Now that we’re in the open and accessible information age of the Internet, it should be known by almost everyone that there’s no simple formula any band can follow to achieve success. Furthermore, don’t listen to anyone who tells you that such a magic formula exists. However, for those who have attained super stardom, all can boast a proportional fan following to match. But the real success comes when you have the power to drive your fans absolutely wild.
Sure, fans of acts like Chris Brown and Britney Spears have large followings, but the fans those followings consists of pale in comparison to relationships like that of their Insane Clown Posse and their Juggalo fan base, both in costume and family mentality. “Whoop whoop!”

Whether it’s a quick “whoop whoop,” (whoop whoop means a simple hello in Juggalo jargon), the trademark black and white wicked clown Insane Clown Posse face paint, an appearance at the Gathering of the Juggalos or other meet-up, fans have many avenues at their disposal for identifying fellow Insane Clown Posse enthusiasts. But why are Insane Clown Posse fans so much more fiercely committed than fans of other acts? How large of a role did Insane Clown Posse play in making it unfold that way?

A Community of Juggalos

Many big time artists have forums on their websites that allow fans to converse amongst each other, ideally about said artist’s music. However, Insane Clown Posse has gone above and beyond this tradition by building a page on meetup.com. Whether it’s for a concert, party, or really nothing more than saying “whoop whoop” to other Insane Clown Posse followers in person, many Juggalos opt to use this tool to track meet ups, national fan clubs, and general events.

At Juggalo.meetup.com, you can even look at a map of existing Juggalo groups and find other interested people or groups in a zip code near you. As the map suggests, “whoop whoop” is even being said in other languages around the world!

What it Takes to be a Juggalo (Whoop Whoop!)

All artists have memorabilia and assorted customs that make their fans feel like they belong to that artist’s fan community. For Insane Clown Posse, that feeling is achieved through face paint, “whoop whoop” jargon and adoration for the band’s music. But while these are all attributes that will certainly help you fit in with the crowd at large, the most important criteria required to be a Juggalo isn’t one that can be verbally communicated like “whoop whoop” -- a family mentality. All Juggalos are proud, and nearly all identify so strongly with each other because they’ve all endured the same misunderstanding from mainstream society.

This frustration is palpable at large Juggalo conventions hosted by Insane Clown Posse like the Gathering of the Juggalos, and is quite possible the sentiment responsible for creating the strongest bond amongst ICP fans far and wide -- even stronger than saying “whoop whoop!”

Generally speaking, any artist who finds a soft spot that their fans have in common with one another and brings it to light will have more luck generating this lucrative bond.

Juggalo Community Website

While the Juggalo meet up website is great for organizing physical meet ups, juggalocommunity.com provides a forum for fans to communicate about Insane Clown Posse happenings online. There’s even a chat room making it possible for participants to say “whoop whoop” to any other Juggalo around the globe.

If you’re an artist looking to provide one more forum in which your fans can converse (ideally about your music), then chat rooms are a great idea if you possess the technical capabilities to build one, or to pay someone to build it for you.  In the end, artists who find and exploit a common trait between their fans and give them as many channels as possible through which to converse – in this case, inventing “whoop whoop” slang -- will see deeper fan appreciation than those who don’t!

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Juggalo is the term that fans of the horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse identify themselves with. The Juggalo family today is a community thousands upon thousands strong who often speak in code, using the phrase “whoop whoop” to say hello. To learn more about Juggalos and their community at large, please visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

A cult is defined by dictionary.com as “an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers.“ As you can imagine, achieving cult status in the arts world is pretty much the Holy Grail. It means that fans will adore you almost regardless of what you put out, and that your days of being a starving artist are probably gone forever. Of course, very few bands are ever worthy cult status.

Being given the golden label is the result of more than just music – it has to do with band personality, creativity, and above all else, originality. One band that is off the charts in all three of those categories is Detroit’s own Insane Clown Posse.

 
It’s not often that a band dreams up (literally) a mythology revolving around a carnival of carnage to weave into all of their albums. It’s even more rare for a horror rap duo like Insane Clown Posse to make such a move, and beyond that, even more uncommon for each individual musical release to contain one moral concept. Yet that’s exactly what Insane Clown Posse has done with their carnival of carnage (the physical extension of Dark Carnival) and Joker’s Cards, and to say it’s worked out well for them would be a vast understatement.

