POP THAT

By the end of 2012, French Montana had emerged as a quintessential figure of the reigning rap vogue, riding high on the (post-Coke) wave of his appearances on last year’s most seasonally significant 
anthems: “Shot Caller (Remix)” (winter), “Stay Schemin’ ” (spring), and “Pop That” (summer). That Rick Ross also appeared on all three songs, and Drake on two of three, doesn’t render Montana’s 2012 streak any less remarkable. His first foray into the rap game was making the Cocaine City street DVDs, so he’s effectively a sideline reporter who sidled his way into rap’s starting lineup. In the process, his obsequious habit of referencing other rappers’ “notable quotables” has thickened into a fully-realized, broadly-appealing style—yesterday’s hot lines paired with today’s hottest beats (and ad libs, juuhearddd).

Mon., March 4, 9:30 p.m., 2013