Shavo Odadjian is an Armenian-American musician, DJ, producer, director, painter, and human rights activist best known as the bassist and co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning rock band System of a Down. The group's combative and socially conscious blend of heavy metal, thrash, and alternative rock helped usher in the turn-of-the-century nu-metal wave. When the band went on hiatus in 2006, Odadjian became an in-demand DJ, producer, and director, teaming up with Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA on a heavy hip-hop project called AcHoZeN and directing music videos for groups like Taproot and Bad Brains.

In 2019, Odadjian launched a lifestyle and wellness brand, 22RED, and started a new band, North Kingsley. Comprised of Odadjian, vocalist Ray Hawthorne, and producer Saro Paparian, and trafficking in a blend of moody, cinematic hip-hop and rock with potent, socially conscious lyrics, the trio issued their debut single, "Like That," in the summer of 2020. An EP, Vol.2, appeared later that December. 2020 also marked the return of System of a Down, who released their first new studio material in 15 years with the charity singles "Protect the Land" and "Genocidal Humanoids." In 2022, Odadjian (as Shavo) released the stand-alone single "Reppin the City (LAFC)," which featured DJ Flict and Cypress Hill. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi