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The first time I had a conversation with Shavo Odadjian, the indefatigable leader of legendary heavy metal band System Of A Down, I was struck by how easygoing he was, something I didn\u2019t expect, frankly. If you didn\u2019t know that this slight of-frame husband (to Sonia) and dad of three residing in the Los Angeles suburbs was, in fact, a Grammy-winning, killer bassist and legit rock star, you wouldn\u2019t have a clue. Odadjian is a soft-spoken, super funny, good-vibes-only dude who\u2019s also genuinely concerned for your needs ahead of his own\u2014again, not something typically attributed to rock gods. <\/p>\n
Oh, and he\u2019s Armenian. <\/p>\n
Descending to LA from New York City to engage Odadjian once again and discuss all things cannabis (he\u2019s the founder and chief marketing officer of 22Red, one of the industry\u2019s hottest celebrity brands sold in California, Nevada and Arizona), I can\u2019t help but hark back to our initial meeting and how much of it centered around his Armenian heritage. And the Kardashians. <\/p>\n
As a first-generation child of Cuban immigrants, I was struck when Odadjian first spoke to me about his childhood growing up in LA in an Armenian household and how closely it mirrored my own experience some 3,000 miles away in Miami. Sometimes, the clich\u00e9s are true. For us, the rock star and the editor, each of our parents solid believers in the American Dream (work hard, get ahead) who emphatically prioritized education above all else, all the while insisting on retaining our respective native cultures (the food, the music, the stories) and, most especially, our native tongues. That\u2019s a lot for any school kid trying to keep up with the Joneses, but for both Odadjian and me, we agreed how grateful we are for having lived that experience. It made us more than just a better version of who we were then but gave us the tools to imagine who we might yet become. A powerful lesson for the future rock star and magazine editor.<\/p>\n
Leaving The Hollywood Roosevelt before sunrise\u2014trust me, Hollywood Boulevard is a not-so-pretty sight predawn\u2014I begin to mentally prepare for the sure-to-be long day ahead, a day where I\u2019m not only interviewing the gregarious Odadjian, but most urgently, directing the photo shoot at two separate locations more than an hour apart (LA traffic, Oy!). I spot my Uber and we head to the top of the Hollywood Hills to meet the photographer and his team prior to driving to the San Fernando Valley for photo shoot location No.1. <\/p>\n Walking into 22Red\u2019s impressive indoor grow facility, the brand\u2019s cannabis sparked something familiar. I began to realize that most of the grow team there that morning was Armenian, and another a-ha moment struck: Of course, they\u2019re from Odadjian\u2019s motherland. If I owned a cannabis company in Miami, I\u2019m pretty sure my weed would come from the people I trust the most, people from my motherland. This, I have no doubt, is another byproduct of our similar childhoods and the savvy indoctrination instilled to us by our respective families. <\/p>\n When I bring this up to Odadjian shortly after we begin chatting, he seems a little surprised by my observation. \u201cWe\u2019re a very proud people, and we hold our culture very dear, near to our heart,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m Armenian, and I speak the language and my kids also speak it. Most of the time when I\u2019m home with the kids, I try to speak it. But being from my country isn\u2019t something that\u2019s a major part of my work or my business. Coincidentally, I do work with a lot of fellow Armenians who are in the cannabis industry because that\u2019s just how it happened. I love all races, all creeds\u2014I\u2019ll happily work with anyone who shares my work ethic and honesty.\u201d <\/p>\n I then mention the planet\u2019s most famous Armenians\u2014the Kardashians\u2014and want to know Odadjian\u2019s assessment of Kim, Khlo\u00e9, Kourtney and if the rest of the supernova siblings help or hurt that country\u2019s awareness, particularly as it relates to its horrific ongoing genocide that stems all the way back to the Ottoman Empire\u2019s repugnant attempt to systematically vanquish the entire population during World War I. <\/p>\n \u201cI think awareness is better than not having awareness, right?\u201d Odadjian says. \u201cThe Kardashians were essential in exposing the Armenian genocide in a massive way by shedding light on it. Most people didn\u2019t know System Of ADown were Armenians. In the early days, people kept asking us if we were Albanian or Argentinian. We just kept on saying, \u2018No, we\u2019re not,\u2019 and they\u2019d say, \u2018What\u2019s Armenian?\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s a country,\u2019 I\u2019d say. And the horror of the genocide was something I wanted people to learn about. That\u2019s a very big deal to our people, and we were able to shed some light on that.\u201d <\/p>\n After more than a moment of silence, Odadjian continues, in a somewhat softer tone. \u201cWhen System Of A Down began in 1998, the word \u2018genocide\u2019 was never used regarding our people\u2019s genocide,\u201d he says. \u201cLook, there\u2019s a reason why I\u2019m alive. I know my past. I know that some important people had to survive and I\u2019m here because of their survival. Talking about and reflecting on the genocide helps put the souls who perished to rest. And, yes, having the world recognize the fact that people got massacred is incredibly important.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cSo, you\u2019re saying that information is power?