William Frederick Durst is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and director best known as the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit. Formed in 1994, the band has released six studio albums with Durst at the helm.
On August 20, 1970, Fred Durst was born as Frederick Allen Mayne III.
Fred Durst joined the Navy in 1988.
Durst's daughter, Adriana, was born on June 3, 1990.
After serving in the Navy from 1988 to 1990, Fred Durst returned to Jacksonville.
Durst's marriage to Rachel Tergesen ended in divorce in 1993, following a domestic dispute that resulted in Durst's arrest for disorderly conduct.
In 1994, Limp Bizkit, with its unique blend of rock and hip-hop, began to gain a following in the underground music scene.
On October 23, 1997, Fred Durst met the band Staind and was so impressed that he signed them to Flip/Elektra Records.
A feud between Limp Bizkit and Placebo ignited in December 1998 at an Irving Plaza show hosted by Fred Durst, where he incited the audience to chant against Placebo.
In 1998, Fred Durst befriended the up-and-coming band Taproot after hearing their demo. He championed them, inviting them to events and concerts.
In June 1999, Fred Durst became Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope Records.
On July 13, 1999, Durst was arrested for kicking a security guard in the head during a performance. He was released on bail and later fined.
Durst's feud with Slipknot began in 1999, allegedly stemming from Durst's derogatory comments about Slipknot fans. This escalated with Slipknot's vocalist, Corey Taylor, publicly criticizing Durst.
Fred Durst continued his feud with Placebo at K-Rock's Dysfunctional Family Picnic in 1999, encouraging the crowd to chant against the band.
In 1999, Durst's relationship with Taproot soured when they signed with Atlantic Records instead of Interscope, leading to a bitter falling out.
In 1999, Limp Bizkit's performance at Woodstock '99 was marred by violence and chaos in the crowd.
In 1999, Marilyn Manson publicly insulted Limp Bizkit and their fanbase, characterizing the band's music as "tuneless testosterone anthems of misogyny."
Durst's feud with Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor escalated in February 2000 when Taylor mocked Durst's artistic abilities in an interview. This followed a series of events including Taylor burning magazines featuring Korn's drummer and making comments about Limp Bizkit fans.
During Limp Bizkit's performance at the WXRK Dysfunctional Family Picnic in June 2000, Fred Durst launched into a verbal attack on Creed's lead singer, Scott Stapp, labeling him an "egomaniac."
In June 2000, Limp Bizkit's tour was sponsored by Napster, the controversial file-sharing service, with Fred Durst being a vocal supporter of file sharing.
In an October 2000 interview, Durst expressed admiration for Slipknot's music and a desire to end the feud. However, Taylor, while acknowledging Durst's business acumen, continued to criticize his artistry.
In a 2000 interview, Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson took aim at Fred Durst and Limp Bizkit, with Reznor stating that he shouldn't have to say that the band is bad.
Limp Bizkit, fronted by Fred Durst, achieved mainstream success with their albums "Significant Other" (1999) and "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" (2000).
Puddle of Mudd secured a record deal in 2000 with the help of Fred Durst.
On August 30, 2001, Durst's son, Dallas, was born to Durst and his ex-girlfriend, actress Jennifer Thayer.
During Limp Bizkit's 2001 Australian tour at the Big Day Out festival, a fan died during their performance, leading to controversy and scrutiny of Durst's on-stage behavior.
The feud between Limp Bizkit and Placebo resurfaced at the Big Day Out festival in 2001.
In November 2002, Justin Timberlake released the song "Cry Me a River," allegedly aimed at Britney Spears, in response to rumors of her relationship with Fred Durst.
In 2002, Fred Durst was involved in writing songs for Britney Spears, later claiming a relationship with her, which Spears denied.
In January 2003, Fred Durst publicly claimed that he and Britney Spears were romantically involved, stemming from their collaborations on songs intended for her album.
Angered by Britney Spears' denial of their alleged affair, Fred Durst leaked the song "Just Drop Dead" on February 18, 2003, via Limp Bizkit's website. The song contained a vulgar account of their alleged relationship.
In May 2003, reports emerged of Fred Durst working on a new wave side project named Pacifica, but the project never released any music.
Fred Durst and Marilyn Manson appeared to have reconciled as they were featured together on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in June 2003, alongside James Hetfield and Ozzy Osbourne.
In July 2003, during Limp Bizkit's performance at the Summer Sanitarium Tour in Chicago, Durst was met with hostility from the crowd, fueled by local radio personality Mancow Muller's encouragement to heckle the band. Durst was pelted with garbage and met with chants of "fuck Fred Durst", leading him to leave the stage after only six songs and throw his microphone down. This resulted in a breach of contract lawsuit from a Chicago lawyer.
