French Montana Steps Up After Knicks Fans Demolish Cab Driver's Livelihood

There’s a moment in the viral video that hits different. A 59-year-old cab driver named Noureddine Bitat stands motionless beside his destroyed taxi while Knicks fans celebrate on top of it, and his face says everything—this isn’t a car, it’s his family’s survival. That image stayed with rapper French Montana, who decided to do something about it.

The scene unfolded Saturday night in New York as celebration for the Knicks’NBA Championship win spiraled into chaos. Fans poured into the streets, and somewhere in that euphoria, Noureddine’s yellow cab became collateral damage. The footage shows him processing the destruction in real time, each dent and shattered window representing income he desperately needs. This wasn’t just property damage to him; it was a direct hit to his ability to put food on the table for his family back in Algeria.

French Montana didn’t just share the video and move on. He took it to his followers on X, using his platform to track down Noureddine and help turn the narrative around. The rapper connected with his pal Zachery Dereniowski, who teamed up with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance to launch a GoFundMe campaign. The goal: $25,000 to help Noureddine recover from the loss and get back on the road.

What makes this story land is the contrast. You’ve got wild, unbridled joy on one side and genuine hardship on the other, both happening simultaneously in the same moment. Knicks fans got their championship; Noureddine lost his livelihood. French Montana’s decision to amplify this story rather than ignore it speaks to something worth paying attention to—celebrity influence used not for clout, but to actually fix something broken. The fundraiser sheds light on the real challenges taxi drivers face in New York, and why accountability matters even when you’re caught up in the moment.

It’s a reminder that celebration doesn’t have to leave wreckage in its wake. And when it does, someone’s got to step in and help rebuild.