Scott Sturgeon, also known as Stza Crack or simply Stza ( ; born March 4, 1976), is an American musician and artist who has fronted several ska-punk

bands Bands may refer to: * Bands (song), song by American rapper Comethazine * Bands (neckwear), form of formal neckwear * Bands (Italian Army irregulars) Bands () was an Italian military term for Irregular military, irregular forces, composed of nati ...

in the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

area, the best-known being

Choking Victim Choking Victim was an American punk band formed in New York City, which lasted from 1992 to 1998. They played a mix of hardcore punk and ska (sometimes known as ska-core). Following the breakup of the band, which occurred the same day as the ...

and

Leftöver Crack Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of Choking Victim. The band is currently signed to Tankcrimes for CD releases, and Alternative Tentacles for vinyl releases. Leftöver Crack spans several diffe ...

. The stage name Stza is a tribute to the

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...

, members of which would take their stage names from the Supreme Alphabet of the

Five-Percent Nation The Five-Percent Nation, sometimes referred to as the Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE/NOGE) or the Five Percenters, is an Black nationalism, Afro-American Nationalist movement influenced by the Nation of Islam founded in 1964 in the Harlem secti ...

, such as GZA (God ZigZagZig Allah) and RZA (Ruler ZigZagZig Allah) - Stza's name would therefore be ''Self Truth ZigZagZig Allah''.

Early life

Stza was raised in New York by his mother, who he classified as an "over-protective

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

mom". He rarely saw his biological father, and his stepfather died by

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

. As a teenager, he dropped out of high school, ran away from home, and began riding freight trains. During this time, he began using

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

and

crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be Smoking, smoked. Crack offers a short, intense Euphoria (emotion), high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Sub ...

. He later described drugs as a positive influence in his life and said that he would have killed himself during this time if not for drugs because he was "very lonely and suicidal."

Music career

In 1990, Stza and a friend of his, Alec Baillie, formed No Commercial Value, which later evolved into

and then again into

. Although many members of these bands have come and gone, Stza remained a constant figure, writing the vast majority of the lyrics and music and becoming the bands' self-appointed spokesperson. Stza is also associated with the band Morning Glory through Leftöver Crack member, Ezra Kire. In 2005, he collaborated with

Mischief Brew Mischief Brew was an American folk punk band from Philadelphia consisting of vocalist and guitarist Erik Petersen, bassist Shawn St. Clair, and drummers Christopher Petersen and Christopher Kulp. The band played DIY folk punk and anarcho-punk mu ...

on a song for their first album, '' Smash The Windows''. In 2005, he played solo (doing acoustic shows) and in a new band, Crack Rock Steady Seven, featuring members of The Infested in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. 2006 saw him in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

forming another regional Crack Rocksteady Seven, the CRS7mx featuring members of Niño Zombi. In the fall of 2006, he returned to the United States and toured with Leftöver Crack, their tour with Citizen Fish was dubbed Cracktoberfest 2006. Most recently Stza has been involved in the creation of another punk/ska band, this time with members of Casa de Chihuahua, The Slackers, and The Degenerics (Nico do Gaillo, Ara Babajian, and Frank Piegaro respectively) called "

Star Fucking Hipsters Star Fucking Hipsters is an American punk rock band from New York City who have released albums on Fat Wreck Chords and Alternative Tentacles records. They have been called a "punk Supergroup (music), supergroup" and feature members from numero ...

". Star Fucking Hipsters' debut album was released on 30 September 2008 on the

Fat Wreck Chords Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is an independent record label based in San Francisco focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) and his wife at the time, Erin Burkett in 1990. ...

label. Their second album, "Never Rest In Peace", was released on 20 October 2009 on the

Alternative Tentacles Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label established in 1979 by Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra and guitarist East Bay Ray in San Francisco, California, with the intention to release the Dead Kennedys' self-produced single " C ...

label. Their new album, titled "From the Dumpster to the Grave" was released on 11 October 2011 on Fat Wreck Chords during a record release show at Europa in Brooklyn, New York.

Personal life

Stza, along with other members of

, has at times resided at 155 Avenue C, better known as

C-Squat C-Squat is a former squat house located at 155 Avenue C (between 9th and 10th Streets) in the Alphabet City neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City that has been home to musicians, artists, and activists, among others. After a fire, it w ...

. He has identified as an

atheist Jew Jewish atheism is the atheism of people who are ethnically and (at least to some extent) culturally Jewish. "Jewish atheism" is not a contradiction because Jewish identity encompasses not only religious components but also, and for most Jew ...

