Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse
Violent J (left) and Shaggy 2 Dope, 2017
Background information
Also known as	ICP Inner City Posse JJ Boyz The Bloody Brothers
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop horrorcore rap rock
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Psychopathic Jive Hollywood Island
Members	Violent J Shaggy 2 Dope
Past members	D–Lyrical Kid Villain John Kickjazz Greez-E
Website	Official website

Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989, ICP's best-known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsler). Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore and is known for its elaborate live performances. The duo has earned two platinum and five gold albums. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the entire catalog of the group had sold 6.5 million units in the United States and Canada as of April 2007^[update].^[1] The group has established a dedicated following called Juggalos numbering in the "tens of thousands".^[2]

Originally known as JJ Boyz and Inner City Posse, the group introduced supernatural and horror-themed lyrics as a means of distinguishing itself stylistically. The duo founded the independent record label Psychopathic Records with Alex Abbiss as manager, and produced and starred in the feature films Big Money Hustlas and Big Money Rustlas. They formed their own professional wrestling promotion, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, and have collaborated with many hip hop and rock musicians.

The songs of Insane Clown Posse center thematically on the mythology of the Dark Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead are judged by one of several entities. The Dark Carnival is elaborated through a series of stories called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways" of listeners before "the end consumes us all".

History[edit]

1985–1994: Early history[edit]

Joseph Bruce (Violent J) and Joseph Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope) met in Oak Park, a suburb on the north border of Detroit, Michigan. Along with Utsler's brother, John, and friend, Lacy, they wrestled in backyard rings that they had built themselves.^[3] They also listened to hip hop music, including 3rd Bass, Beastie Boys, N.W.A and local rappers like Awesome Dre.^[3] In 1989, Joseph Bruce as Jagged Joe, Joseph Utsler as Kangol Joe and John Utsler as Master J, released the single titled "Party at the Top of the Hill" under the name of JJ Boys, but the group did not pursue a serious career in music.^[4] Poverty and a difficult home life drove Bruce to move in with Rudy "The Rude Boy" Hill in River Rouge, a city near the industrial southwest side of Detroit.^[5]

Feeling a sense of home and belonging, Bruce formed a gang called Inner City Posse, which was composed of Joseph Utsler, Rudy Hill, other friends of Bruce, and a number of other connections he had made in Southwest Detroit.^[5] Bruce was jailed for ninety days in 1989–1990 for death threats, robbery, and violating probation;^[6] this experience convinced him to reduce his involvement in gang life.^[6] Bruce began his professional wrestling career after getting out of jail, and it was at his first show that he met Rob Van Dam and Sabu, two other first-timers with whom he became very good friends.^[6] During this time Bruce brought Utsler backstage with him, and all four became close friends.

Bruce became frustrated with the backstage politics of the wrestling business and began searching for another career.^[6] Back on the streets, Bruce, Utsler and Utsler's brother John performed hip hop music at local night clubs, using the stage names Violent J, 2 Dope, and John Kickjazz, under the name of their gang, Inner City Posse.^[4] Seeing a need for a manager, Bruce's brother Robert recommended his friend and record store owner Alex Abbiss, who established the Psychopathic Records record label with the group in 1991. Later that year the group released the self-produced EP entitled Dog Beats.^[7]

According to Alex Abbiss Chris Mclellan, then programming director of WJLB, declined to play the EP's single "Dog Beats" because Inner City Posse's members were white.^[8] While trying to get stations to play the single, Bruce learned that one of the stations he and Abbiss visited would be interviewing local rapper Esham, who Bruce considered to be a "superstar"; Bruce had recently begun to collect Esham's albums, as he had done with other local rappers; by the time he had discovered Esham, the rapper had released two full-length albums and three EPs.^[8] Bruce met Esham for the first time at the station and praised him. Esham wished Bruce well and Bruce gave the rapper a copy of Dog Beats; this began the friendship and professional relationship between Psychopathic Records and Esham's label, Reel Life Productions.^[8] Growing popularity in the local music scene turned negative for the group's gang, which became the target of growing violence. After receiving jail sentences, the group members abandoned gang life.^[6]

In late 1991, the group had the problem of having spent more money on production than was covered by returns. The group decided that its gangsta rap style was the cause: most emcees at the time used similar styles, making it difficult for Inner City Posse to distinguish itself stylistically.^[9] Referring to local rapper Esham's horrorcore style, Bruce suggested the band adapt this genre, in a bid to have Detroit represent acid rap, much as Los Angeles represented gangsta rap. The group agreed, but not to copying the style of Esham closely. Instead, they suggested using horror-themed lyrics as an emotional outlet for all their negative life experiences. They were also unanimous in deciding not to rap openly about Satan, which Esham often did.^[9]

After the change in musical style, the group decided it needed a new name. Utsler suggested keeping the "I.C.P." initials to inform the community that Inner City Posse was not defunct.^[9] Several names were considered before Bruce recalled his dream of a clown running around in Delray, which became the inspiration for the group's new name: Insane Clown Posse. The group decided they would all don face paint due to the success of their former clown-painted hype man.^[9] Upon returning home that night, Bruce says he had a dream in which "spirits in a traveling carnival appeared to him" – an image that would become the basis for the Dark Carnival mythology detailed in the group's Joker's Cards series.^[9]

1992–2004: First Joker Card Deck[edit]

1992–1993: Carnival of Carnage era[edit]

The group began recording their debut album, Carnival of Carnage, with producer Chuck Miller. After recording only three songs for $6,000 with Miller, Alex Abbiss made his first major managerial move by finding another producer, Mike E. Clark.^[10] The group finished recording the album with Clark, who continued to work with them throughout their career. The album featured appearances from local rappers, including Esham and Kid Rock.^[7] Just weeks prior to the release of their album, John left the group because he felt that it was "taking up too much of [his] life".^[10] When Bruce and Utsler attempted to call a meeting to talk about the issues, John did not attend.^[10]

"Ghetto Freak Show" (sample)

"Ghetto Freak Show", from the group's 1992 album Carnival of Carnage.

---

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Carnival of Carnage was released on October 18, 1992, with distribution within a 120-mile (190-kilometer) radius of Detroit.^[10] Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine compared the group's performance on the album to "a third-rate Beastie Boys supported by a cut-rate Faith No More, all tempered with the sensibility that made Gwar cult heroes—only with...more sexism and jokes that...wind up sounding racist".^[7] The follow-up EP, Beverly Kills 50187, sold well and gained a larger audience. Beverly Kills 50187 featured Greez-E, a fan that the ICP met earlier that year, as a replacement for John Kickjazz.^[11] During a live performance of the song "The Juggla", Bruce addressed the audience as Juggalos, and the positive response resulted in the group using the word thereafter.^[12] Greez-E left the band after the EP was released.^[11] The word has been the subject of criticism from both Ben Sisario of Rolling Stone and Allmusic's Erlewine, who suggested the term is similar to the racial slur jigaboo.^[7][13]

1994: Ringmaster era[edit]

The group's second studio album, Ringmaster, was released on March 8, 1994, and its popularity enabled the group to sell out larger nightclubs across Detroit.^[14] Because Bruce and Utsler made reference to the Detroit-produced soft drink Faygo in their songs, they "figured it would be cool to have some on stage with [them]".^[15] During a concert in 1993, Bruce threw an open bottle of Faygo at a row of concertgoers who were giving them the finger. After receiving a positive response, Bruce and Utsler have since continued to spray Faygo onto audiences.^[15] A subsequent national tour increased sales of the album,^[12] earning Ringmaster a gold certification.^[16] The group's second EP, The Terror Wheel, was released on August 5, 1994. One of the songs from the EP, "Dead Body Man", received considerable local radio play.^[12] The same year marked their first "Hallowicked" concert, which has since continued annually on Halloween night in Detroit.^[12]

1995–1996: Riddle Box era[edit]

In 1995, Bruce and Utsler attempted to obtain a contract with a major record label. The duo eventually signed a contract with the short-lived Jive Records sub-label Battery Records,^[12] which released the group's third studio album, Riddle Box, on October 10, 1995.^[17] After Battery/Jive Records showed little interest in promoting the album, Insane Clown Posse funded the promotion of Riddle Box independently. This effort led the group to Dallas, Texas, where it persuaded several music retail stores to stock the album. Sales averaged 1,500 copies per week as a result.^[18]

1997–1998: The Great Milenko era[edit]

Manager Alex Abbiss negotiated a contract with the Disney-owned label Hollywood Records, which reportedly paid $1 million to purchase the Insane Clown Posse contract from Battery/Jive/BMG Records.^[19] The group started recording its fourth studio album, The Great Milenko, in 1996, during which Disney requested that the tracks "The Neden Game", "Under the Moon", and "Boogie Woogie Wu" be removed. Disney also asked that the lyrics of other tracks be changed, threatening to not release the album otherwise.^[20][21] Bruce and Utsler complied with Disney's requests, and planned to go on a national tour with House of Krazees and Myzery as their opening acts.^[20]

During a music store autograph signing, Insane Clown Posse was notified that Hollywood Records had recalled the album within hours of its release,^[20] despite having sold 18,000 copies and reaching No.63 on the Billboard 200.^[22][23] The group was also informed that its in-store signings and nationwide tour had been canceled, commercials for the album and the music video for "Halls of Illusions" (which had reached No. 1 on The Box video request channel) were pulled from television, and that the group was dropped from the label.^[20] It was later revealed that Disney was being criticized by the Southern Baptist Convention at the time because of Disney's promotion of "Gay Days" at Disneyland, in addition to presiding over the gay-themed television sitcom Ellen.^[24] The Convention accused Disney of turning its back on "family values".^[25] Although Abbiss told the press that Disney had stopped production of The Great Milenko to avoid further controversy, Disney claimed instead that the release of the album was an oversight by their review board, and that the album "did not fit the Disney image" because of its "inappropriate" lyrics,^[26] which they claimed were offensive to women.^[27]

After the termination of the Hollywood Records contract, Insane Clown Posse signed a new contract with Island/PolyGram Records, which agreed to release the album as intended.^[21][28] Entertainment Weekly music critic David Browne gave the record a C-minus rating: "[With] its puerile humor and intentionally ugly metal-rap tunes, the album feels oddly dated".^[22] The Great Milenko was certified platinum with over 1.7 million copies sold.^[1] One of the group's first projects with Island Records was an hour-long documentary titled Shockumentary, which aired on MTV. The station initially refused to play the documentary, but Island Records persuaded them to air it as a personal favor.^[28] Shockumentary helped increase album sales from 17,000 to 50,000 copies per week.^[28] Island also rereleased the group's first two albums, as well as a 2-CD compilation album composed of rare songs and demos titled "Forgotten Freshness Vol. 1".

Nationwide tour[edit]

Two days after the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) program, Insane Clown Posse began its rescheduled nationwide tour with House of Krazees and Myzery. Their first concert, held in Orlando, Florida, was hand-picked by Insane Clown Posse and free to the public.^[29] Halfway through the tour, Brian Jones of House of Krazees had a falling out with his band members. Jones left the group, forcing House of Krazees to quit the tour.^[29] The success of the tour enabled Bruce and Utsler to purchase new houses both for each other and for their families.^[28] Bruce even told his mother to quit her job because he would pay her expenses.^[30]

Eminem feud[edit]

In late 1997, Bruce took Myzery to St. Andrew's Hall. Eminem, then an unknown local emcee, approached Bruce and, according to Bruce, handed him a flyer advertising the release party for the Slim Shady EP. The flyer read, "Featuring appearances by Esham, Kid Rock, and ICP (maybe)".^[30] Bruce asked why Eminem was promoting a possible Insane Clown Posse appearance without first contacting the group. Bruce said that Eminem explained, "It says 'maybe.' Maybe you will be there; I don't know. That's why I'm asking you right now. You guys comin' to my release party, or what?"^[30] Bruce, upset over not being consulted, responded, "Fuck no, I ain't coming to your party. We might have, if you would've asked us first, before putting us on the fuckin' flyer like this."^[30] Bruce reported that Eminem attacked the group in radio interviews. Bruce and Utsler first responded by referring to Eminem's alter ego as "Slim Anus" on "85 Bucks An Hour" from Twiztid's 1997 debut, Mostasteless, and later in 1999 releasing a parody of Eminem's "My Name Is" entitled "Slim Anus". Eminem later released a skit on his album The Marshall Mathers LP depicting the members of Insane Clown Posse having sex with the fictional homosexual Ken Kaniff. In the skit, Kaniff asks Shaggy 2 Dope to "say my name." When Shaggy replies "Eminem," Kaniff is angered and leaves. Barbs between Insane Clown Posse and Eminem continued until the feud was ended in 2005 by hip hop group D12 and Psychopathic Records.^[31][32]

The House of Horrors Tour[edit]

One month after ICP's Strangle-Mania Live, Insane Clown Posse began their second nationwide tour, "The House of Horrors Tour", with Myzery added as one of the opening acts. While searching for the second opening act, Bruce received a telephone call at his home from former House of Krazees members Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, who told Bruce that the group was officially disbanded and asked to be on the tour.^[30] Spaniolo and Methric provided a demo tape containing three songs: "2nd Hand Smoke", "Diemotherfuckdie", and "How Does It Feel?"^[30] Bruce was extremely impressed, and immediately had a contract drafted with Psychopathic Records for the new group to sign. Bruce, Spaniolo, and Methric agreed on the band name Twiztid. The House of Horrors Tour thus featured Insane Clown Posse, with opening groups Twiztid, Myzery, and Psycho Realm.^[30]

Legal troubles[edit]

On November 16, 1997, Bruce was arrested on an aggravated battery charge after allegedly striking an audience member thirty times with his microphone at a concert in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bruce was held for four hours before being released on $5,000 bail.^[33] The January 1998 issue of Spin magazine ran a four-page cartoon lampooning Insane Clown Posse and Juggalos, claiming that the group was offensive "not for their obscenity, but for their stupidity". Spin likened Insane Clown Posse's stage act to "a sort of circus karaoke" and portrayed the group's fans as overweight suburbanites. On the group's website, Bruce responded to the article by stating, "I could give a fuck less".^[34]