Insane Clown Posse’s Carnival of carnage

Way back in the early 90s when Insane Clown Posse were just starting to gain momentum on a regional scale, Insane Clown Posse founding member Violent J had a dream in which he saw the spirits of departed traveling carnival workers. It would soon become known as the carnival of carnage.

It was later decided that these spirits in the carnival of carnage would visit a grey area between life and the afterlife after they passed away, during which it would be determined if they were traveling to heaven or hell. These spirits are revealed in Joker’s Cards, each of which carries a moral story or message related to the carnival of carnage.

Every time ICP releases an album, fans everywhere not only get the chance to sink their teeth into new music, but also the next Joker’s Card and chapter in the carnival of carnage. The more your fans have to be excited about, the more deeply committed they’ll become.
 
Joker’s Cards
 
For the time being there are two decks of Joker’s Cards, one for every album released. Insane Clown Posse’s first deck has six cards and deck #2 has one Joker’s Card (to date). Every one of these cards provides its own example of how ICP has used creativity and their moral stance to deepen the connection they have with fans.  Some of the more notable entries in the deck have been listed below.

 Carnival of Carnage

Carnival of Carnage, is the first Insane Clown Posse Joker’s Card, and represents the violence of inner city ghettos. The clear message in this Joker’s Card warns the upper class and government about their negligence towards society’s lower classes.

The Great Milenko

This Insane Clown Posse Joker’s Card takes the form of a necromancer, and attempts to trick individuals into sinful acts, ultimately issuing a warning against committing such acts.

The Amazing Jeckel Brothers

This Insane Clown Posse Joker’s Card focuses on 19 circles of hell, in which a man’s morality is tested. Meanwhile the Jeckel Brothers, Jack and Jake, juggle balls that represent mortality of the deceased. If the balls are dropped, they are damned to hell.

Bang! Boom! Pow!

These onomatopoeia sounds represent the tool used to clear the carnival of carnage grounds when they become too crowded with evil souls.

The next Joker’s Card, titled Mighty Death Pop, will be released some time in early 2012.

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Insane Clown Posse Joker’s Cards represent the messages of every Insane Clown Posse album. There is a Joker Card associated with every album, each with a unique message spelled out by Insane Clown Posse themselves. To learn more about Insane Clown Posse, their Joker’s Cards or the Carnival of Carnage, please visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

In today’s musical economy, you’re lucky to be a band that’s invited to join a music festival lineup. Festivals are blowing up in terms of popularity, so much so that nearly every major music festival in 2011 saw record attendance. To be on one of those bills could do a lot for your career, but to create an entire festival? That’s just crazy talk. Or is it? One band has been doing just that for 12 years.

 

Horror Rap duo Insane Clown Posse has unarguably the largest cult following of any similar sounding act in the entire country. The reasons for that are many, but it’s safe to say the fact that they have their own annual festival where fans (Juggalos) can meet up every year goes a long way in solidifying those fans’ loyalty. Of course, I’m talking about the Gathering of the Juggalos!

Producing a Music Festival

 

There’s nothing easy about producing a music festival, especially one as involved as Gathering of the Juggalos. Location, artists, security, vendors, permits, scheduling, promotion, insurance, and stage setup are just some things that have to be taken into consideration by curators like Insane Clown Posse in planning. And if you don’t sell as many tickets as you need to in order to make a profit, it can be a very expensive loss.

Insane Clown Posse hosted their first Gathering of the Juggalos music festival in 2000 after several years of talk and planning surrounding the event. It’s hugely successful today, but even a band as large as Insane Clown Posse had to fight and endure trial and error over the years to bring Gathering of the Juggalos to its current level of success.

 

Music vs. Events

Of course, the artists playing the festival will be the most important selling point to potential festival-goers. This year’s Gathering of the Juggalos festival was loaded with talented horror rap acts, and enough Juggalos to satisfy your social desires until Insane Clown Posse’s next Gathering of the Juggalos festival rolls around. But what makes the Gathering more original than any other music festival around the country isn’t the music; it’s the on-site activities.

It’s essential that there are more activities on hand than those related to music. Insane Clown Posse knows their fans might get tired of non-stop music for four straight days, so they came up with the idea to provide them with fresh activities seen at no other music festival. While these events may only be attractive to the Insane Clown Posse fan demographic, they provide some great insight on the ingenuity needed to make fans happy at music festivals.

Helicopter Rides at Gathering of the Juggalos

To start, there are helicopter rides at the Gathering of the Juggalos. Why? Why not is a better question. For a little bit of money, customers already at Insane Clown Posse’s festival can take a ride in the helicopter and tour the festival grounds from bird’s eye view.

