French Montana Donates 500 Canoes to Makoko Community Where he Shot ‘Wish U Well’ Video

September 7, 2023 – Today, 3x Grammy-nominated, Diamond-certified recording artist, humanitarian, and entrepreneur French Montana announces a generous donation of 500 canoes to the community of Makoko, an impoverished community built atop coastal waters in Yaba, Lagos Mainland. Makoko served as the site location for Montana’s latest music video “Wish U Well,” which was released last Friday. His decision to employ local craftsmen in his donation of 500 canoes will boost the local economy and support the livelihood of the community members. This continues Montana’s journey of giving back to communities in need after deeply connecting with the people, the culture, and understanding what is necessary to support the local ecosystem. Six years ago in Uganda, alongside the release of the diamond record “Unforgettable,” Montana embarked on a vision with the local community while filming the music video with Swae Lee to build the Suubi Health Center. His financial contributions, matched by others, opened the door to maternal healthcare for thousands of underserved mothers, women, and children across 55 remote villages accomplished in partnership with Global Citizen and Mama Hope. This still rings true today as Montana continues his global humanitarian and advocacy efforts giving back to those that don’t have the proper funding or resources.

Makoko serves as the backdrop for the “Wish U Well” music video, capturing the resilient spirit and vibrant culture that thrives within the city. The visuals serve as a love letter to Makoko for Montana and Swae, who spent time together there learning about the way of life and connecting with the people. But looking beyond its captivating visuals and resonant lyrics, the release of “Wish U Well” marks the catalyst for a groundbreaking philanthropic initiative that underscores Montana’s unwavering commitment to driving positive change.

Montana’s impact resonates profoundly as he collaborates with Swae Lee, gamma., and SALXCO to donate 500 wooden canoe boats to a community of 200,000 people who are endangered by critical flooding threats on a regular basis. Makoko, a suburb in Lagos, Nigeria, was once a vibrant “fishermen’s village” with homes built on stilts along the Lagos Lagoon, but now the community faces significant challenges due to pollution and sewage drainage complications. The lack of adequate sanitation systems adds to the challenging situation, but amidst these hardships, innovative projects are emerging to revitalize the community and strengthen its ability to cope with the impacts of climate change. To ensure the success of this initiative, the partners have outlined a clear plan with Montana at the helm: The large financial contribution for the project will fund the production of the 500 boats. With a production rate of approximately 6 boats per week, per contractor, the delivery of all 500 boats is projected to conclude within four months, by December, just in time for Christmas.

Earlier this summer, Montana announced a partnership with “gamma.”, a multimedia platform that prioritizes artists, offering a range of creative and business services spanning various artistic and commercial mediums. In conjunction with the partnership came the release of Montana’s latest single and video for “Good Summer“, which blends the timeless allure of Wayne Wonder’s iconic hit “No Letting Go” with the irresistible groove of Nuskie’s “New Orleans Bounce.”

Moroccan-born, Bronx-raised rapper, French Montana, is a 3x Grammy Award-nominated, Diamond-certified rapper, humanitarian influencer, and philanthropist, actively fighting for global healthcare efforts in Uganda as GLOBAL CITIZEN’s first-ever rap ambassador. Some artists blur genres, but French Montana blurs borders. His inimitable fusion of classic East Coast rhymes, wavy pop swagger, and international ambition elevated him to the forefront of the game on a global scale.

Over the years, French has built an indie empire with his Cocaine City imprint. Only speaking Arabic and French at a young age, his family immigrated to New York where he learned English and the language of hip-hop became a catalyst for him. He quickly embraced the culture, became enthralled with it, and began releasing the Cocaine City series of DVDs in 2002. Montana released his platinum-certified debut studio album Excuse My French in 2013, which peaked at #1 on the Hip Hop and R&B album charts. His second studio album, Jungle Rules, in 2017 peaked at number 3 on the Billboard charts and also received platinum certification. 10x platinum and Diamond certified record “Unforgettable” (Featuring Swae Lee) was the lead single of this album sparking an international dance challenge, which led French to partner with Mama Hope and Global Citizen to improve one of their hospitals in Uganda.

French Montana Donates 500 Canoes to Makoko Community Where he Shot ‘Wish U Well’ Video