French Montana bought a villa right next to Drake and the reason is hard to guess

French Montana, a Moroccan-American rapper and songwriter, paid L.A. Clipper Paul “PG-13” George a little over $8.4 mιllιon not even three years ago for a nearly 16,000-square-foot mansion in the guard-gated and celebrity-studded Hidden Hills neighborhood. His neighbors include numerous Kardashians and athletes, among others.

The three-time Grammy nominee “Unforgettable” singer is looking to diversify his real estate holdings and has listed his expansive suburban L.A. home for nearly three times what he originally paid.

The 2017 single has received an astounding 1.5 bιllιon YouTube views. Tomer Fridman of Compass has just listed the late 1980s California ranch house with Spanish hacienda for $22.75 mιllιon. (The Fridman Group made Mike Kelley photos available.)

The prestigious Ashley Ridge part of the upscale, equestrian-friendly community is where the seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate is located. It has remained mostly untouched since Montana bought it.

The mahogany-paneled study’s wood and steel desk, the multi-room master suite’s purple tufted bed, and the chairs gathered around the dining table were all evident in the home’s listing photos the last time it was up for sale.

The house is flooded with natural light thanks to enormous movable skylights and long walls of windows. The huge living room has a marble fireplace, recessed bar, indoor planter loaded with beautiful tropical plants that bring nature indoors, and enough space for at least three seating areas.

Other features include a five-car garage, a master suite with a kitchenette and a roomy walk-in closet, and a large kitchen with a U-shaped island and a breakfast nook by the fireplace.

A stone-paved terrace with a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, covered lounge with fireplace and television, and a deck with tree-framed mountain views over the nearby estates surrounds the house on three sides.

If the next owner wants to modernize and upgrade the property, Montana worked for two years with the Ukrainian design company Iqosa to create plans to remodel and expand the current home to approximately 19,000 square feet with nine bedrooms, two service quarters, a home theater, fitness and spa facilities, a glam room, and a stainless steel prep kitchen.

The homeowner organization for the area and the city of Hidden Hills have both given their approval to the ideas for the inside remodel, according to the marketing materials.

However, this is not the first time Montana has bought a home in the Calabasas neighborhood from another star. In 2016, he paid Selena Gomez $3.3 million for a gated mansion that he later sold for $5 million in the summer of 2021. Miami and Paris are also possibilities.