After a show in Indianapolis, Insane Clown Posse's tour bus stopped at a Waffle House in Greenfield, Indiana. When a customer began to harass Spaniolo and Bruce, a fight broke out between the customer and all of the bands' members.^[30] Months later on June 4, 1998, Bruce and Utsler pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges (reduced from battery) in an Indiana court and were fined $200 each. Members of Twiztid, Myzery, and Psycho Realm were charged with battery.^[35] The group's tour was briefly derailed in January 1998, when their tour bus drifted off a highway and down an embankment, leaving Frank Moreno of Psycho Realm with a concussion. As a result of the accident, Insane Clown Posse postponed two shows scheduled for Cleveland, Ohio, on January 22 and 23, but honored their promise to perform on January 25 and 26.^[36] They face a lawsuit over alleged sexual harassment.^{[37][needs update]}

1999: The Amazing Jeckel Brothers era[edit]

On April 19, 1998, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bruce suffered a panic attack during a performance and was carried off stage.^[38] Bruce, who later recalled being completely "out of it",^[38] found scissors and cut off his dreadlocks.^[38] After suffering another panic attack once he returned home, Bruce opted to spend three days in a Michigan mental health program.^[38] Insane Clown Posse later cancelled the last two weeks' worth of dates on its United States tour,^[38] but subsequently launched their first European tour.^[39][40]

By late 1998 over one million copies of The Great Milenko had been sold,^[41] and Insane Clown Posse was ready for its fifth album, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers. Working with Mike E. Clark and Rich "Legz Diamond" Murrell, Bruce and Utsler developed their album with the highest of hopes. The group was known nationally, but were not taken very seriously. Hoping to receive the respect Bruce and Utsler felt they deserved, they planned to feature well-known, respected rappers on their album.^[41] Bruce stated outright that he wanted to involve Snoop Dogg and Ol' Dirty Bastard. They paid Snoop Dogg $40,000 to appear on the song "The Shaggy Show". Snoop Dogg also helped them contact Ol' Dirty Bastard, who was paid $30,000 for his appearance. Ol' Dirty Bastard recorded his track in a matter of two days; however, his recording consisted of nothing more than him rambling about "bitches".^[41] It took Bruce and Utsler a week to assemble just four rhymes out of his rambling, and had to re-record the track and title it "Bitches".^[41] Finally, Insane Clown Posse contacted Ice-T, who charged them only $10,000.^[41] The group felt that Ice-T's song did not belong on the album, and was instead released on a later album, Psychopathics from Outer Space.^[41]

To help increase their positive publicity, the group hired the Nasty Little Man publicity team.^[41] The team set up a photo shoot for Insane Clown Posse that was to appear on the cover of Alternative Press magazine in Cleveland. On the set of the photo shoot, a member of the publicity team approached Bruce and explained that in the song "Fuck the World", the lyric that stated "Fuck the Beastie Boys and the Dalai Lama" needed to be changed.^[41] Insulted, Bruce exclaimed that his music would not be censored again—referring to Disney's previous requirement for censorship.^[41] Nasty Little Man told Bruce that the Beastie Boys were not only clients of the company but also personal friends, and the Beastie Boys told the company to make Bruce change the lyric.^[41] In response, Bruce fired Nasty Little Man and asked its team to leave the photo shoot.^[41]

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers was released on May 25, 1999, and reached No. 4 on the Billboard album charts,^[42] and has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.^[16] Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a "four out of five stars" rating, stating that "[Insane Clown Posse] actually delivered an album that comes close to fulfilling whatever promise their ridiculous, carnivalesque blend of hardcore hip-hop and shock-metal had in the first place".^[43] Rolling Stone writer Barry Walters gave the album a "two out of five stars" rating, writing that "no musical sleight of hand can disguise the fact that Shaggy and J remain the ultimate wack MCs".^[44] At the same time as The Amazing Jeckel Brothers' release, Island Records merged with Def Jam Records. It quickly became apparent to Bruce and Utsler that Def Jam Records had no interest in them.^[41] Eminem, who had begun to gain mainstream success, insulted Insane Clown Posse in interviews, tours, and the song "Till Hell Freezes Over".^[41]

Big Money Hustlas[edit]

On Insane Clown Posse's previous tour (The House of Horrors Tour), they had watched the movie Big Ballers.^[41] The group, as well as Twiztid, loved the video. After Insane Clown Posse finished its The Amazing Jeckel Brothers album, Bruce and Utsler decided to create their own movie,