Gafsa (Arabic: قفصة‎ Qafṣa) is the capital of Gafsa Governorate of Tunisia. Its name was appropriated by archaeologists for the Mesolithic Capsian culture. With a population of 84,676, it is the 9th Tunisian city.

The city had 84,676 inhabitants at the 2004 census. Contemporary Gafsa is a modern town, and the centre of the Djerid area's important phosphate industry. Of note are the Roman baths, still used today. The city lies 369 km by road southwest of Tunis. Its geographical coordinates are 34°25′N 8°47′E / 34.417°N 8.783°E / 34.417; 8.783.

In January 2008 Gafsa was the epicentre of a popular spontaneous uprising protesting against the corruption and nepotism of the country's authoritarian regime of president Ben Ali. The uprising was swiftly suppressed and went unreported in the state-controlled Tunsian media. Youtube was blocked in Tunisia because it carried video footage from the riots and information about the subsequent treatment of its instigators by the Tunisian regime. [1]

In Roman times, Gafsa was known as Capsa. It has given name to the Mesolithic Capsian industry.

Natacha Atlas (Arabic: نتاشا أطلس‎ ; born 20 March 1964) is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" (modern popular music). Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.

Atlas began her career as part of the world fusion group Transglobal Underground. In 1995, she began to focus on her solo career with the release of Diaspora. She has since released seven solo albums and been a part of numerous collaborations. Her version of "Mon Amie La Rose" became a surprise success in France, reaching 16 on the French Singles Charts in 1999. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Conference Against Racism.

Atlas was born to a father of Moroccan, Egyptian, and Palestinian ancestry who was born in Jerusalem and a British mother who had converted to Islam. Her paternal grandfather was born in Egypt, but grew up in Palestine, immigrating to Europe at age 15. She concedes to being "maybe 10 percent Jewish or something." Atlas says the claim that her father is purely Jewish and not Arab is "one of those things where someone had a grudge against me and wanted to hurt me. My great-great-grandfather was Jewish. But Jews have always been part of Arab society, so it’s not so unusual for someone to find out that they have Jewish blood. At the end of the day, we really are so connected."

Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973), commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music. He is also the lead vocalist and drummer of hip-hop band N.E.R.D, which he formed with Hugo and childhood friend Shay Haley. He released his first single "Frontin'" in 2003 and followed up with his first album In My Mind in 2006.

As part of The Neptunes, Williams has produced numerous hit singles for various musicians. The two have earned three Grammy Awards amongst ten nominations. He is also the co-founder of the clothing brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Clothing. He is a member of the supergroup V.A. Playaz with Fam-Lay, Clipse, Skillz, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland & Magoo.

Pharrell Williams was born on April 5, 1973, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the eldest of three sons of Carolyn, a teacher, and Pharaoh Williams, a handyman. He met Chad Hugo in a seventh-grade summer band camp where Williams played the keyboards and drums and Hugo played tenor saxophone. They were also both members of a marching band; Williams played the snare drum while Chad was student conductor. With Hugo, Williams attended Princess Anne High School where they played in the school band; there he got the name Skateboard P.

Ramy Ayach (Arabic: ‎رامي عياش) (born Ramy Abu Ayach, رامي ابوعياش, on August 18, 1980 in Baakleen, Lebanon) is a Druze Lebanese singer, songwriter, composer, and instrumentalist.

Ramy Ayach is the oldest of two brothers brought up in the mountains of Lebanon in a town called, Baakleen. Soon after realizing his natural talent for singing and music, Ramy went on to become one of the leading Pop Stars from the Middle East.

Ayach released his first album in 1997, Ra'eh, with the single Bghanneela Webde'ellah, which led to his first international tour, playing over 50 concerts in Lebanon, Australia, UK, Italy, France, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia, Germany, and Syria. Ra'eh rose to the top of Lebanese charts, which increased his fanbase and led to televised performances.

In 1999, Ayach signed with Rotana and released his third album, Wel'ah, with the single Shta'tilak, written and composed by himself, arranged by Ehsan El Monzir, which occupied the top position on Billboard's National Sales in the National Airplay and International Arabic Airplay category. Two other songs were also released as singles, Sawad Elninny and Wel'ah. Ayach also filmed the music video for Shta'tilak in Turkey with the Lebanese-German director Said El Marouk.

Réda Tamni better known as Reda Taliani (in Arabic رضى الطلياني) (born 1980 in El Biar, Algiers, Algeria) is an Algerian raï singer and musician. He is a longtime resident of Aubagne, Marseille, France. His music blends chaabi, raï and traditional musical styles of the Maghreb, and many of his songs depict the realities and aspirations of the Algerian youth.

Born in El Biar, in the Algerian capital Algiers from a family originating from Constantine, Algeria, Reda Taliani grew in Koléa, a town in Tipaza Province, in northern Algeria. His musical career started at 5 when he joined the Koléa Conservatory of Arab and Andalusian Music where he studied playing a number of instruments and excelled in playing the mandolin. He was captivated by raï music very early on and opted for leaving the more classcal Andalusian music entirely devoting himself to raï. The name Taliani (the Italian) is a nickname given to him when he was just 8 because of the way he dressed.

Reda Taliani's first album entitled Ache Dani Elwahd Tayra was released in 2000 with producer Issame and Eleulma Phone. He stayed with the label until 2004 when he moved to Dounia Production label where he released his successful album Joséphine the same year. Since then he has found popularity and success mainly in Algeria with Les Algériens des Kamikazes and Khobz Dar. His music is widely influenced by Cheb Khaled and Sahraoui styles, but also by Bob Marley and Santana.