- Hey, it's Kevan Kenney backstage
at Billboard's Hot 100 Music Festival here on Jones Beach
and if you think he looks good on the cover of this week's
Billboard Magazine, I can tell you right now,
even better in person, Mr. French Montana.
Thank you for stopping by.
- Thank you for having me.
- You performed not too long ago and now
we're here backstage in the lounge.
What do you think about the health
of New York City hip hop?
I grew up just over the Hudson River in New Jersey
so this is like my backyard and my estimation,
I mean, New York hip hop it went away for just a little bit,
for a slight moment there I feel like
maybe it was losing its sound.
I don't know if it's ever been this strong.
How do you feel about the current state
of hip hop in New York?
- I mean, New York is the birthplace of hip hop.
So I'm proud to be from here.
I'm proud to be, you know, one of the young legends,
you know, still striving, still climbing that ladder.
I just hope that, you know, they keep the essence.
With social media and everything,
I feel like things changing fast.
By the time you focus on one song, the next one is out.
Now, with just, you know, Spotify, Soundcloud, this, yeah.
- I mean you're killing it on any platform though.
- You were big in the DVD days,
you were big in the blog days, you're big now.
One of your biggest songs,
if not the biggest statistically, is Unforgettable.
You've gotta connect some dots for me here
because as the story goes, of course that track,
that beat, produced by 1Mind,
awesome trio out of Indianapolis,
they made that for Oliver out of the OVO camp
for the Views sessions.
Of course, it didn't wind up on Views,
you made it your own at some point
and turned it into a number three hit on the Hot 100.
How did that go from the OVO camp to you?
- Oh, honestly, that song was nothing like how you hear it.
After those first eight bars,
it turned into like a R&B track.
It got slow, this and that.
So I'm glad, one of my main things,
you know, is picking out music.
I think I'm a better A&R thank anything else.
So I'm just happy I got that great ear
and I was able to grab it and just, you know,
turn it into something that--
- Was the situation, cause I know, you know,
you're good buddies with Oliver and 40 and Drake.
- Oh, yeah, I love them.
- Was it a matter of them like, yo we didn't use this
but we have this, are you interested?
- No, Jeremih came inside the studio
and played it, I think Swae Lee sent it to him,
to do some vocals on it,
so when he played it for me I just said this is the one.
- Yeah.
You got that ear man, you got that ear.
- Yeah, thank you.
- Again, the Billboard Magazine with you
on the cover is out and available now.
There's one picture in here that I really wanted to,
I highlighted.
I'd love to talk to you about it
and I'll get a shot so you can see it at home.
It's down here, on the corner.
- [French] Yeah.
- And it's you being sworn in as a U.S. citizen.
- Still got my blue, red, and white on.
- I love it.
Aside from, you know, just what's already talked about
in this article, when you look at that picture
what are the first things that go through your mind, French?
- One of the first things that go through
my mind is just growth.
That just show me like, being
a world citizen, not as United States citizen,
it just more doors open, more opportunities,
more, you know, more ladders to climb,
you know, it's just showing that anybody could do it.
Know what I'm saying?
Like anybody, you know, that right there
shows you the American dream.
Like it just shows you that you can come from anywhere
and you can make your dreams come true, you know?
- And I think that's one of the best parts about you,
as an artist, is you are that sort of beacon
or that symbol of hope for so many people.
- I have to, I mean you have to.
You have to be an example.
- Yeah.
We're gonna let you go, but I want to talk about a song
you got coming out this Friday,
really a highly anticipated project.
Liam Payne, of course, of One Direction
is dropping his debut EP and it's called First Time
and you are featured on the title track of this EP.
- Yeah.
- What can you tell us about this song
and how it came about?
- Well I'm a big fan of Liam Payne
and he had sent me two songs but this one was my favorite.
I feel like the vibe of it, the beat, the guitar,
just the First Time and it just relates to me,
and it just relates to my lifestyle.
I feel like it was natural and that's how hits are made.
When it's natural.
- Yeah, totally.
And you've got that ear, so you know which one to pick,
man, it's probably a hit waiting to happen.
Do you remember what your verse was?
Can we get a bar or two, or some lyrics from that?
- ♪ She's a savage, like Rihanna. ♪
♪ She love cars, she love diamonds. ♪
♪ She love watches that be timeless. ♪
(laughing)
- I love it, man, I love it.
That comes out Friday, August 24th
if you want to check that out.
How much of your new album is done?
- Bout 70%.
- [Kevan] Wow.
- Yeah, almost done.
Have my first single.
- [Kevan] Picked out?
- Yeah.
- [Kevan] And what's that called?
- Top secret.
It is top secret, it's not called Top Secret.
- Yeah.
- That's awesome.
Is it just gonna be you on the track, or is there a feature?
- I don't know yet.
- [Kevan] All right.
- Yeah.
Well, you know what man, thanks for stopping by.
- Thank you brother.
- We're excited to hear it, you're taking your time with it,
and I think it's important.
- Yeah.
- Might be the best one yet, man.
- Thank you.