Entertainment • Band

Crazy Town

Crazy Town is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1995 by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Crazy Town is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1995 by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer. The band is best known for its 2000 single "Butterfly," which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and boosted the success of its debut album, The Gift of Game. The band experienced a hiatus and later reunions before Binzer's death in 2024.

History

Crazy Town formed in Los Angeles in 1995 and first used the name The Brimstone Sluggers before adopting Crazy Town. The band was co-founded by Bret Mazur and Seth Binzer. They originally performed as The Brimstone Sluggers from 1995 to 1999. The group released its debut album, The Gift of Game, in 1999. The band broke up in 2003 and later reunited in 2007, continuing activity under the name Crazy Town X from 2017.

Commercial success

The band’s single "Butterfly" became its signature song and reached the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2000. Its success helped The Gift of Game achieve multi-million sales, with over 1.6 million units sold. The follow-up album, Darkhorse, released in 2002, was not as commercially successful.

Later activity

Crazy Town returned after its breakup and released Darkhorse in 2002 and The Brimstone Sluggers in 2015. Sources also describe later activity under the name Crazy Town X through 2024. The band was also known as CXT during this period.

Lineup and legacy

The band was co-founded by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer, who remained the most publicly associated members. Binzer’s death in June 2024 marked the end of the group’s later era.

Key facts

Crazy Town was formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Bret Mazur and Seth Binzer.
The band’s biggest hit was "Butterfly," which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Their debut album, The Gift of Game, sold over 1.6 million units.
The follow-up album, Darkhorse, was not as commercially successful.
Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer died in June 2024.

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Canadian context

Crazy Town’s music received broad international exposure, including in Canada through mainstream radio and chart coverage of "Butterfly," but the band has no clearly documented Canada-specific institutional connection in the provided sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is Crazy Town best known for?

Crazy Town is best known for its 2000 single "Butterfly," which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

When was Crazy Town formed?

The band was formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California.

Who founded Crazy Town?

Crazy Town was founded by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer.

What was Crazy Town’s debut album?

Its debut album was The Gift of Game, released in 1999.

Did Crazy Town break up?

Yes. The band broke up in 2003 and later reunited in 2007.

When did Shifty Shellshock die?

Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer died in June 2024.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Town
Supports: Formation, origin, genre, years active, founders, albums, chart success of "Butterfly", breakup and reunion, death of Seth Binzer.
BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpdd91d3lmko
Supports: Binzer’s death, band origin, formation year, and success of "Butterfly".
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shifty_Shellshock
Supports: Seth Brooks Binzer’s identity, death date, co-founding role, and band history.
Wikipédia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Town
Supports: Years active, genres, labels, and studio album count including The Brimstone Sluggers.
Apple Music — https://music.apple.com/us/artist/crazy-town/524819
Supports: Formation year, origin, and early name The Brimstone Sluggers.