Dubai’s nightlife thrives on spectacle, and last Friday was no exception as Bohemia Beach Club hosted a night dripping in North African heat. Headlined by the one and only French Montana, the event, titled French Montana and Friends, brought together a slew of rap heavyweights and genre-blurring DJs for an unforgettable showdown.
The venue, with its sleek beachfront views framed under the city’s skyline, had champagne bottles and flutes flowing between tables and a crowd buzzing with anticipation. Drinks in hand, they gathered around the stage, where the night kicked off with a few hits, courtesy of Egyptian rapper Marwan Moussa.
Tearing through a setlist packed with fan-favorites like Sheraton, Tesla, and Aloomek— alongside newer anthems like Batal 3alam, Hadoota Almany, and Brazil—the 29-year-old had longtime supporters of his sound hooked, fully immersed in the moment. Receptive to the audience’s energy, the serial hitmaker fed off their excitement, constantly finding ways to pull them into the show. An example of such could be when a fan started snapping selfies with Moussa after every track, a string of interactions the Alexandria-born artist warmly welcomed and turned into an impromptu inside joke all parties involved enjoyed and happily entertained.
@milleworlddotcom #Egyptian rapper @marwanmoussaa serenading #Dubai’s crowd with his live performance of ‘Ya Salam’, featuring Cairo-based producer #ElWaili ♬ original sound – milleworlddotcom
Next up was Gradur, who, despite being the least known MC on the evening’s line-up, made it look like he was the main act of the night once on stage. With each track invigorating the crowd with infectious energy, the French contingent’s roster of classics were belted out bar for bar by fans that simply couldn’t get enough. Unfamiliar with his sound and persona prior to his electric performance, we headed home with a Shazam list brimming with new tracks we might not understand but will definitely get us sprinting faster next time we’re at the gym.
Before Montana took the stage, DJ Jax kept the crowd’s energy high with a curated mix of classic and contemporary hip-hop. Switching effortlessly between new-school legends like Gunna and Future to OGs such as Tupac or Biggie, the disc-spinner built a steady crescendo that set the tone just right ahead of the main act’s grand entrance.
Drenched in bling and oozing charisma, it finally was French Montana’s time to shine, launching into a hit-packed set featuring classics from his early beginnings all the way up to his global breakthrough. Ticket-holders were treated to a night soundtracked by an array of bangers, including All The Way Up, Work, No Stylist, and a crowd-pleasing nod to Cheb Khaled’s Abdel Kader, which Montana remixed himself in 2019. The true highlight of the evening, to us at least, has to be the moment he performed Unforgettable. As the unmistakable beat dropped, the entire crowd began singing every word and humming to every note, making it the main moment to remember of the soirée.
@milleworlddotcom @French Montana performing his 2017 hit ‘Unforgettable’ live at #Dubai ♬ original sound – milleworlddotcom
Between Moussa, Gradur, and Montana’s respective performances, it was nearly impossible to catch a breath with so many hits to dance to. With everyone’s energy running high, the event’s debut— which we hope will develop into a series— only made us crave more, wondering when we’ll get to see something like this again in a city where the same acts are often on repeat.