Artist Seminars

 

There are meet and greets or autograph signings at a lot of major music festivals, but very few offer attendees the opportunity to sit in on a seminar conducted by your favorite artists. The guys in Insane Clown Posse always make sure they release as much news about their careers as possible at their artist seminars.

Juggalo Championship Wrestling

 

Insane Clown Posse, their Juggalo followers, and everyone else somehow connected to the Psychopathic Records family have been immersed in the wrestling scene since it all began. Gathering of the Juggalos just wouldn’t be Gathering of the Juggalos without Juggalo Championship Wrestling on hand!

Those events are all given, but some others that take place at the yearly festival are mud / oil wrestling and the Ms. Juggalette contest! It might not be your typical beauty pageant, but some lucky lady will still be headed home with the title of Ms. Juggalette at the end of the weekend!

Over the years, Insane Clown Posse has mastered the art of creating a festival that’s pleasing to die hard music fans and the more casual customers who also enjoy alternate activities not related to music at all. This balance must be achieved if you ever wish to host your own music festival some day!

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Music festivals are cash cows for the music industry these days, and an essential source of revenue for some musicians. Aside from the music, Insane Clown Posse’s Gathering of the Juggalos music festival consists of a number of alternative events for Juggalo attendants, such as helicopter rides, wrestling, artist seminars, wet tee shirt contests and more. To learn more the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival, visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

That question gets asked more than you might think, and probably bothers ICP members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope on a daily basis. Simply put, the answer is an emphatic no. While some refer to the music of ICP as gangster rap (and sometimes new gangster rap, to be more specific), never has Insane Clown Posse been a gang.
Though it’s easy to see how a band originally going by the name of Inner City Posse and writing gangster rap could be construed as ICP gang, it’s just not the case.  In fact, ICP founders Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have little to no history with violence, unless you count their gangster rap lyrics.

 

Is Insane Clown Posse Christian?

 

That’s right. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, the very two artists who have at times been referred to as gangster rappers, announced through “The Unveiling” that Insane Clown Posse has been a Christian band -- or at least one that believes in God -- all along. Violent J even stated in an interview that announcing that after keeping it concealed for so long was “like heaven.”

Insane Clown Posse Christian Announcement Fallout

Of course, this revelation turned die hard Juggalos off completely, you know, the ones you took all of ICP’s lyrics and perceived gangster rap messages to heart. What these Juggalos didn’t know all along was that ICP  was painting these vile depictions as examples of what not to do.  Psych!

Though in all reality, Insane Clown Posse has thinly veiled their spiritual beliefs from the beginning, even back when people tagged ICP with the gangster rap tag. It’s hard to not think ICP is a spiritual band when you consider the entire concept of the dark carnival, also know as the limbo period where souls in transit wait to be sent to heaven or hell.

So many of the band’s lyrics are centered around judgment day and Christian morals that one would have to turn an extremely blind eye not to pick up on Insane Clown Posse’s Christian message before “The Unveiling” was released.

Insane Clown Posse Christianity Unveiling Also Cements Fan Bond

 

However, while some Satan-worshipping Juggalos may have cut all ties with ICP and went on to follow other gangster rap artists -- real gangster rap artists, if you will – those who were fans of Insane Clown Posse and Christian deep down inside were elated.

Insane Clown Posse Violence Non-Existent

 

So while most of the world is assuming that secretly Insane Clown Posse is a gang (because they perform “gangster rap,” right?), and a violent one at that, Insane Clown Posse’s two Christian founders were plotting their announcement of faith to the Juggalo fan base at large.

Rarely have so many been so wrong in their assumptions! Yes, a quick Google search will reveal that Juggalos themselves (not Violent J or Shaggy 2 Dope) have been involved in the occasional act of violence, but it would be unfair to let those actions speak for the artists in question.

The moral of the story is that the guys in ICP are spiritual Christians before they are the misogynists or bigots some accuse them of being. Finally, the accusations that Insane Clown Posse is a gang are false

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The band is gangster rap to some, horror rap to others, but Insane Clown Posse is Christian to all after founding member Violent J announced to fans that he and fellow co-founder Shaggy 2 Dope have always been spiritual, leading some to label Insane Clown Posse as Christians. To learn more about Insane Clown Posse and Christianity, visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

Nearly a year ago, an interview was published in the Guardian in which Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope of the Insane Clown Posse were labeled as Christians. The notion that they both follow God was not really news; they officially announced this belief through “The Unveiling” when it was released, saying:
“Fuck it, we got to tell/ All secrets will now be told/ No more hidden messages/ …Truth is we follow GOD!!!/ We’ve always been behind him/ The carnival is GOD/ And may all Juggalos find him/ We’re not sorry if we tricked you.”

