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Insane Clown Posse

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Insane Clown Posse

The Insane Clown Posse (ICP) are an American horrorcore rap duo originally from Delray, Michigan, consisting of Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler). They almost always professionally display themselves in full black and white "evil clown" makeup that could be compared to the corpse paint of black metal musicians or the makeup of the rock group KISS. Violent J's makeup is usually drawn as a happy face, while Shaggy's is a angry face. The group has obtained four platinum and eleven gold albums, and has a dedicated following.

History

Early history

the realist mutha fuckas commin out of the MI and The first name the group was known by was The JJ Boys in 1989, a trio consisting of Violent J, Shaggy 2 Dope, John Kick jazz a.k.a John Utsler who was Shaggy 2 Dope's brother. The group formed while its members were still in their later teens. The trio later changed their name to "Inner City Posse". Kickchazz is Shaggy 2 Dope's brother and performed on, Inner City Posse. albums Enter the Ghetto Zone, Bassment Cuts, and Dog Beats. John Kick jazz left the group before they changed their name to Insane Clown Posse and Carnival of Carnage was released. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope still wanted ICP to be a trio, and so brought in a local rapper named Kalyn Garcia (also known as Greeze-E), who appeared on Beverly Kills 50187.[citation needed] He subsequently left as well, and ICP have remained a duo ever since, forming Psychopathic Records with manager Billy Bill in 1991. Abbiss managed the group until June 2006, when he retired from the label. [1]

First Albums

In 1992, ICP was signed to Psychopathic Records and released Carnival of Carnage, which they designated as "The First Joker's Card". The group hinted at the next five major-release albums being numbered in this fashion. They also stated that "the end of time will consume us all" once the Sixth Joker's Card was revealed, and that their fans would know all there is to know about the Dark Carnival (alternatively referred-to as "The Dead Carnival" on The Riddlebox)— something that the band refers to on every album as a powerful force which has spoken to them.


In 1994 the band released the second Joker card The Ringmaster on Psychopathic Records followed by The Riddlebox in 1995 on Jive Records.

The Great Milenko, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers Era

In 1997 The Duo Released the 4th Joker Card The Great Milenko.

The album was recorded at the studios of Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned record label. After recording was completed, a board of Disney representatives threatened to halt the release of the album unless some significant changes were made to its material. Fearing that their major-label debut would never see the light of day, ICP obliged and was forced to remove three whole songs from the album, and alter the content of others, as requested by Disney. However, just hours after the album's initial release, it was unexpectedly pulled from the shelves, ICP's upcoming tour was cancelled, and they were dropped from the record label. It was later revealed that Disney had received much criticism from certain religious organizations, and in fear of tarnishing their reputation, forced Hollywood Records to drop the act.

A media frenzy soon followed, fueled by ICP appearances on MTV expressing outrage over their plight by Hollywood Records. Originally unwilling to nullify ICP's recording contract and relinquish ownership of the album, a deal was eventually reached with Island Records, who promptly rereleased the album in uncut form. In the end, the controversy turned out to be a blessing in disguise for ICP; the high-profile debacle had created huge public interest in the group and their music. The album went on to become certified platinum.

The Great Milenko Cover
The Great Milenko Cover

in 1999 they released the 5th Joker Card The Amazing Jeckel Brothers.

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers debuted 4th on the Billboard charts, just beneath the Backstreet Boys during the pop band craze, two years after the Disney scandal.

Like The Great Milenko, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers became certified platinum.


Bizzar and Bizaar Era

In 2000 the ICP Took a break from the joker cards but still returned to the studio.

The Result was Bizaar and Bizzar. Both albums were released on the same day.

Before the release of the albums Sharon Osbourne, on The Howard Stern Show, bet Insane Clown Posse that their next record wouldn't sell more than 200,000 copies, and if it did she would pay them $50,000. To this date, she has not paid them, despite the fact that Insane Clown Posse were going to donate the money to charity. It should be noted that she had originally said 50,000 albums to which they responded that it would sell 200,000. It should also be noted that together bizaar and bizzar have sold 200,000, selling 100,000 copies each. Rumor has it that they told their fans to "buy an extra copy and give it to a friend" and other similar tactics designed to reach the self imposed 200,000 record mark. This was proven to be false.

