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.
The singer and songwriter – born Seth Binzer – was found dead on the floor of his Los Angeles home by an anonymous 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.
The death is now being ruled a possible overdose after drug paraphernalia and a lighter were found near Sean’s body, according to the outlet’s sources.
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 released by The 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 sons more than anything, and his dedication to his music and fans has never wavered,” the statement said.
“Seth struggled with addiction his entire life, and he did so on a very public platform, which was extremely challenging.”
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 the autopsy on 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 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 spoke openly about his drug addiction recovery process and the battle ‘with himself’.
He wrote on Instagram eight weeks ago: ‘I am a lover than a fighter… but the one I should love more, instead of fighting with, is myself… Mr. shrewd true love #Sober, alive and grateful’
Seth struggled with drug addiction for years and appeared on the reality TV series Celebrity Rehab 1 and 2 and Sober House 1 and 2.
He is survived by three sons from three relationships.
Seth shares a son, Halo, with ex-wife Melissa Clark. The couple married in 2002, but Melissa filed for divorce in 2011 after being separated for six years.
He later dated a woman named Tracy, with whom he welcomed son Gage.
Seth began a relationship with Jasmine Lennard in 2010 and the pair share 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 stunner’;
“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 police mugshot of Seth went viral after the star was spotted looking completely unrecognizable from his days with the band.
Seth was arrested in April 2023 in Myrle Beach, South Carolina for driving under the influence of alcohol.
He seemed a world away from his days as a fresh-faced punk rocker when he had his picture taken after passing a breathalyzer test.
Once known for his boyish good looks and sharp aesthetic, Seth appeared drawn and scruffy in the image.
Although his famous labrette piercing is still present, 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 shows that local police pulled Seth over after he weaved in and out of the lane in a black SUV.
Seth, whose battle with addiction is well documented, appeared lethargic and slurred his speech before failing a sobriety test.
The incident came just a week after Seth and his Crazy Town bandmate Bobby Reeves came to blows after a concert in Myrtle Beach.
The argument between the musicians stemmed from anger that the group’s lead singer, Shellshock, was not present 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.
Ultimately, Seth went to the concert and the clip on social media showed him getting into a heated argument with Bobby, who was later spotted with a black eye.
In a clip published by TMZ, the band members were seen backstage arguing about money and repeatedly getting physical with each other, with Bobby making threats towards members of Seth’s family.
“I think you’re an asshole, buddy,” Bobby told Seth in the clip.
The altercation was eventually ended after Bobby punched Seth and the two lay on the ground fighting.
Insiders at the band told the media that the exchange was a ‘feud between brothers’ and that the two have since reconciled.
Bobby confirmed this in a video he posted on Instagram, showing off his black eye in the aftermath of the conflict.
“Me and Shifty got into a little fight, but it’s all good, we’re brothers,” he said. “I love you all, I love 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 would like to sincerely apologize to the parties involved. I feel very bad for those I offended and those who endured this situation.”
His spokesperson also weighed in on the discussion, saying, “Seth has completely turned his life around and has been admitted to a renowned drug and alcohol treatment center, where he will be working with them for the next two years to turn his life around.”
He was arrested in February 2012 when a store employee in Los Angeles saw him fighting with his girlfriend and called police.
When they arrived at the scene and searched him, it turned out that he had cocaine on him.
Seth first met co-frontman Bret Mazur in 1992, after which they initially formed under 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 turned out to be a flop, they split up.
They reunited in 2007 and returned to the 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 because it is “used by gangs to symbolize an area that has just been conquered.”
In November 2019, Crazy Town’s tour bus struck a moose in Ontario, Canada. Members, including Binzer, were treated at the hospital for bruises and cuts.
Crazy Town – Binzer, DJ Rick One and Mark White – last toured in 2023 with Hed PE. The shows went on 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, joining forces with British producer and musician Paul Oakenfold to provide vocals for his 2002 hit Starry Eyed Surprise.
His debut solo album, Happy Love Sick, was released in 2004.
He also formed Shifty and The Big Shots in 2010.
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 dated Jasmine Lennard in 2010, but the following year the police were called due to a domestic disturbance between the couple.
In 2022, he began an affair with his childhood friend, Punky Brewster actress Soleil Moon Frye, 47, when he was arrested in Los Angeles for drunken driving.