. In 2008, Stza, who has tattoos on his fingers reading "KILL COPS," was arrested for throwing donuts at

New York Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

officers during a show near

Tompkins Square Park Tompkins Square Park is a public park in the Alphabet City portion of East Village, Manhattan, New York City. The square-shaped park, bounded on the north by East 10th Street, on the east by Avenue B, on the south by East 7th Street, and o ...

Discography

Albums

With Choking Victim

*''

No Gods, No Managers ''No Gods / No Managers'' is the only studio album and final release by American hardcore punk band Choking Victim (band), Choking Victim. The album was released in 1999 in music, 1999 through Hellcat Records, Hellcat/Epitaph Records and re-rele ...

'' (1999)

With Leftover Crack

*'' Mediocre Generica'' (2001) *''

Fuck World Trade ''Fuck World Trade'' is the second album by American punk band Leftöver Crack, released in 2004 on the Alternative Tentacles record label, label. The album continues the band's self-defined status as anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-capitalist, ...

'' (2004) *''

Constructs of the State ''Constructs of the State'' is the third album by American crust punk band Leftöver Crack, released in 2015 in music, 2015 on the Fat Wreck Chords record label, label. It features guest appearances from Jesse Michaels, Joe Jack Talcum and Penny ...

'' (2015) *'' Leftöver Leftöver Crack'' (2018)

With Star Fucking Hipsters

*''

Until We're Dead ''Until We're Dead'' is the debut studio album by ska-punk/anarcho-punk band Star Fucking Hipsters. It was released in 2008 on Fat Wreck Chords. Background Leftöver Crack vocalist Stza and drummer Brandon Chevalier-Kolling were the original cre ...

'' (2008) *'' Never Rest in Peace'' (2009) *'' From the Dumpster to the Grave'' (2011)

EPs

With Leftöver Crack

*''Rock the 40 Oz.'' (2000) *''Shoot the Kids at School'' (2000) *'' Rock the 40 Oz: Reloaded'' (2004)

Singles

With Leftöver Crack

*''Shootacide'' (2024) *''White Guilt Atrocity Quilt'' (2025)

Splits

*''Baby Jesus Sliced Up in the Manger'' (as the Crack Rock Steady 7, with F-Minus), (2001, HellBent) * Deadline (with Citizen Fish) (2007, Fat Wreck)

Compilations

* ''Give 'Em the Boot'', ( Infested) Hellcat Records, 1997. *''Give 'Em the Boot II'', (Crack City Rockers

emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...

Hellcat Records Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an offshoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid ...

, 1999. *''Punk Rawk Explosion 6'', (Nazi White Trash), ?, 2003. *''Give 'Em the Boot III'', (Atheist Anthem)

, 2002. *''Go Kart vs. the Corporate Giant Vol. 3'', (Rock The 40oz)

Go Kart Records Go-Kart Records was an independent record label specializing in punk rock located in New York City that was most active from 1995 to 2005. It also has a European division in Mannheim, Germany. History In its May 1999 issue, ''Guitar World'' ...

, 2002. *''2003 Sampler'', (So Ya Wanna Be A Cop)

A-F Records A-F Records was an American independent record label founded by punk rock band Anti-Flag – namely the band's drummer Pat Thetic, their rhythm guitarist Chris Head, and their lead vocalist Justin Sane – and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ...

, 2003. *''Fueling the Flames of Revolution Vol. 3'', (One Dead Cop)

, 2003. *''Against Police Injustice'',(Operation:MOVE, Super Tuesday

Non Commercial, 2003. *''Mass Destruction'', (Muppet N.A.M.B.L.A) BANKSHOT! Records, 2003. *''Riot Ska'', (Drug Song, Nobody Is Free) Beer Records, 2004. *''The Kids Are Gonna Pay'' (Look Who's Talking Now) with F-Minus, Morning Glory & Bent Outta Shape, Blacknoise Records, 2006. *''Sexy Babies Across the Wasteland'' (Guest Vocals with Last False Hope) – 2012, Sexy Baby Records.

Featured on

*''Just Like Me'' by CHEWIE (2013) *''The Abliss'' by Days n Daze (2017)

Live

*''Live C-Squat 3/31/01'' (2001) *''Straight Outta' Naples'' (2002) *''live at the stage @ Arnhem, Holland'' (2008)

Bootlegs

*''Fuck World Trade'' (demo) (2004)

Film

* Loren Cass (2007)

References

{{Authority control American punk rock musicians 1976 births Living people 20th-century squatters American atheists American people of Jewish descent Anarcho-punk musicians Choking Victim members Jews in punk rock Jewish American atheists Jewish American musicians Leftöver Crack members Musicians from New York City Star Fucking Hipsters members