ICP also clashed with MTV with the release of their video "Lets go all the way", which was a cover song from the band Sly Fox. MTV agree'd to show the video, but broadcasted it late at night. In an attempt to spread their popularity, ICP, requested that every Juggalo/Juggalette vote for the video on MTV's Daily top 10 show, TRL. Despite the numerous votes and the Juggalo attendance at thr TRL taping, the video was not played. Instead, the fans of ICP were forced to move to make way for the more "popular" band fans. This was also confirmed by Violent J's brother Robert Bruce (A.K.A. Jumpsteady) who was in attendance at the taping. MTV was confronted with this and refused to aknowledge that they had any part in it. Though it is said otherwise in Violent J's biography Behind the Paint.

Bizaar album cover
Bizaar album cover

The Sixth Joker's Card

Violent J: "There is one Sixth Joker's Card, but there are two versions." While the face of the Sixth Joker's Card was "The Wraith" (or simply Death), The Wraith had two "exhibits" to present to all who will listen; The Wraith: Shangri-La (Heaven) and The Wraith: Hell's Pit (Hell). Each of The Wraith's exhibits was given its own album. It was up to each listener, ICP claimed, to decide which version of "The Wraith" is the correct one. [citation needed]

In November 2002, ten years after the first Joker's Card was released, in the final track of The Wraith: Shangri-La, ICP revealed their big secret: "It ain't about Violent J, or Shaggy, the Butterfly or '17'. When we speak of Shangri-la what you think we mean? Truth is, we follow God,all of the joker cards is a references to your sins on earth like "The Wraith"(the sixth joker card)is reference to him coming back and judging the dead.

The Wrath:Shangri La
The Wrath:Shangri La

Future Plans

The band is currently working on a new album The Tempest.

For a long time, the release date was listed simply as "2006". The final release date, September 19, 2006, was revealed in the liner notes of Shaggy 2 Dope's solo album, 'Fuck the Fuck Off'. On August 31st, Insane Clown Posse released news that The Tempest will be delayed a "couple" of months. No specific date has been released yet. Although recently on The Howard Stern Show Violent J said that an album will be coming up in Feburary, whether this is The Tempest or a new album is currently unknown.

Collaborations

Key collaborations include, but are not limited to: Dark Lotus, Tech N9ne, Snoop Dogg, Ice T, Bushwick Bill, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Esham, Project Born, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Kottonmouth Kings, Three 6 Mafia, Kid Rock, Mack 10, MC Breed, 2 Live Crew, Slash, Alice Cooper, Vanilla Ice, Twiztid, Anybody Killa, and Blaze Ya Dead Homie.

Fan base and criticism

Main article: Juggalo

Fans of ICP are called Juggalos (female fans may be alternately referred to as Juggalettes). "Juggalo" is derived from one of Violent J's alter-egos, "The Juggla", a psychotic carnival juggler from the ICP song of the same name, and somehow the fans came to be known as "Juggalos" in homage. Juggalos often paint their faces in black-and-white clownface makeup, especially at concerts headlined by Psychopathic Records artists.

The term Juggalo came from the area that ICP grew up in, that being Southwest Detroit, Michigan. In the book Behind the Paint, Violent J, Joseph Bruce, details the adoption of several slang terms that have been incorporated into "Juggalo" culture, including "juggalo", "ninja", and "neden". Juggalo is the Southwest Detroit equivalent of "homie" or friend. Ninja is also interchangeable with juggalo, as "homie" or friend. Neden is a slang term for a vagina.

ICP have been voted the worst band of any genre of music in various magazine polls including Spin and Rolling Stone.[citation needed] This has not discouraged the group, and they repeatedly state they do not care what music critics think of their work. Such critics as Spin, Rolling Stone, and Vibe have been singled out for mockery in several ICP raps.

