Knicks Won But A Cab Driver Lost Everything. This Famous Rapper Stepped Up.

When the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years on June 13, the streets of New York erupted. It was one of the most joyful nights in the city's recent memory. But in the chaos, a 59-year-old cab driver named Noureddine Bitat became a symbol of what can go wrong. Fans climbed onto his leased Toyota Sienna, shattered the windshield, stomped on the roof, ripped out the meter, and at one point tried to overturn the vehicle. Bitat stood beside his destroyed cab, his glasses broken, watching his livelihood get demolished. The video went viral within hours. Rapper French Montana saw it on Sunday morning and posted immediately: "Somebody find him for me so we can help him get back on his feet." The New York Taxi Workers Alliance replied within minutes, confirming Bitat was their member and offering to connect the two. French teamed up with content creator Zachery Dereniowski and the taxi union to launch a GoFundMe to get Noureddine back to work.

The response from the internet was overwhelming. Within days, the GoFundMe had raised more than $51,000. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance issued a statement thanking everyone who donated and showed solidarity with their member. "I'm very thankful," Bitat said after learning of the outpouring of support. The story became a counterweight to the darker footage from that night. A city that had just celebrated something extraordinary came together to make it right for one man who had nothing to do with the game but paid a price for it anyway. The Knicks finally have their championship. And Noureddine Bitat has his cab back.

Source:https://thegrio.com/2026/06/16/french-montana-new-york-taxi-workers-cab-driver-gofundme/