Shifty Shellshock, the frontman of rap-rock group Crazy Town, died from an accidental drug overdose, the band’s manager Howie Hubberman said Friday.
“Seth Binzer, after struggling with addiction and Crazy Town’s rapid success with ‘Butterfly,’ never was able to reach out on a more successful level to deal with his addictions,” Hubberman told People in a statement. “We all tried, but ultimately we all failed, or Shifty would still be here.”
Binzer, 49, was found dead Monday at his Los Angeles home. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has yet to list an official cause of death, but Hubberman said Binzer died from “a combination of prescription drugs and street purchased drugs.”
“Shifty was a friend and really wanted to get himself fixed — unfortunately no one had the exact tools to do this, myself included,” he said.
Crazy Town found fame when “Butterfly” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 2001. Binzer, who was 26 at the time, went on to star in reality television shows like “Celebrity Rehab” and “Sober House.”
Binzer and band co-founder Bret “Epic” Mazur, who initially performed together as The Brimstone Sluggers, formed Crazy Town in 1995 after filling out with musicians Rust Epique, James Bradley Jr., Doug Miller, Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein and Antonio Lorenzo “Trouble” Valli. Their debut album, “The Gift of Game,” was a hit in 1999, but the band broke up in 2003 after their 2002 follow-up album failed to pop.
Binzer’s bandmate Goldstein died from an accidental drug overdose in 2009.
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Binzer was arrested on charges of drug possession and battery in 2012 and fell into a brief coma later that year, TMZ reported at the time. He was also charged with driving under the influence in 2022, according to Variety.
“Seth struggled with the challenges of maintaining sobriety throughout his life, a battle that he continuously fought privately and publicly,” Mazur shared Wednesday. “Despite the hardships, he brought immense joy and energy into the lives of those around him.”
“I wish with all my heart that his story could have ended differently,” he continued, “but we find solace in the hope that Seth has finally found the peace he was searching for so desperately all these years.”
Binzer is survived by his three children, Halo, Gage and Phoenix.
Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.