ICP also had a publicized "beef" with Eminem. Among other actions taken on their side of the feud, ICP recorded over one of Eminem's songs (My Name Is into Slim Anus). When Eminem responded in his Multi-Platinum album, The Marshall Mathers LP in his song "Marshall Mathers," as well as in a Skit on the same album, ICP responded with the track "Nothing but a Bitch Thang." Originally released as a free download on ICP's website, the track was later re-released on Forgotten Freshness 3, as well as in the Pendulum series of comic books.

In an interview in PBS's Frontline documentary series, Merchants of Cool, Violent J stated:

"Everybody that likes our music feels a super connection. [...] they feel so connected to it because it's — it's exclusively theirs. See, when something's on the radio, it's for everybody, you know what I mean? It's everybody's song. 'Oh, this is my song.' That ain't your song. It's on the radio. It's everybody's song. But to listen to ICP, you feel like you're the only one that knows about it." " ICP is the closest thing some of my friends have known to family, it's like a getaway from reality, whenever you're feeling low just throw on your headphones and let the music take you.... it's not about all the killing and violence, that just makes them different from all the other mainstream groups."

On February 1 2006, self-proclaimed Juggalo Jacob D. Robida attacked people in a gay bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts with a handgun and a hatchet, a weapon featured on the logo of ICP's record label, Psychopathic Records. Mr. Robida wore a swastika tattoo and flaunted Nazi insignia and paraphernalia on his website, and was a former teen cadet in the Junior Police Academy. [2] On February 5, he killed a traffic officer at a routine stop. When police stopped him, he killed the passenger in the car and opened fire on the police. He was shot twice in the head during the shootout with the police and died later in the hospital. [3]

On February 7 2006, Insane Clown Posse released a statement on the Robida attacks. Alex Abbiss, ICP's manager, extended ICP's condolences and prayers to the families of the victims. "This guy had problems," said Abbiss, and "anyone going into a bar swinging an axe and shooting a gun ... would clearly have to be insane and out of their mind to do this." He went on, "it's quite obvious that this guy had no clue what being a Juggalo is all about. If anyone knows anything at all about ICP, then you know that they have never, ever been down or will be down with any racist or bigotry bullshit." Abbiss claimed ICP was being scapegoated by the media.

Professional wrestling

The Insane Clown Posse have long been involved in professional wrestling. In 1998, they were brought in by the then World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. ICP also wrestled for the other 2 major North American companies during the late nineties: WCW and Extreme Championship Wrestling In 2003 they were heavily involved in TNA even having Dark Carnival matches during Jeff Jarretts heel turn. They also ran their own independent promotion: Juggalo Championshit Wrestling.


Discography

Albums

Album Cover Date of Release Title Label US Billboard Peak US Sales
October 18, 1992 Carnival of Carnage Psychopathic Records - -
March 8, 1994 The Ringmaster Psychopathic Records - Gold
Oct 10, 1995 The Riddle Box Jive Records - Gold
File:Icp-great milenko-300.jpg June 1997 The Great Milenko Island Records #63 Platnum
File:Jake Jeckel.jpg May 25, 1999 The Amazing Jeckel Brothers Island Records #4 Platnum
October 31, 2000 Bizaar Island Records #20 -
October 31, 2000 Bizzar Island Records #21 -
November 11, 2002 The Wraith: Shangri-La Riveria #15 -
August 31, 2004 The Wraith: Hell's Pit Psychopathic Records #12 -
TBD The Tempest Psychopathic Records - -

EPs

Album Cover Date of Release Title Label US Billboard Peak US Sales
File:50187.JPG 1993 Beverly Kills 50187 Psychopathic Records - -
August 5, 1994 The Terror Wheel EP Psychopathic Records - -
1996 Tunnel of Love EP Psychopathic Records - -
May 17, 2005 The Calm Psychopathic Records #32 -

Compilations, Remixes, ETC.

