Respectfully known as "the king of Sudanese folk music," Kamal Tarbas has continued to build on the haqibah (pronounced: hagee-ba) tradition that originated with the Muslim sufi chants of the early '20s. Accompanied by the rhythms of the riq (tambourine) and the clapping of three or four background singers, Tarbas crafted a unique Sudanese folk music sub-genre that has become known as Al Fann Al-Shaabi. Tarbas founded the Dar Karoma Centre for Music, named after the Sudanese musical pioneer, in 1985. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide