He's stayed so busy you might not have noticed, but French Montana hasn't dropped an official release in two years. He's ending that hiatus with the release of Casino Life 2, dropping on Datpiff today. We tracked Montana down to talk his svelte new physique, what summer means to him, and standing behind his girlfriend's family in wild times.
What does dropping a summertime mixtape mean to you? Summertime is music time. In my neighborhood every Friday we go out to the store, get a hat, an outfit and a mixtape and we drive around.
How has taking two years off your own music evolved your sound? It helped me grow as an artist. I took it off, but I didn't really take it off because I was on everyone else's records. From Jay Z to Miley Cyrus, Will.i.am, Kanye and J.Lo, it goes on. I was out there, but this is my first project, the appetizer before the meal.
Has your new preoccupation with fitness and CrossFit affected your productivity or your process? It's helped me, your body is the only place you have to live in. CrossFit helps me stay focused since it can get hard on the road, but working out two to three times a week keeps my mind right.
Has dating someone so concerned with fitness [as Khloe Kardashian is] encouraged you? It's motivation. You're always motivated by the people around you.
This is a crazy time for you and Khloe—her show is about to premiere, your tape is about to drop, Khloe's stepdad's interview just changed the game. What do you think of Bruce's interview with Diane Sawyer? I support him 100 percent.
What do you want to spend your summer doing? Having fun and enjoying it. Grindcation.
What's up next for you? I have an album dropping this summer.
Was that your last hiatus? I'm coming back to back now!
Lead Image: Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images
