oh Boy' next to French's 'Ain't Worried About Nothin' — both take a chopped, looping vocal snippet and let a nonchalant, sing-song delivery ride it into an earworm chant.