However, nowhere in that song nor in their interview with the Guardian was it said by Violent J or Shaggy 2 Dope that Insane Clown Posse is a Christian band. It has been the media and fans using songs like ICP’s “Miracles” as justification for their Insane Clown Posse Christian speculation. But if you read between the lines…

Much of the dark carnival mythology surrounding Insane Clown Posse’s “Christian” message lines up pretty well with Christian belief. Throughout the Dark Carnival and Joker’s Cards that it spawns, Christian elements of sin, judgment day, and the after life are all present.

Violent J has admitted that he doesn’t necessarily agree with all biblical ideas, but one would assume that means that he does follow the bible somewhat, making Violent J a Christian. But does that belief and a song like ICP’s “Miracles” necessarily mean Insane Clown Posse is a Christian band?

ICP’s “Miracles”

 

Much if this Insane Clown Posse Christian speculation stemmed from the release of ICP’s “Miracles.” In it, both front men rap about the wonders of life, in awe of everything around them. ICP’s “Miracles” chooses to ignore scientific explanations and instead lets daily miracles like magnets and Giraffes remain mysterious.

Yet in ICP’s “Miracles” no mention of Christianity or of Insane Clown Posse being Christians is made. It really is just an ode to the creator’s creations.

As you can imagine, this disbelief in common things led to some pretty publicized parodies, most notably by late night comedy show Saturday Night Live where ICP impersonators rap questions asking how blankets and volcanoes work.

But the fact that these “miracles” ICP rhymes of can be explained, and have been explained for a long time isn’t the point. ICP’s “Miracles’” point is not to hate all things science either, but instead that all things are ultimately unknowable.

Insane Clown Posse is a Christian Band with Subtle Messages

 

At the end of the day, you could probably listen to most of Insane Clown Posse’s “Christian” song catalogue and not know Insane Clown Posse was Christian. You could instead choose to pay attention to the crazy horror rap lyrics the band is most known for, which, on a surface level, have nothing to do with Insane Clown Posse as Christians. On the other side of that coin, looking deep into ICP’s “Miracles” and other songs’ meanings will reveal Christian (or at the very least, spiritual) sentiment, and if that helps you get by, then so be it.

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Insane Clown Posse is a hardcore rap group from Detroit, Michigan. ICP’s “Miracles,” a song released in 2010, led some to speculate that Insane Clown Posse is a Christian band, speculation that has been confirmed to some extent in interviews. To learn more about ICP’s “Miracles”, visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

It’s been two years since an ICP album came out. From parodies and mainstream media hate to announcing their faith and booking Charlie Sheen as a Gathering of the Juggalos host, it’s safe to say that a lot has happened in those two years since the last ICP Joker’s Card, Bang! Pow! Boom!, was released.

Fortunately, Insane Clown Posse fans won’t have to wait much longer, with ICP’s album and Joker’s Card The Mighty Death Pop slated to launch in early 2012. The band’s remarks about their upcoming release have been few and far between, but they haven’t hesitated to say that The Mighty Death Pop will fire back against all the hate they’ve received in recent years from media outlets.

Why has The Mighty Death Pop Taken So Long?

 

The most straightforward answer Insane Clown Posse members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have given for this question is just that they didn’t want to rush it. By not announcing an official release date for The Mighty Death Pop, the guys have given themselves the freedom to take their time with this ICP album and Joker’s Card, and promise that because of that, it will be the best yet.

“We're doing what we do in the studio, coming out with the best record that we can do and, right now, it's gravy man" Violent J told MTV back in April.

Mighty Death Pop Production Personnel

 

Aside from the renewed sense of anger to be present on this newest ICP Album, there will also be an old friend in the studio who’s recorded plenty of ICP albums through the years: Mike E. Clark.

Best known for his work with Kid Rock, George Clinton, and eight of the previous Joker’s Cards, Mr. Clark’s production style has been labeled as one of the best parts of all Joker’s Cards. His ability to infuse various carnival sounds goes a long way in helping Insane Clown Posse achieve the mischievous sonic atmosphere present on ICP albums, and will most likely do the same on Mighty Death Pop.

