Karim Gharbi named among Gulf Business’s 100 Most Powerful Arabs 2025
On 7 April 2025, Gulf Business published its list of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs 2025. Karim Gharbi, known globally as K2, entered the ranking for the first time, in the culture and society category, with the title “Musician and tech entrepreneur”. The profile lists Tunisia as his country of origin and the United Arab Emirates as his country of residence.
What the magazine wrote
Gulf Business describes him as a rapper, entrepreneur and philanthropist who has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, DJ Khaled and Fat Joe, and an entertainment icon, particularly in North Africa, with more than 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
On business, the magazine writes: “As CEO of K2 Meta, he invests in blockchain, Web3, and emerging tech, focusing on long-term, scalable solutions.” It also notes his philanthropy, renovating schools and providing medical aid in Tunisia, and that despite an earlier “bad boy” image, K2 has pivoted to business leadership.
From Ksar Said to Dubai
Born in Tunis in 1980 and raised in Ksar Said, Karim left for Marseille in 1996, then Paris, where he started his music career. He first came to Dubai in 2007 and 2008 to shoot music videos, and now runs K2 Meta from the city.