We recently connected with Kaivan Bazleh and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaivan, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been earning a full-time living as a professional DJ and MC for the past 20 years. While I was attending college at the University of Texas in Austin, my friends and I would frequent the downtown hang-outs along the Warehouse District and 6th street. I soon began canvassing the downtown area for residential opportunities. My very first DJ residency was at Maggie Mae’s on 6th street. It was a thrill to be able to sharpen my skill set at such an iconic venue. After my first residency, things began moving forward quickly because other club owners, having listened to my past performances, would go on to offer me future residencies. These included a 5 year long residency at Speakeasy on The Terrace 59, a 3 year long residency at one of Austin’s favorite dive bars The Jackalope, along with residencies at both Barcelona and Plush, which were well-known for bringing the underground sound of DnB, Dubstep and Hip-Hop to 6th street audiences. I also had opportunities to work with and perform alongside some legendary acts, including Spinderella from Salt-N-Pepa, Cut Creator (LL Cool J), Aphrodite, Zed’s Dead, Major Lazer, Z-Trip, DJ Craze and DJ AM to name a few.

The biggest milestone for me amongst all of my experience, was evolving my brand into my own event company. By forming DJ KB Events, I was now able to offer my own unique style and skill set to anybody who was looking for an authentic DJ experience. From here on out, I would no longer be anchored to a particular venue or company. I was truly a representation of myself and this made me want to work that much harder to provide an unforgettable experience to each and every client that I have the privilege to be involved with.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

The mission of DJ KB Events is to provide an authentic DJ experience to anyone who is in the market of hiring a DJ. What I bring to the table is 20-plus years of real-time performance experience as an open-format turntablist. I’m highly regarded for my ability to understand my audience and mix all styles of music. Versatility is key in this industry. DJ KB Events understands that musical taste is subjective and everybody has different taste. Therefore, every performance is different from the last because each event is personalized to the taste and preference of the client. I work collaboratively with each of my clients to get to know their vision, and my goal is to make that vision a reality. I am very proud to say that in the five years that DJ KB Events has been in business, I have an excellent track record with my clients. I am so thankful to each and every individual who has given me an opportunity to be a part of their event and I look forward to continue serving the DFW area for many more years to come.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Quality control. DJing has been such a big part of my life journey and I have the utmost respect for the art and the culture. As technology advances, DJing has become more accessible to the average individual, and unfortunately the quality of the craft has gone down substantially as technological short-cuts allow most anyone to dive into their performances without taking the time to attain the appropriate skill set. My goal is to set the bar higher in this industry so people will continue to respect the art of DJing for its limitless possibilities.

Beyond exhibiting this consistently in my own performances, I’ve also been actively teaching people of all ages the art of DJing for over 10 years now. My journey as a teacher began initially in Austin, TX where I served as the lead DJ instructor and curriculum developer at the Dub Academy, Austin’s premier school for the electronic arts. This has allowed me the opportunity to help create a solid foundation artistically for hundreds of aspiring DJ’s of all ages. Many of them have gone on to attain their own musical careers either as local resident DJ’s or even opening their own personal event companies.

Upon my relocation to Dallas, TX, I continue to serve as an instructor and course developer for the Oontz Kids DJ Academy where we host summer camps yearly, sharing the craft with aspiring teenagers. I’m also currently hosting private lessons to a handful of students at my home studio in Little Elm.

During my time working for the Dub Academy, I had the pleasure of hosting Rob Swift from the legendary DJ crew The X-Ecutioners for a Q&A and he said something that still resonates with me to this day: “Each one, teach one.” This, to me, is how you keep the culture strong and flourishing.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Support quality when you see it. The industry tends to take advantage of exceptional artists. Oftentimes a performing artist will be underpaid or will under value what they can bring to the table in fear that a lesser quality performer will be hired in their place at a lower cost. These kind of patterns can lead to the perpetual diminishing of creative drive in our artists and creatives. By paying a performing artist what they are worth, you are in turn helping strengthen the creative ecosystem as a whole, moving it towards quality over quantity. This will set the bar higher for aspiring artists to sharpen their skill set, allowing for unbounded creative growth. Avoid settling for mediocrity. The creative ecosystem cannot thrive under an environment of starving artists. If we don’t nurture these skill sets and award those who are pushing boundaries and raising the bar for everybody, then the creative ecosystem will perish.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://djkbevents.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djkbevents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DJKBEvents
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaivanbazleh
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DJ_KB
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NTjGiJNSqROvkPDwlbRaQ
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dj-kb-events-little-elm

Image Credits
Silver Bear Creative, Convey Studios, Tara Arseven Photography, Kimberly Correa Photography, Megan Kay Photography, Brandi Allyse Photo, Kelsey LaNae Photography, Dawson O’connor Smith