A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely. A more precise definition is given by the Köppen climate classification that treats steppe climates (BSk and BSh) as intermediates between desert climates (BW) and humid climates in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. Semi-arid climates tend to support short or scrubby vegetation, with semi-arid areas usually being dominated by either grasses or shrubs.

To determine if a location has a semi-arid climate, the precipitation threshold must first be determined. Finding the precipitation threshold (in millimeters) involves first multiplying the average annual temperature in °C by 20, then adding 280 if 70% or more of the total precipitation is in the high-sun half of the year (April through September in the Northern Hemisphere, or October through March in the Southern), or 140 if 30%–70% of the total precipitation is received during the applicable period, or 0 if less than 30% of the total precipitation is so received. If the area's annual precipitation is less than the threshold but more than half the threshold, it is classified as a BS (steppe climate).

Yat-Kha is a band from Tuva, led by vocalist/guitarist Albert Kuvezin. Their music is a mixture of Tuvan traditional music and rock, featuring Kuvezin's distinctive kargyraa throat singing style, the kanzat kargyraa.

Yat-Kha was founded in Moscow in 1991, as a collaborative project between Kuvezin and Russian avant-garde, electronic composer Ivan Sokolovsky. The project blended traditional Tuvan folk music with post-modern rhythms and electronic effects. Kuvezin and Sokolovsky toured and played festivals, and eventually took the name “Yat-Kha,” which refers to a type of small, Central Asian zither similar to the Mongolian yatga and the Chinese guzheng, which Kuvezin plays in addition to the guitar. In 1993, they released a self-titled album on the General Records label.

After the release of Yat-Kha, Kuvezin and Sokolovsky parted creative ways and Kuvezin went on to release five other albums under the name Yat-Kha with other musicians (and less of an emphasis on electronics), beginning with Yenisei Punk in 1995, with morin khuur player Alexei Saaia (produced by Lu Edmonds). Sokolovsky issued a remastered version of the Yat-Kha album, with additional tracks, under the title Tundra's Ghosts in 1996/97.

Mark Naumovich Bernes (Russian: Ма́рк Нау́мович Берне́с, Mark Naumovič Bernes) (October 8 [O.S. September 25] 1911,Nezhin, Ukraine - August 16, 1969, Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Soviet actor and singer of Jewish ancestry (his father's last name was Neumann), who performed some of the most poignant songs to come out of the World War II, including Tyomnaya noch (Russian: Тёмная ночь, Dark night; 1943) and Zhuravli (Russian: Журавли, Cranes; 1969). By his voice and singing style, he is similar to American performers Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, being the first Soviet crooner.

In late 1930s, not long before the war, Mark Bernes starred in two motion pictures: Man With a Rifle and The Fighter Planes . In both of these films, he performed songs, which immediately became famous all over Soviet Union after each film was released. In the former film, he performed the song Clouds Rose Over the City, which was a romantic song of a simple young Soviet worker. In the latter film, he performed a famous patriotic ballad Beloved Town. This pre-war song was full of hope and optimism, and several years later, this song helped soldiers during the war.

Igor Outkine (born 1964 in Russia) is an accordionist and vocalist. His vocal and instrumental repertoire covers an extremely wide range of music such as classical and opera, Neapolitan song, Argentine and Russian tango, jazz and pop.

He studied classical accordion at Elektrostal's music college and traditional singing at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow. He performed extensively with several folk groups and with the Rozovsky Theatre of Moscow. He came to London in 1990 with the gypsy band Loyko and has continued to perform the music of his homeland in various venues.

His performance of Russian Tangos, Romances and Folksongs at the Oxford Chamber Music Festival in 2000 was broadcast by BBC Radio 3. In 2004 he appeared in Almeida Theatre in London with Soft Cell lead singer Marc Almond playing and singing Russian songs and is featured on Marc's live DVD Sin Songs. In 2007 he appeared again with Marc Almond on 9 July 2007 in Shepherd Bush Empire. He played on the Cirque du Soleil Varekai soundtrack. Outkine was a member of Antonio Forcione Quartet for two years.

Radric Davis (born February 2, 1980), better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House and followed with albums such as Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released, and The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted was released in 2010, and is his highest charting album so far. Gucci Mane has released many other mixtapes and independent albums as well.

While serving a six-month jail term for assault in late 2005, Davis was charged with murder, though the charges were later dropped due to a lack of evidence. In 2009, he served a year-long county jail sentence for violating probation for his 2005 aggravated assault conviction.

Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and later moved with his single mother to Atlanta. He enjoyed writing poetry as a child, and began rapping at age 14.

In 2005, Davis released his independent debut album entitled Trap House, which featured the successful single "Icy" with Young Jeezy. Disputes over the rights to this single caused a rift between the two artists. Hard to Kill followed in 2006. Hard To Kill included the hit single "Freaky Gurl". The song peaked at number 12 on the Hot Rap Tracks, number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and at number 62 on the Hot 100.