About Lounès Matoub
Lounès Matoub (Kabyle: Maɛtub Lwennas; 24 January 1956 – 25 June 1998) was a Kabyle singer, poet, and thinker who sparked an intellectual revolution, and mandole player who was an advocate of the Amazigh cause, human rights, and secularism in Algeria throughout his life. Matoub was shunned and criticized by many Algerian Arabs for his secular, atheist politics, his militant advocacy of Berber rights and blasphemous rock songs, making him unpopular among both warring parties during the Algerian Civil War. His assassination, claimed by the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), in unclear circumstances, provoked violent riots in Kabylia. He went on to record 36 albums, as well as writing songs for other artists.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.