Album Cover Date of Release Title Label US Billboard Peak US Sales
1998 Forgotten Freshness Volume 1 & 2 Island records - -
2001 Forgotten Freshness Volume 3 Island Records - Gold
File:Icp-forgotten-freshness-vol4.jpg 2005 Forgotten Freshness Volume 4 Psychopathic Records #88 -
November 14, 2006 Wraith: Remix Albums Psychopathic Records - -

Insane Clown Posse — Hallowicked give-aways

  1. "Dead Pumpkins" (1994)
  2. "Mr. Rotten Treats" (1995)
  3. "Witches & Warlocks" (1996)
  4. "Mr. Johnson's Head (Remix)" (1997)
  5. "Pumpkin Carvers" (with Twiztid & Kottonmouth Kings) (1998)
  6. "Sleepwalker" (1999)
  7. "Hallowicked 2000 Box Set" (Includes Bizaar, Bizzar, Freek Show, Hallowicked 2000 EP, Hallowicked shirt, Hallowicked sticker, Hallowicked flier, certificate of authenticity) (2000)
  8. "Every Halloween" (2001)
  9. "Children of the Wasteland" (Blaze Ya Dead Homie) (2001)
  10. "Waited Till Halloween" (Twiztid) (2001)
  11. "Silence of the Hams" (Violent J & Esham) (2002)
  12. "Dead Body Man 2002" (Blaze Ya Dead Homie) (2002)
  13. "Thug Pit" (with Krayzie Bone,Layzie Bone, Kottonmouth Kings, Tech N9ne, & Esham) (2003)
  14. "Murda Cloak" (with Anybody Killa) (2004)
  15. "Wicked Hellaween" (2005)
  16. "Blood Red Rum" (2006)

Insane Clown Posse — singles, rare recordings, event tracks, etc.

  1. "Fat Sweaty Betty" (1995)
  2. "Chicken Huntin" (1995)
  3. "Jokers Wild Sampler" (1995)
  4. "Halls of Illusions" (1997)
  5. "Psychopathic Sampler" (1998)
  6. "Hokus Pokus" (1998)
  7. "Join the Show" (1998)
  8. "Phat or Wack sampler" (1999)
  9. "Fuck the World" (1999)
  10. "Another Love Song" (1999)
  11. "Mad Professor" (1999)
  12. "Party Mix" (1999)
  13. "Jacob's Word" (2000)
  14. "Bizzar/Bizaar sampler" (2000)
  15. "Tilt-A-Whirl" (2000)
  16. "Let's Go All the Way" (2000)
  17. "Psychopathic Sampler '01" (2001)
  18. "The Wraith: Shangri-La sampler" (2002)
  19. "Homies" (2003)
  20. "Something Underground" — Violent J [recorded exclusively for Hatchetradio.com] (2005)
  • Violent J and Shaggy solo
  1. Fuck Off (1994; EP) — Shaggy 2 Dope
  2. Wizard of the Hood EP (2003) — Violent J
  3. F.T.F.O. (2006) — Shaggy 2 Dope

Filmography

  • Stranglemania (199?) This very rare VHS tape (now out of print) was the 1995 IWA King Of The Deathmatch tournament featuring Superleather, Cactus Jack, Terry Funk, and many more. Violent J and Shaggy dubbed over the commentary and added their own humorous commentary, similar to those on their JCW tapes.
  • Juggalo Championshit Wrestling: Volumes 1, 2, and 3
  • Strangle-Mania 2 (2000)
  • The Shaggy Show — an internet-based reality show from the road. The concept was taken from an identically-named skit on the Amazing Jeckel Brothers album.
  • Shockumentary (DVD & VHS) — this is ICPs hard-to-find documentary. It features all the flavor of the documentary and five music videos.
  • Big Money Hustlas (2000)
  • Bootlegged in L.A. (2004)
  • Big Money Rustlas (2008) (Pre-preducton)


Source: RIAA Searchable Database (search for "Insane Clown Posse", not "ICP".)


Singles Chart Position

Billboard Hot 100

  • 1997: "Santa's a Fat Bitch" #67

UK Singles Chart

  • 1998: "Halls of Illusion" #56
  • 1998: "Hokus Pokus" #53
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