\u201d I ask. \u201cNo, I\u2019m saying knowledge is power,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s a difference.\u201d <\/p>\n In the ever-increasing crowded universe otherwise known as California-based celebrity cannabis brands, I wonder what really separates 22Red\u2019s offerings from the many other famous weed connoisseur options seemingly sprouting weekly.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a simple question, Richard, but it\u2019s kind of hard to answer because it\u2019s my brand, right?\u201d Odadjian says. \u201c22Red just stands for quality, consistency and trust. I think a good brand is one you can trust that everything they do is going tobe something you\u2019re going to like. If you love a brand, that\u2019s because you trust the brand and you\u2019ve liked more than one thing that the brand has done. I think that\u2019s what I\u2019m building here with 22Red. My goal was to build something trustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n I tell Odadjian I don\u2019t believe there\u2019s a brand\u2014successful or not\u2014anywhere that doesn\u2019t say they\u2019re trying to build something trustworthy. The difference, as always, lies in the execution of that goal, no?<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course,\u201d Odadjian says. \u201cI have a good reputation.I don\u2019t want to mess that up. I think everything I\u2019ve done is quality\u2014and made with real passion. I always do things that I\u2019m passionate about, and I don\u2019t believe in just doing things simply to make money. I realize I\u2019m lucky enough to be able to choose what I do and what I work on\u2014not everyone has that option. So, I choose things that I\u2019m passionate about. And I\u2019m very passionate about cannabis and 22Red. I waited a long time to decide if I even wanted to do a cannabis brand. It took a while to find a good grower and to find goodpartners that did that job well. Since I\u2019m not a grower, I only want the best around me. And that\u2019s another special thingabout 22Red is the incredible team we\u2019ve put together.\u201d <\/p>\n Assembling the right team isn\u2019t easy, particularly in the cannabis industry (take a quick look at now-defunct celebrity brands who found out too late). But not unlike starting System Of A Down\u2014and managing the band\u2019s scheduling, contract negotiations and other business-side issues in the early days\u2014I tell Odadjian that he seems naturally gifted at the business side of cannabis as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI just knew I was good at business because I instinctually knew how to do it,\u201d he says, smiling that wry smile of his. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t ever taught to me. I don\u2019t come from a business family whatsoever. I used to always watch my dad and think: \u2018Am I ever gonna be this powerful?\u2019 because everything my father did, he did extraordinarily well. Also, his work ethic is unmatched\u2014even now.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 22Red scales state by state, each with its own rules and stipulations surrounding cannabis, Odadjian says there are real challenges as the brand looks to expand into other markets. \u201cSince I believe in consistency, I want every state to have the same quality product,\u201d he says. \u201cBut in every state, we need to package differently, we need to label differently. The taxing is out of hand. It doesn\u2019t let anyone legal make any real money. So, yeah, 22Red is facing plenty of challenges. You know what would change everything? Federal legalization of cannabis. That would change a lot\u2014for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n But the question must be asked: With different facilities in the three states, how can 22Red possibly keep the product consistent? If I go to a McDonald\u2019s and order fries, shouldn\u2019t the fries taste the same in New York or LA?<\/p>\n \u201cYes, as I mentioned, it\u2019s tough, but I\u2019m doing it,\u201d he says forcefully. \u201cWe have similar strains, if not identical, in every state now. And I\u2019ve kept it up to par because we haven\u2019t had one negative review\u2014ever. No, it\u2019s all been good because I don\u2019t put anything in the jars that\u2019s not vital for smoking. And that\u2019s very important. I don\u2019t just stamp my name on 22Red like some other brands. Yeah, I mean, I\u2019m just a celebrity by default. I\u2019m very passionate about the product. I\u2019d never want someone to go purchase 22Red just because they\u2019re a fan of System Of A Down and a Shavo fan. I want them to purchase 22Red because they\u2019re a fan of the product they\u2019ve tested and loved.\u201d <\/p>\n To keep the business fires burning, Odadjian hired an old friend and successful business executive, Harry Kazazian, as 22Red\u2019s chief executive officer. Even without prior cannabis industry experience, Kazazian was decidedly bullish when discussing his fellow Armenian\u2019s brand. <\/p>\n \u201cThe 22Red business strategy has always been steady and below will make us a strong brand and get us to the finish line,\u201d he says. \u201cToo many companies in cannabis expand at breakneck speed, without considering if the growth makes sense or is even sustainable. We focus on quality above all else and seek partners who share that value system while strategically choosing our products and the markets we sell in. Unlike other brands that come and go, 22Red will be a forever-lasting brand.