French Montana -- Nick Cannon's My Ticket to Mainstream

French Montana wants respect from more than just the hip hop world, and he thinks Nick Cannon is his ticket.

French has a plan ... and it starts with a vast number of young men in the world of skateboarding. Nick has a very popular skateboard shop in L.A.'s hip Fairfax district called Psych Ward. French has cut a deal for space in Nick's shop to sell merchandise under his Coke Boys Records umbrella.

And there's a bonus ... Nick isn't charging French a penny for the space.