Crazy Town Frontman Shifty Shellshock Dies at 49

Shifty Shellshock arrives at the launch party of Capcom's "Lost Planet 2" hosted By Olivia Munn in Hollywood, Calif., on May 6, 2010. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Shifty Shellshock, the lead singer of the rap-rock band Crazy Town, has died at the age of 49, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed.

The musician, whose legal name was Seth Binzer, passed away at his residence on Monday, the department indicated on its website. An official cause of death was not listed.

In a statement shared with CNN, Mr. Binzer’s publicist, Kelly Springer, called the musician “a courageous fighter,” adding that he was “so full of talent, light, compassion, love and grace.”

“He will be missed by so many. He was one of those souls that was magnetic,” the rep continued. “We will miss you Seth. We are heart broken. Thank you for your talents and contributions to our music industry. We were all blessed to have had you.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to Mr. Binzer’s representatives for further comment.

Crazy Town

Mr. Binzer and rapper Bret “Epic” Mazur co-founded Crazy Town in 1995, originally calling the group the Brimstone Sluggers, according to the entertainment company Concord.

Various artists later joined the band, including Charles “Rust Epique” Lopez, James “JBJ” Bradley Jr., Doug Miller, Anthony “Trouble” Valli, and Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM. Mr. Lopez died in March 2004, followed by Mr. Goldstein, who died in August 2009. Both were 36.

In November 1999, Crazy Town released its debut album, “The Gift of Game,” featuring the track “Butterfly.” The song became a No. 1 hit two years later, soaring to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earning the album platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association Of America.

Crazy Town went on to tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, releasing its second studio album, “Darkhorse,” in November 2002. However, the band disbanded shortly after the release of its sophomore album due to its poor performance, leading Mr. Binzer to pursue a solo career.

The group later reunited, releasing its third and final studio album, “The Brimstone Sluggers,” in 2015—a nod to the band’s initial name. Two years later, Mr. Mazur left the band, which Mr. Binzer once again renamed, giving it the title Crazy Town X.

Mr. Mazur addressed his decision to leave the band in a statement. “I wanted this to come directly from me. Crazy Town has been an amazing part of my life and I hope yours as well,” he wrote, according to Ultimate Guitar. “We have achieved so much more than I could have ever dreamed, and it’s all because of you... our fans!”

“So, it is with a heavy heart, yet optimism that I have decided that I will no longer tour with the band,” he continued. “There’s no crazy drama to report, I have just arrived at a fork in the road and I am choosing a different path. It’s sad to say, but the O.G. CxT will no longer be. I love you all and I will stay in touch.”

Struggles With Addiction

Mr. Binzer was forthcoming about his struggles with drug addiction during his career, which prompted him to appear on the VH1 reality show “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” in 2008 and its spin-off series “Sober House” the following year.

The musician discussed his experience on the shows during a January 2012 interview with NOVA FM, sharing that he decided to seek help because he was “amazed at how screwed up” his life had gotten.

“It was like ... an overnight disaster,” he admitted.

“I was this, like, kid who just loved making music ... and then you can’t ever predict or guess that you’re gonna have a song that’s that massive,” he explained, referring to Crazy Town’s 1999 hit song. “All of a sudden, I had really deep pockets, and I had a lot of money.”

Mr. Binzer partly attributed his addiction to his rapid rise to fame in his 20s, noting that he had also been dealing with several traumatic events at the time.