The family of Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock has broken their silence after the rapper was found dead on Monday at the age of 49.
The singer and songwriter – born Seth Binzer – was found dead on the floor of his Los Angeles home by an unnamed visitor.
Police were called to the scene and it is believed Binzer had been dead for more than 24 hours before his body was found.
According to the outlet’s sources, the death is now being treated as a possible overdose after drug paraphernalia and a lighter were found near Sean’s body.
The Butterfly hitmaker recently declared sobriety after years of drug abuse.
The family of Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock have broken their silence after the rapper was tragically found dead on Monday at the age of 49 (pictured in 2001)
The singer and songwriter – born Seth Binzer – was found dead on the floor of his Los Angeles home by an unnamed visitor
In an emotional statement made by Tthe sunThe star’s loved ones remembered him with affection and shared a very moving tribute.
‘For Seth, the world was art. He loved everything about it, from music and fashion to graffiti, skateboarding and his hometown of Los Angeles.
“He loved his three boys more than anything, and his dedication to his music and fans never wavered,” the statement read.
“Seth struggled with addiction his whole life. He did it on a very public stage, which was very challenging for him.”
The family said they were “devastated” by the devastating loss and although he was a “troubled soul”, they remembered him fondly as a beautiful man with a “heart of gold”.
The case is now in the hands of the coroner and an autopsy of Sean’s body has been completed.
The singer’s cause of death is currently listed as ‘deferred’ as no official confirmation can be made until the results of the toxicology report are returned.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the singer’s death on Monday.
In an emotional statement released to The Sun, his family said: ‘He loved his three boys more than anything, and his devotion to his music and fans never wavered’ (pictured in 2003).
The death is now being treated as a possible overdose after drug paraphernalia and a lighter were found near Sean’s body, according to the outlet’s sources.
In 2012, Seth was hospitalized after losing consciousness and was in a coma before being released.
The musician recently talked about getting sober and his battle ‘with himself’.
Eight weeks ago he wrote on Instagram: ‘I am a lover, not a fighter… but the one I should love more, instead of fighting with, is myself… Mr. Cunning True Love #Sober, Alive & Grateful’
Seth struggled with drug addiction for years and appeared in the reality TV series Celebrity Rehab 1 and 2 and Sober House 1 and 2.
He leaves behind three sons from three relationships.
Seth has one son, Halo, with ex-wife Melissa Clark. The couple married in 2002, but Melissa filed for divorce in 2011 after the couple had been separated for six years.
Later he had a relationship with a woman named Tracy, with whom he had a son, Gage.
Seth began a relationship with Jasmine Lennard in 2010 and the couple has a son, Phoenix. Their relationship ended after his arrest in 2012.
Tributes from fans poured in as they took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their grief following the announcement of his sudden passing.
They wrote: ‘Rip shifty shellshock’;
‘RIP to Shifty Shellshock from Crazy Town. I hope he found peace’;
‘Slide along side by Shifty Shellshock was always on my playlist as a child’;
‘RIP Shifty Shellshock from Crazy Town. There’s no denying that Butterfly was an absolute blast;
“Deeply saddened by the news that Crazy Town’s Shifty Shellshock has passed away. Butterfly is, ironically, one of my favorite songs of all time.”
Last June, a mugshot of Seth went viral after the star looked unrecognizable from his time with the band.
Seth was arrested in April 2023 in Myrle Beach, South Carolina, for driving under the influence of alcohol.
He looked worlds away from his days as a fresh-faced punk rocker as he stood in front of his mugshot after failing a field sobriety test.
Once known for his boyish good looks and sharp aesthetic, Seth appeared drawn and scruffy in the image.
Although he still sports his famous labrette piercing, his face has been transformed over the years with extensive tattoos.
In his latest Instagram video he confirmed that Crazy Town and Black Oxygen released a new version of Butterfly
A police report obtained by TMZ reveals that local police pulled Seth over after he was spotted weaving from lane to lane in a black SUV.
Seth, whose struggle with addiction is well-documented, appeared listless and slurred his speech before passing a blood alcohol test.
