Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal (Greek: Βύβλος; Hebrew: גְבַל‎; earlier Gubla, Phoenician: 𐤂𐤁𐤋). It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl (جبيل) and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades. It is believed to have been occupied first around 5000 BC, and according to fragments attributed to the semi-legendary pre-Trojan war Phoenician historian Sanchuniathon, it was built by Cronus as the first city in Phoenicia. Today it is believed by many to be the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The name Byblos is Greek; papyrus received its early Greek name (byblos, byblinos) from its being exported to the Aegean through Byblos. Hence the English word Bible is derived from byblos as "the (papyrus) book." The city's Canaanite/Phoenician name "GB'L" derived from "gb", meaning well or origin, and El the supreme god of Byblos's pantheon. The present day city is now known by the Arabic name Jubayl or Jbeil (جبيل), a direct descendant of the Canaanite name.

Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978), born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago. He died in early 1978, eight days before his 32nd birthday, from an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Kath was a singer and multi-instrumentalist who played lead & rhythm guitar, banjo, accordion, electric bass, and drums. During the mid-1960s he was the lead guitarist in a band called Jimmy and the Gentlemen. He also played bass in a road band called Jimmy Ford and the Executives. Kath's compatriot, James William Guercio (who later became Chicago's producer) was lead guitarist in one of two road bands performing on The Dick Clark Show; Kath was the bassist in the other band. Kath's close friend, saxophonist/flutist Walter Parazaider, also played in several bands on The Dick Clark Show. Together with drummer Danny Seraphine they worked to develop the group they called The Missing Links. Practicing at Parazaider's apartment, they soon joined up with trombonist James Pankow, trumpeter Lee Loughnane, and singing keyboardist Robert Lamm to form The Big Thing (known occasionally as The Big Sound). With the addition of The Exceptions' singer/bassist/accordionist Peter Cetera they moved to Los Angeles and signed with Columbia Records. The band was renamed Chicago Transit Authority. In 1970 the name was shortened to Chicago.

Laouni Mouhid, commonly known by his alias La Fouine (English: The Weasel) or Fouiskin (born December 25, 1981 in Trappes, Yvelines), is a French rapper of Moroccan origins from the city of Trappes, Yvelines in the Paris western suburbs. He is an established figure in French rap. La Fouine signed with Sony Records in 2003 and released his debut album, Bourré au son, in 2005. La Fouine released his second album, Aller-Retour, on March 12, 2007. The American beatmaker Focus produced four songs on the album. His most recent album, Mes Repères, was released on February 23, 2009 and is two times gold record in France. His new album, a double CD intitled "La Fouine Vs Laouni," released on February 14 for Valentine's Day, was inspired by the two sides of himself, through his career and experience of his daily life. The first one, La Fouine, a character he created to "entertain people, La Fouine is very cunning, materialistic, bad boy and so vulgar ... it's not really me" said the artist. The second one Laouni (his real name) talks about things he lived in his youth, so his rap is sincere and moving. The week of album's release, more than 25 621 copies were sold in France, a feat for a hip hop artist. He has also his own label "Banlieue Sale Music" and his own clothing line called "Street Swagg".

Najwa Karam (Arabic: نجوى كرم‎) (born February 26, 1966) is a multi-platinum, best-selling Lebanese Arab female recording artist and philanthropist, who has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. Najwa, widely known for her Mawwal and other musical talents, has faced musical limits in building her stardom. Having effectively helped change the Arabic music industry in its outreach, Najwa has left her mark by creating and introducing her own blend of traditional and contemporary Arabic Music. That blend has defined her image and her music in the Middle East and throughout the world, and has contributed to the spread of the Lebanese dialect in Arabic Music. Najwa holds the titles of highest-selling Middle Eastern Artist for the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2008.

Najwa's singing career began with moderate success with her debut album Ya Habayeb, in 1989. Her second album, Shams el-Ghinnieh achieved greater success, earning her well-known title, "Shams el-Ghinnieh" ("The Sun of Song"). But Najwa's major successes were to come in the mid-1990s, when she would rise to new heights of fame and popularity in both the Arabic and International music worlds.