WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HIS MOST RECENT ACTIVISM.

RECENT ACTIVISM. >> I FEEL LIKE AMERICANS ARE --

>> I FEEL LIKE AMERICANS ARE -- I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF KIDS HAVE A

I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF KIDS HAVE A NEGATIVE WHEN THEY COME FROM

NEGATIVE WHEN THEY COME FROM OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE I DID.

OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE I DID. >> Reporter: KAREEM, WHO GOES BY

>> Reporter: KAREEM, WHO GOES BY HIS STAGE NAME MONTANA IS A

HIS STAGE NAME MONTANA IS A MOROCCAN AMERICAN RAPPER KNOWN

MOROCCAN AMERICAN RAPPER KNOWN FOR HIT SONGS LIKE

FOR HIT SONGS LIKE "UNFORGETTABLE."

"UNFORGETTABLE." GOT OVER 1 BILLION STREAMS.

GOT OVER 1 BILLION STREAMS. IN HIS MOST RECENT WORK, HE IS

IN HIS MOST RECENT WORK, HE IS CASTING A SPOTLIGHT ON MUSLIM

CASTING A SPOTLIGHT ON MUSLIM CULTURE.

CULTURE. IT'S JUXTAPOSED WITH THE BRAVADO

IT'S JUXTAPOSED WITH THE BRAVADO USUALLY SEEN IN RAP VIDEOS.

USUALLY SEEN IN RAP VIDEOS. THE IMAGES HAVE SPARKED SOME

THE IMAGES HAVE SPARKED SOME CONTROVERSY BUT THE RAPPER SAYS

CONTROVERSY BUT THE RAPPER SAYS HIS INTENTION IS TO SHOW OFF HIS

HIS INTENTION IS TO SHOW OFF HIS CULTURE.

CULTURE. >> MUSLIM FROM MOROCCO, I MOVED

>> MUSLIM FROM MOROCCO, I MOVED TO L.A. WHEN I WAS 20-SOMETHING,

TO L.A. WHEN I WAS 20-SOMETHING, BUT I COME FROM MOROCCO, I COME

BUT I COME FROM MOROCCO, I COME FROM NORTH AFRICA, I COME FROM A

FROM NORTH AFRICA, I COME FROM A MUSLIM BACKGROUND.

MUSLIM BACKGROUND. I WAS BORN MUSLIM.

I WAS BORN MUSLIM. MY MOTHER PRAYED HER WHOLE LIFE,

MY MOTHER PRAYED HER WHOLE LIFE, NEVER HAD A DRINK, SMOKED,

NEVER HAD A DRINK, SMOKED, NOTHING.

NOTHING. JUST WATCHING HER AROUND THE

JUST WATCHING HER AROUND THE HOUSE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GIVING

HOUSE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GIVING ALL THE DISCIPLINE AND ALL THE

ALL THE DISCIPLINE AND ALL THE MOTIVATION, HE FEEL LIKE THERE'S

MOTIVATION, HE FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST LIKE HER

A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST LIKE HER THAT DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY COULD

THAT DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BE THEMSELVES TO BE WHAT THEY

BE THEMSELVES TO BE WHAT THEY WANT.

WANT. >> Reporter: AS A FORMER

>> Reporter: AS A FORMER UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT HIMSELF,

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT HIMSELF, THE MUSICIAN IS USING HIS

THE MUSICIAN IS USING HIS INFLUENCE TO HIGHLIGHT

INFLUENCE TO HIGHLIGHT IMMIGRATION ISSUES BEYOND HIS

IMMIGRATION ISSUES BEYOND HIS MUSIC.

MUSIC. ♪

♪ >> WHEN I WAS 13, DIDN'T KNOW

>> WHEN I WAS 13, DIDN'T KNOW ENGLISH, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO

ENGLISH, DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH.

SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH. I JUST FELT LIKE A SORE THUMB,

I JUST FELT LIKE A SORE THUMB, STUCK OUT, YOU KNOW.

STUCK OUT, YOU KNOW. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WAS

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WAS TALKING ABOUT, IN THE LUNCHROOM

TALKING ABOUT, IN THE LUNCHROOM BY MYSELF.

BY MYSELF. I JUST WANT PEOPLE THAT COME

I JUST WANT PEOPLE THAT COME FROM MOROCCO, SEE I COME FROM

FROM MOROCCO, SEE I COME FROM AFRICA, TO KNOW THEY CAN BECOME

AFRICA, TO KNOW THEY CAN BECOME WHATEVER THEY WANT.

WHATEVER THEY WANT. >> Reporter: FRANK MONTANA

>> Reporter: FRANK MONTANA RECENTLY DONATED $50,000 TO HELP

RECENTLY DONATED $50,000 TO HELP IMMIGRANT YOUTH IN HIS FORMER

IMMIGRANT YOUTH IN HIS FORMER HOMETOWN

HOMETOWN HOMETOWN.

HOMETOWN. >> FRANK MONTANA.

>> FRANK MONTANA. >> Reporter: AND HE WAS INVITED

>> Reporter: AND HE WAS INVITED TO THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO

TO THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS GLOBAL INVESTMENT IN

DISCUSS GLOBAL INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION.

EDUCATION. >> LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT SHOULD

>> LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT SHOULD BE A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

BE A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. IT'S GREAT TO BE RIGHT HERE NEXT

IT'S GREAT TO BE RIGHT HERE NEXT TO YOU, IN FRONT OF ALL YOU

TO YOU, IN FRONT OF ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE TO MAKE A

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE TO MAKE A CHANGE.

CHANGE. >> I JUST FEEL LIKE PEOPLE THAT