By 2004, the feud between Limp Bizkit and Placebo had reportedly come to an end.
In a 2004 interview with Chart magazine in Canada, Wes Scantlin of Puddle of Mudd criticized Fred Durst.
In February 2005, a sex tape featuring Fred Durst was leaked online, leading to a $70 million lawsuit against the websites that hosted it.
Limp Bizkit, with Sammy Siegler on drums, released their album 'The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)' in May 2005. Durst insisted on an underground release with no promotion, yet it still sold over 2 million copies. Despite the title, Durst confirmed no sequel was planned. Later that year, they released a 'Greatest Hitz' album.
Durst was involved in a hit-and-run incident on October 25, 2006, where he hit two individuals with his car in Los Angeles.
In 2006, Fred Durst began working on independent films.
While Limp Bizkit was on hiatus, Durst ventured into acting, making his debut in the film 'Population 436' in 2006.
Fred Durst made his directorial debut in 2007 with the film "The Education of Charlie Banks".
In 2007, Durst pleaded no contest to seven misdemeanor charges related to a 2006 incident where he hit two people with his car. He received a suspended sentence, community service, and a fine.
On April 22, 2008, Wes Scantlin, during an interview with Artisan News Service, publicly retracted his previous negative comments about Fred Durst.
On August 15, 2008, during a performance in Seoul, South Korea, Marilyn Manson, while introducing Wes Borland as his guitarist, made a derogatory remark about Limp Bizkit.
In 2008, Durst directed his second film, "The Longshots," starring Ice Cube and Keke Palmer, which received mixed reviews. He also made appearances as a bartender in the TV series "House, M.D."
In 2008, Fred Durst directed the film "The Longshots".
During a 2009 interview, Fred Durst addressed his past relationship with Britney Spears, suggesting that their association was considered taboo at the time.
Durst married Esther Nazarov in 2009, but their marriage was short-lived, ending in divorce after three months.
In 2009, Fred Durst reflected on his association with Britney Spears, suggesting it was seen as taboo at the time.
The original members of Limp Bizkit reunited in 2009 and embarked on a tour. Durst announced they were also working on a new album, which would become 'Gold Cobra'.
Durst included a positive shout-out to Corey Taylor in the lyrics of Limp Bizkit's song "90.2.10," released on their 2010 album "Gold Cobra."
Limp Bizkit's album 'Gold Cobra', recorded after their reunion in 2009, was released on June 28, 2011. The album received mixed reviews but peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200.
In a 2011 interview, Corey Taylor mentioned that his children were fans of Slipknot, suggesting a potential thawing of the feud with Durst.
Durst and Limp Bizkit signed with Lil Wayne's label, Cash Money Records, in February 2012. He also collaborated with Lil Wayne and Birdman on the song "Champions" by Kevin Rudolf.
Durst married makeup artist Kseniya Beryazina in 2012.
In 2013, Fred Durst made another derogatory reference towards Britney Spears in Limp Bizkit's song "Ready to Go."
Durst directed three commercials for the dating website Eharmony in 2014.
Limp Bizkit was invited to perform at Slipknot's Knotfest in Japan in 2014, further indicating a more amicable relationship between the bands.
In 2015, Durst expressed interest in obtaining a Russian passport and praised Vladimir Putin. His actions, including alleged participation in pro-Russian propaganda during the Russo-Ukrainian War, led to him being banned from entering Ukraine for five years.
Durst began filming 'The Fanatic', starring John Travolta, in February 2018.
Durst and his third wife, Kseniya Beryazina, filed for divorce in September 2018 after six years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in 2019.
Durst lost his house and most of his possessions in the 2018 California wildfires. His bandmate, Wes Borland, also lost equipment that was being stored at Durst's home.
Durst's divorce from Kseniya Beryazina was finalized in 2019 after a year of separation.
Fred Durst's latest film, "The Fanatic", was released in 2019.
In 2021, following the passing of ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, Limp Bizkit honored him with a tribute during one of their shows.
In 2021, in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against Manson, Wes Borland publicly condemned him, calling him a "bad dude." Trent Reznor echoed these sentiments, expressing support for the victims and denouncing Manson's alleged actions.
Durst married Arles Durst in 2022.
On May 19, 2024, at the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio, Limp Bizkit paid tribute to the late Joey Jordison, former drummer of Slipknot, by bringing Slipknot turntablist Sid Wilson and a fan dressed as lead vocalist Corey Taylor on stage during their performance.