 

The last time Clark worked on an ICP album was for Bizaar, during which he had a falling out with Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Being unsure about the material he was recording, Clark decided it was time for a break. During that break, Clark formed the group Project: Deadman with rapper Prozak and became a full-time engineer for Michigan-bred superstar Kid Rock. He also endured a severe bout of pneumonia, a disease that almost took his life. After this near death experience, he reconnected with ICP with the intent of working on their next Joker’s Card. He’s now doing just that.

Joker’s Card Face(s)

 

The duo revealed at their annual Hallowicked concert in Detroit the character face of the Mighty Death Pop Joker’s Card. It’s a maniacal clown with purple, yellow, and white accents, but Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope say it’s only half of the Mighty Death Pop Joker’s Card. The second face will be revealed soon!

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Mighty Death Pop is the 12th ICP album and Joker’s Card, slated for release in early 2012. To learn more about Mighty Death Pop, please visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

One of the best parts about horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse is the history. Horror Rap, Juggalos, Faygo, Wet Tee shirts, Juggalettes, and even God have all contributed to the colorful Insane Clown Posse history, and a glimpse of the horror rap duo’s life and times was captured in a 1998 documentary called Shockumentary.

It was a time long, long ago in a far away place called Detroit. A time in Insane Clown Posse’s history when both Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J had dreadlocks, and both talked with an energy rarely seen since. A time when horror rap was on the up & up, when parents and consumer groups across the country couldn’t fathom why their children were becoming obsessed with horror rap.

In fact, Shockumentary asks many of the Juggalos it follows around how their parents feel about them listening to ICP.  As you can imagine, the answer is always negative. The segment of Insane Clown Posse history documented in Shockumentary is interesting for other reasons, too, most notably because it was right before the music industries demise.

The years of 1997 and 1998 in Insane Clown Posse’s history provide a glimpse into the music business at its best, with the band selling tons and tons of merchandise and music at every show. Horror rap themes of death, evil, the paranormal, and more were (and still are) depicted on ICP’s merchandise.

One subject in the film even boasted that he could wear ICP shirts for one and a half to two months without having to repeat a single one.

Insane Clown Posse and Disney?

Also included this documentary on Insane Clown Posse’s history (then a brief one) is Shaggy and Violent J’s interpretation of the Hollywood Records debacle. It was in 1995 when Hollywood Records (a record label owned by Disney) signed ICP and released The Great Milenko.

 

The same day it was released, Hollywood Records pulled it from shelves because it wasn’t family music (horror rap is probably the opposite of family music), or as the guys in ICP see it, because the southern Baptist convention suckered Disney into pulling it. Amazingly enough, the album rose to the top of the charts even though it was only on shelves for a few hours. Understandably, they were none too pleased with the decision.

Whoever you believe, the band got a ton of free publicity from the ordeal and went onto sell plenty more records at a critical turning point in Insane Clown Posse’s history. It would later come out that not one person at Hollywood Records listened to ICP’s music before signing them.

Insane Clown Posse: Minding Their Own Business

 

Insane Clown Posse’s history has been littered with naysayers and negative criticism from the mass media, but they’ve never gone out of their way to bother anyone with their horror rap. The way Insane Clown Posse sees it, if you don’t like horror rap, don’t listen to them!

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Shockumentary is a documentary about horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse. Directed by Paul Andresen, it was released in 1998. To learn more about Insane Clown Posse History, please visit the Insane Clown Posse website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

How many artists can boast that they have an entire musical festival to their name? Or a giant family of underground followers. Very few, but Insane Clown Posse can!

Gathering of the Juggalos is one of the largest music festivals in the country, and has been around for 12 years. Every year, tens of thousands of Juggalos (referred to as a family underground when spoken of collectively) flock to the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival, hosted somewhere in the Midwest.

And the family underground knows how to party. Don’t believe it? Just watch the 2008 documentary A Family Underground.

“Whoop whoops,” oil wrestling, late night parties and more are all documented in A Family Underground. The film does a great job of providing insight into the legitimate family that horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse has created. The Family Underground label isn’t just because it’s a large group of fans in the same place at the same time; there’s more to it than Insane Clown Posse appreciation.

The Gathering of the Juggalos Family Reunion

As Juggalos explain in A Family Underground, the family terminology is used because there’s a sense of unity amongst Juggalos. They all feel misunderstood, and have had to face enough BS in life that coming together with like-minded people creates a wonderful sense of belonging. One festival attendee in the documentary says there’s incredible openness between Juggalos too; people talk about their problems like they were having heart to heart conversations with life-long friends.

