The family of Shifty Shellshock has spoken out after the Crazy Town frontman died from an accidental drug overdose.
They remembered the late singer, whose real name was Seth Binzer, in an emotional statement to The Sun on Saturday.
“For Seth, the world was art; he loved every part of it, from music and fashion to graffiti, skateboarding and his hometown of Los Angeles,” the statement began. “He loved his three children more than anything, and his dedication to his music and his fans never wavered.”
The family noted that Shellshock “struggled with addiction throughout his life, doing so on a very public platform that was particularly challenging.”
“God knows he tried so hard to conquer his demons but sadly he lost the battle,” they continued. “Our hearts are broken by his loss. Seth’s overwhelming presence touched so many people. Seth was a troubled soul, but he was beautiful and had a heart of gold.”
“He will live on through his three sons, who were his proudest achievements: Halo Gage and Phoenix,” the statement concluded.
Shellshock died at his Los Angeles residence on June 24. He was 49 years old.
Crazy Town’s manager Howie Hubberman confirmed that the singer died of an accidental drug overdose.
“Seth Binzer, after battling addiction and Crazy Town’s rapid success with ‘Butterfly,’ was never able to reach a more successful level in dealing with his addictions,” Hubberman told PEOPLE. “We all tried, but in the end we all failed, or Shifty would still be here.”
Shellshock’s struggles with addiction were first brought to the public’s attention when she appeared on Seasons 1 and 2 of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.”
He was addicted to cocaine and stimulants when he appeared on the reality show.
He also appeared on both seasons of the post-“Celebrity Rehab” show, “Sober House,” in 2009 and 2010.
The “Butterfly” singer opened up about his addiction and how it affected his career on “The Punk Rock MBA” podcast in March 2023.
“I think I was too wild to stay here for long,” Shellshock said. “I managed to survive a lot of crazy things and I got to the point where I was like, ‘I’d like to live.’”
“That’s a completely new way of life that you have to learn yourself little by little,” he added. “To do it right, you have to do more than just want it. Now every day is about finding inner peace and taking care of yourself.”