Shifty Shellshock, Crazy Town Frontman, Dead at 49

(Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock, who famously sang the single “Butterfly” with the rap group, has died at age 49.

The singer, whose birth name was Seth Binzer, died Monday at his residence, according to Los Angeles County Medical. No cause has been disclosed.

Shellshock connected with Crazy Town co-founder Bret Mazur in 1992, and the duo began making music together as the Brimstone Sluggers. By 1999, they rebranded as Crazy Town and expanded their lineup to include Rust Epique, James Bradley Jr. (JBJ), Doug Miller, Adam Goldstein (DJ AM), and Antonio Lorenzo “Trouble” Valli, according to Variety.

Their debut album, “The Gift of Game,” dropped in November 1999, and soon after, they toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In October 2000, Crazy Town released “Butterfly” as the third single from their album “The Gift of Game.” The track samples the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Pretty Little Ditty” and features Shellshock’s rap with the lyrics, “Come, my lady, come-come my lady, you’re my butterfly, sugar baby.”

The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two non-consecutive weeks and became the band’s biggest hit.

After the release of Crazy Town’s second album, “Darkhorse” (2002), the band eventually split. Shellshock ventured into a solo career, collaborating with Paul Oakenfold on the 2002 track “Starry Eyed Surprise,” which climbed to No. 41 on the charts. In 2004, he launched his solo debut, “Happy Love Sick,” experiencing moderate success in Europe.

Shellshock battled with addiction, something which he was open about while appearing in reality shows including VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” and two seasons of its follow-up show “Sober House.”

In 2012, he was hospitalized after losing consciousness and slipping into a coma, from which he later recovered. Most recently, he was arrested in 2022 for driving under the influence.