The incident occurred just a week after Seth and his Crazy Town bandmate Bobby Reeves were involved in a fistfight with each other following a concert in Myrtle Beach.
The feud between the musicians arose out of anger over the group’s lead singer, Shellshock, not arriving until the end of the show, TMZ reported at the time.
Co-singer Bobby sang in his place and gave a performance full of gaffes and angry words to Seth, as seen in a clip posted by a TikTok user.
Seth eventually made his way to the concert and was seen in the social media video getting into a heated argument with Bobby, who was later seen with a black eye.
In a clip published by TMZ, the band members were seen backstage arguing over money and repeatedly getting physical with each other, with Bobby making threats against members of Seth’s family.
“I think you’re a **** a** motherf*****, a homeboy,” Bobby told Seth in the clip.
The exchange was eventually broken up after Bobby hit Seth and the pair were left scrambling on the floor.
Band insiders told the outlet that the exchange was a “fight between brothers” and that the pair have since reconciled.
Bobby confirmed this in a video he posted on Instagram, showing off his black eye in the aftermath of the conflict.
“Shifty and I got into a little fight, but that’s okay, we’re brothers,” he said. “Love you all, and you too, Shifty.”
In 2012, Seth apologized to his friends and family for the shame he caused them after being convicted of drug possession and assaulting his girlfriend.
Seth and Epic Mazur (R) perform at the Nova Rock 2014 Festival in Nickelsdorf, Austria
He was sentenced to three years’ probation after entering no contest pleas to both charges in court.
In his statement, he told TMZ: “I want to sincerely apologize to the parties involved. I feel sorry for those I offended and those who have endured this situation.”
His rep also chimed in and said, “Seth has completely turned his life around and has checked into a highly regarded drug and alcohol treatment center where he will work with them to restructure his life over the next two years.”
He was initially arrested in February 2012 when a store employee in Los Angeles saw him fighting with his girlfriend and called the police.
When they arrived and he was searched, they discovered he had cocaine on him.
Seth first met co-frontman Bret Mazur in 1992, and they first went by the name Brimstone Sluggers.
In 1999 they formed Crazy Town and a year later they were set to tour as part of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s Ozzfest, but Binzer was arrested after throwing a chair out of a window while intoxicated.
The 1990s classic Butterfly, released in 2000, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and was number one in several other countries, including Austria, Denmark and Norway.
It samples Pretty Little Ditty from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1989 album Mother’s Milk, so the group are credited as songwriters.
Their debut album, The Gift of Game, sold over 1.5 million copies.
However, after their 2002 follow-up Darkhorse was a flop, they split up.
They reunited in 2007 and were back on stage in 2009. Their third album, The Brimstone Sluggers, followed in 2015.
In January 2017, Mazur – who was nicknamed Epic – announced his departure from the band, and in April Rick Dixon, Nick Diiorio and Kevin Kapler also quit.
Binzer then added an “X” next to the band’s name, as it is “used by gangs to symbolize an area that has just been conquered.”
In November 2019, Crazy Town’s tour bus collided with a moose in Ontario, Canada, leaving members including Binzer treated in hospital for bruises and cuts.
Crazy Town – Binzer, DJ Rick One and Mark White – last toured with Hed PE in 2023. The shows went ahead despite a bloody fight between Binzer and the group’s lead singer Bobby Reeves outside a venue in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Binzer also had a solo career, teaming up with British producer and musician Paul Oakenfold to provide vocals on his 2002 hit Starry Eyed Surprise.
His debut solo album, Happy Love Sick, was released in 2004.
In 2010 he also founded Shifty and The Big Shots.
Binzer often came into trouble with the law for crimes such as attempted burglary and the sale and use of recreational drugs.
He has two children, a son named Halo, from his marriage to Melissa Clark. And a son with a woman named Tracy named Gage.
Binzer was in a relationship with Jasmine Lennard in 2010, but the following year the police were called due to domestic violence between the two.
In 2022, he began romancing his childhood friend, Punky Brewster actress Soleil Moon Frye, 47, when he was arrested for drunk driving in Los Angeles.
