Ali Khalili, Kazbah co-founder & resident DJ, has always been fascinated with sound and began exploring, collecting, and obsessing over music at an early age. Like most children, he listened to Michael Jackson round-the-clock, but his parents also played classic records like the Moody Blues and Grover T. Washington. By age 5, Ali was blasting hip hop day and night and driving his neighbors mad. As a teenager, he listened to everything from Pink Floyd to George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. His affinity for House developed during his first encounter with house music, via deep dish. The D.C. Native eventually moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he delved deeper in the underground music scene. Playing in clubs, underground parties, and after-hours in SF & LA helped him fine-tune his sets and form a signature sound.

 

Ali’s first pilgrimage to Burning Man in 2011 a transformative one. Intent on creating something profound, the vision for his future became clear. That vision would become a reality in 2013 when he and a few close friends created the Kazbah, a sound camp that quickly became a monumental, Burning Man destination. Since its inception, he worked tirelessly to bring the Kazbah to the forefront of the underground music scene, putting together a crew of well-respected resident DJs, and booking artists to play in the iconic pyramid including Lee Burridge, Jamie Jones, Behrouz, and many more. 

 

Today, Ali spends most of his days growing the Kazbah BM camp, helping lay the foundation of the pyramid’s structural design, and ensuring the music program continues to secure top talent. To date, he’s showcased the Kazbah at events around the world like Lightning in a Bottle, SXMusic Festivals, and BPM. His musical pursuits include headlining and opening at shows in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Miami, and NY, as well as festivals like Apparitions and BPM, and a residency at The Breakfast Club at Monroe in SF. Ali currently plays at various parties in the SF Bay area.