The State of Malta, also known simply as Malta, was a predecessor to modern-day Malta and an independent state that existed between 21 September 1964 and 13 December 1974.

When British rule ended in 1964, Malta was given independence as a commonwealth realm, in which the state existed until the promulgation of the 1974 constitution. This occurred on 27 April 1964; the Republic of Malta came into existence on 1st July 1974.During the commonwealth realm phase, the British monarch remained head of state of Malta (Reġina ta' Malta), and was represented in Malta by a governor-general. The following governors-generals held office in Malta during the dominion period:

The following held office as prime minister (and head of government) of the State of Malta during this period:

Following the abolition of the Commonwealth Realm, former Governor-General Sir Anthony Mamo became the first President of Malta.

Malta ⁱ/ˈmɒltə/, officially known as the Republic of Malta (Maltese: Repubblika ta' Malta), is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya, with Gibraltar 1,755 km (1,091 mi) to the west and Alexandria 1,508 km (937 mi) to the east. Malta covers just over 316 km² (122 sq mi) in land area, making it one of the world's smallest states. It is also one of the most densely populated countries worldwide. The de facto capital city of Malta is Valletta; the largest town, Birkirkara. The main island comprises many towns, which together form one Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) with a population of 368,250 according to Eurostat. The country has two official languages, Maltese (constitutionally the national language) and English.

Throughout history, Malta's location has given it great strategic importance, and a succession of powers including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Habsburg Spain, Knights of St John, French and the British ruled the islands. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and became a republic in 1974, whilst retaining membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. Malta was admitted to the United Nations in 1964 and to the European Union in 2004. Malta is also party to the Schengen Agreement and in 2008 it became part of the eurozone.

B-boying or breaking, often called "breakdancing", is a style of street dance that originated as a part of hip-hop culture among African American and Latino youths in New York City during the early 1970s. Fast to gain popularity in the media, the dance style also gained popularity worldwide especially in South Korea, France, Russia, Japan, and Brazil. While extremely diverse in the amount of variation available in the dance, b-boying consists of four primary elements: toprock, downrock, power moves, and freezes. B-boying is typically danced to hip-hop and especially breakbeats, although modern trends allow for much wider varieties of music along certain ranges of tempo and beat patterns.

A practitioner of this dance is called a b-boy, b-girl, or breaker. Although the term "breakdance" is frequently used to refer to the dance, "b-boying" and "breaking" are the original terms. These terms are preferred by the majority of the art form’s pioneers and most notable practitioners.

The terminology used to refer to b-boying changed after promotion by the mainstream media. Although widespread, the term "breakdancing" is looked down upon by those immersed in hip-hop culture. Purists consider "breakdancing" an ignorant term invented by the media that connotes exploitation of the art and is used to sensationalize breaking. The term "breakdancing" is also problematic because it has become a diluted umbrella term that incorrectly includes popping, locking, and electric boogaloo. Popping, locking, and electric boogaloo are not styles of "breakdance". They are funk styles that were developed separately from breaking in California. The dance itself is properly called "breaking" according to rappers such as KRS-One, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC.

Josh Wink (born Joshua Winkelman in 1970) is an electronic music DJ, label owner, producer, remixer, and artist. He is a native of Philadelphia, United States. A pioneering DJ in the American rave scene during the early 1990s, Wink was the most prominent exponent of the tribal forms of techno and house in the U.S. In 1995, he released several hits, including "Don't Laugh," "I'm Ready" under the name Size 9 (which hit number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart) and "Higher State of Consciousness," which topped the dance charts in Europe. He has had many recent club hits such as "How's Your Evening So Far?" (samples Lil Louis's 'French Kiss') and "Superfreak (Freak)" and has also gained a lot of attention for his remixes of FC Kahuna, Paul Oakenfold, Moby, Towa Tei, Ladytron and Depeche Mode, among others.

As a youth, Wink studied the piano for three years and took clarinet lessons as a teenager. His interest in DJing began as a 13-year-old, when he became apprentice to a friend, a radio station and mobile DJ in Philadelphia. It was at this time that Wink also became a vegetarian, following in the footsteps of his mother and brother. As a teen, he quickly gained familiarity with DJing equipment and taught himself how to mix beats in 1986. By 1988, Wink had met fellow DJ King Britt, and the two began creating original tracks together. The year 1988 was also professionally significant for Wink in that he turned eighteen, and was then able to work as a DJ in nightclubs.

Guido de Marco (July 22, 1931 – August 12, 2010) was a Maltese politician, who served as the sixth President of Malta from 1999 to 2004. A noted statesman and lawmaker, de Marco also served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Justice, and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

He is widely regarded as one of the great political leaders of Malta, being instrumental in the country's accession to the European Union. De Marco was elected President of the 45th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1990, and Chairman of the Commonwealth Foundation in 2004. As a renowned criminal lawyer, De Marco defended some of the landmark cases in Malta during the 1980s.

His sudden death in 2010 shocked the nation and prompted three days of national mourning and a state funeral.

Guido Demarco was born in Valletta on July 22, 1931, the son of Emanuele and Giovanna née Raniolo. He was educated at St. Joseph High School, St. Aloysius' College and the University of Malta. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Economics and Italian in 1952, becoming a Doctor of Laws in 1955.