\u201d<\/p>\n As we leave the first photo shoot location at lunchtime, I sit next to Odadjian, dressed in head-to-toe black, leather jacket included, in his black-on-black, state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz\u2014the interior resembles a private jet\u2019s cockpit\u2014and settle in for the hour-long trek to 22Red\u2019s HQ in the heart of Old Pasadena. I decided I wanted to move off cannabis for the duration of the journey and ask a couple of I-just-want-to-know questions to the nice guy currently expertly navigating the intricacies of the Hollywood Freeway. I asked what you probably want to know as well: What was the coolest thing you\u2019ve experienced with System Of A Down? <\/p>\n \u201cOh, I could name a few, but when we were the musical guest at Saturday Night Live<\/em>, that was amazing,\u201d he says, smiling. \u201cNow that was ridiculous. That\u2019s a moment I\u2019ll never forget. Also, when we played Rock In Rio for the first time in front of a sea of people, an ocean of humanity and energy with 300,000 fans screaming and singing our songs back to us. So great. The third has to be the Grammy we won. We didn\u2019t go to the actual award show that year, something I now kind of regret. I would\u2019ve loved to experience it. I was at home having a burger when I got a call saying \u2018Congratulations, you just won a Grammy\u2019 and I called my brother, my two cousins and a friend and rented a limo. It took them to all the Grammy after parties because I was definitely going to take family to this, something they\u2019d never experience otherwise. We had a great night.\u201d<\/p>\n After three decades, the band must have experienced some low moments, too, I ask Odadjian. \u201cThe low moments are only the human moments when we don\u2019t do as many things as we want,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause it takes four of us to agree on everything and not all of us are on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n As we arrive in Pasadena and enter 22Red\u2019s immaculately clean corporate home, I\u2019m struck by how inviting the open floorplan environment is, much more awesome lounge than typical office, and as if to prove it, Odadjian suddenly sits at the drum set next to the media room and goes into three-minute virtuoso drum solo worthy of any early 1980shair band (admittedly, my limited knowledge of both rock drum superstars or early 1980s hair bands makes me not-so-qualified to linger on this particular topic). Odadjian looked like a kid having a ball. And it was, in fact, a perfect moment.<\/p>\n After a hurried lunch\u2014Odadjian ordered for me his go-to favorite from Tocaya Modern Mexican (Burrito Mexicano, notice, double achiote chicken)\u2014and as the photography assistant finished preparing the lights for what will prove to be the last setup of this unforgettable day, I ask this easy-going, good-vibes-only dude where he wants to be in five years. \u201cWell, I want to be healthy, and I want my family and my kids to be healthy,\u201d he says, quickly. \u201cI want to have the passion I have now\u2014if not more\u2014and still be doing all the stuff I love\u2014still working, and still grinding away writing music and, hopefully, touring with System Of A Down and making an album. How\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n I can\u2019t help but think about how far we\u2019ve come\u2014Odadjian and I\u2014even from our first encounter just a couple of years ago. It\u2019s clear that the Armenian-American rock star and the Cuban-American magazine editor still have a lot of growing and experiencing left to do. This happy thought makes me feel forever bonded with this cannabis soon-to-be mogul. Who would\u2019ve thought we\u2019d be two peas in a pod? <\/p>\n As we get ready to finish this, our own LA story together, I ask Shavo Odadjian to finish these seemingly contradictory sentences: Life is scary because\u2026 \u201cBecause it ends, man\u2014that\u2019s,\u201d he says, smiling. OK, life is beautiful because\u2026 \u201cBecause it\u2019s awesome, brother\u2014that\u2019s it,\u201d he says, laughing hard now. <\/p>\n You know what? The rock star is absolutely right. Life does end. Life is<\/em> awesome. And that\u2019s it, brother. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n This story was originally published in issue 49 of the\u00a0print edition<\/a>\u00a0of Cannabis Now. Read it now on the Cannabis Now\u00a0iTunes app<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Shavo Odadjian: The System Of A Down Superstar & Cannabis Brand Founder Gets Candid<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The first time I had a conversation with Shavo Odadjian, the indefatigable leader of legendary heavy metal band System Of A Down, I was struck by how easygoing he was, something I didn\u2019t expect, frankly. If you didn\u2019t know that this slight of-frame husband (to Sonia) and dad of threeContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":480,"featured_media":70525,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17208,148,50,6640,6459,17220,85,17221,8071,89,6641,17501,17502],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70524"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/480"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70524"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70526,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70524\/revisions\/70526"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Shavo](\"https:\/\/cannabisnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Shavo-with-Guitars.jpg\")
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\nRead More: Shavo Odadjian: The System Of A Down Superstar & Cannabis Brand Founder Gets Candid<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"