S. Samuel
Bad Boy Records rapper French Montana recently revealed how he managed to turn what appeared to be a disaster into a perfect opportunity for locked up pal Max B with his new Excuse My French album.
According to French, his inability to green light a collaboration with pop singer Lana Del Rey resulted in Max being the opener for his long-awaited debut.
“There was this Lana Del Rey record that I had that I really wanted to be on the album. It kind of worked out for the better, because we swapped it out for a Max B record. That meant more to me.” (AskMen)
Coincidentally, Montana recently revealed Max is the only guest artist he spent money on.
“The only person I paid was Max B. That’s about it,” French told “RapFix Live” on Wednesday of his longtime friend, who is featured on the album’s opening track and is currently serving 75 years in prison. Montana said it’s his relentless work ethic that leads his musical peers to want to help him out. “Honestly, Sway, I just feel like I’ve been blessed for everybody watching my grind,” he said. “They see that I grind for everything that I want, I make it happen, so I just feel like people love to help people who help they self, because we all gonna need each other in the end.” (MTV)
Earlier this year, the New York native talked about his close-knit bond with Max.
He remembers that his life could have ended up very differently. “My best friend (rapper Max B) is serving 75 years in prison,” he says. “Only one of us made it. I think about all this when I make music, of all the sacrifices made. Nothing is just going to come to you, you have to make it happen.” He also survived a gunshot wound to the head, a shooting that occurred en route to a Bronx studio. “I try not to bring that memory back. I’m glad I made it through that time, but, yeah, that experience was part of the album.” (USA Today)
Based on one-day estimates, Excuse My French is projected to sell up to 50,000 copies in its opening week.
YOUR ONE-DAYS: Put on your helmets, people; it’s time to check out this week’s key debuts: Daft Punk (Columbia) 300-325k The National (4AD) 70-75k Thirty Seconds To Mars (Virgin) 60-65k Darius Rucker (Capitol Nashville) 60-65k French Montana (Bad Boy/Interscope) 45-50k Oh, and the UMPG staff would like to remind you not to light your fatty with your helmet on, unless you want to get, like, wicked baked. (5/22p) (HITS Daily Double)
