System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian has once again addressed the long-rumored 2007 fight involving then-Mastodon guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds. The incident, which happened after the MTV Video Music Awards, saw Hinds in a physical altercation with Odadjian‘s guest, rapper Reverend William Burk.
Reports at the time detailed a chaotic scene where Hinds reportedly initiated the conflict with Burk. A police report initially stated that both Burk and Odadjian struck Hinds, leaving him with serious injuries including brain hemorrhaging, a broken nose, and black eyes, ultimately leading to a coma.
While both Odadjian and Mastodon have seemingly moved past the event, the internet’s memory persists. In a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Odadjian downplayed his involvement, giving a statement that contradicts early reports. This isn’t the first time Odadjian has spoken about the incident, and despite years of Hinds and Mastodon also minimizing the bassist’s role, the details continue to be a point of discussion among fans. Odadjian‘s latest comments serve as another attempt to clarify his side of the story in a long-resolved, yet still talked-about, rock and roll moment.
“I never knocked out Brent Hinds.”, he said “That’s something that Brent was told by I-don’t-know-who. What happened was, we were in Las Vegas, outside Mandalay Bay after the MTV Music Awards, and I was with my friend, [rapper] Reverend William Burk. Brent Hinds comes out of a taxi and he’s like, ‘Bro, I love you!’ He was inebriated and swinging his shirt. He kept coming up to hug me. He was very in-my-face.”
Odadjian said he was heading for a taxi when he saw Hinds punch Burk, who then fought back in self-defense, according to him.
“Brent fell and hit his head and got knocked out. I was five, six feet away,” Shavo said.
Odadjian also said he was innocent, explaining: “I said: ‘Check the f**king cameras [at the front of Mandalay Bay]! I did nothing!’. Once they did, the police came and let me go. I was there for, like, four hours.”
