Shifty Shellshock, Crazy Town lead singer, responsible for one of the early 2000s biggest earworms “Butterfly,” died on Monday, June 24, 2024, at age 49. Here’s what’s known about Shellshock — legal name Seth Binzer‘s cause of death.
So far, Binzer’s cause of death has not been confirmed. He was found dead on Monday at his Los Angeles area residence, according to reports. Binzer’s passing was not the first tragedy to strike Crazy Town, known for innovating the rap-rock genre. In 2009, Adam Goldstein, who performed as DJ AM, died from a drug overdose, at age 36. Goldstein left Crazy Town in 2001 to pursue a solo DJ career.
Shifty Shellshock’s concerning final post
As of this report, Shifty Shellshock’s exact cause of death is unknown, but about two months before he died he shared a dark post on Instagram. In it, figures dressed in white wearing balaclavas stand facing one direction, with one person in the middle, dressed all in black, their face also concealed with a balaclava. Binzer captioned the image, “To the ones who stay even when I try my hardest to scare the away [sic] 🖤.”
Shifty Shellshock struggled with substance use issues
The reason Shifty Shellshock died at such a young age may never be known, but he had a history of substance use issues resulting in legal problems. In 2012, Shellshock was sentenced to three years probation for battery and crack cocaine possession. More recently, he was arrested in 2022 in Los Angeles for driving under the influence. He also appeared in several seasons of the reality shows Celebrity Rehab and Sober House.
Shellshock’s addiction issues were mentioned in the comments as news of his passing spread on social media. “Rest in power, Shifty. Addiction is f****d up. I was really hoping sobriety was going to turn things around for you,” one comment said. “I know he has had a long struggle with sobriety and meth addiction…RIP,” another comment, on Reddit, added. Shellshock had three sons.