It doesn’t hurt that the Juggalos who make up the Family Underground have a lot in common with each other either. They’re fans of Insane Clown Posse’s music, horror rap in general, wrestling, Faygo soda, face paint, and causing mayhem. Put these people in the same enclosed area for four days in August and it will be unforgettable.

That’s not to say they come from many different walks of life. The video loosely follows a British couple in their early 30s around who took time off from work to come to the Gathering of the Juggalos. When Shaggy 2 Dope drives by in a golf cart, both of the Brits say they can go home happy now, and are visibly in awe for a considerable amount of time after. If that wasn’t good enough, the couple is unofficially married by Insane Clown Posse member Violent J at the end of the video.

In fact, wrestling has been so ingrained in the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival and Insane Clown Posse culture that there’s a wrestling league within it all. Juggalo Championship Wrestling (originally Juggalo Championshit Wrestling) plays host to epic rematches and world famous WWF wrestlers at every Gathering of the Juggalos festival. Blood and guts galore are displayed to much delight.

Juggalo Empire is Only Growing

Insane Clown Posse members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope deserve a lot of credit for doing what they’ve done. Not many artists can say they’ve yet or ever will build a cult-like following consisting of fans as devoted as the Family Underground. With the 12th Insane Clown Posse album releasing in 2012, there’s no end to the Family Underground’s expansion in sight.

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A Family Underground is a2008 documentary directed by Paul Andresen about the Insane Clown Posse’s musical subculture. Featuring interviews with similar artists, fans in attendance and local bystanders, it provides an insider view to this hidden Family Underground. To learn more Insane Clown Posse</a>, or their Juggalo followers and the Family Underground as a whole, please visit their website at http://insaneclownposse.com/!

Not so long ago, many of music’s brightest stars came from humble beginnings. Their parents didn’t pay for them to obtain the right connections or for outrageously expensive vocal lessons. Believe it or not, there was once a time when musicians were judged on their musical ability, not their superficial qualities like looks and wealth.

Fortunately, there are still a few musicians around to remind us that enrollment in the Mickey Mouse Club and home schooling for the sake of stardom aren’t pre-requisites to be successful.

For an example, just read the history of Insane Clown Posse. From rags to riches, Joseph Bruce (Violent J) and Joseph Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope) came from rough lives in the industrial suburbs of Detroit to being horror rap kings of the world. The journey was not an easy one, and many of the themes present in Insane Clown Posse’s horror rap music today can be traced back to members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope’s youth. Continue reading to see how elements of the band’s modern persona came to be.

Insane Clown Posse’s History with Spirituality

Spiritually, both were raised to believe in God. Violent J often recounts the story of keeping a butterfly in a jar overnight with the intention of releasing it in the morning only to realize that the butterfly had died while he was sleeping. From that day on, the little horror rapper to be made a vow to meet the butterfly in heaven -- or Shangri-la as ICP calls it today -- so he can apologize face to face.

Insane Clown Posse’s History with Wrestling

Juggalo Championship Wrestling, the wrestling organization founded by Insane Clown Posse that’s put on display every year at the Gathering of the Juggalos horror rap music festival, exists because members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope grew up wrestling in the backyards of houses in Detroit.

The Truth About ICP and Gangs

It’s often speculated by many that Insane Clown Posse’s history involved the members being in a gang at one point in time, or the band itself being its own gang. This label is false, but understandably confusing. Violent J had a stint with gang life in the late 80s, but threats to his family and a 90-day prison sentence scared him straight.

When asked about Insane Clown Posse’s history as a gang (media back in the 90s often associated any rappers as being parts of gangs, and apparently horror rappers were no exception), Violent J responded saying they weren’t much of a gang because they “always got their asses beat.”

Beyond the History of Insane Clown Posse’s Early Years

Since releasing their first album in 1992, ICP has gone on to rule the horror rap world and even be regularly referenced by the mainstream media. Insane Clown Posse’s history will evidence the band’s own horror rap music festival, the Gathering of the Juggalos, replete with a lineup of talented horror rap acts and other activities.

Insane Clown Posse’s fan base has a name for itself, the Juggalos. Insane Clown Posse’s history of horror rap releases has seen albums put out in their own independent Psychopathic Records label and major labels like Disney-owned Hollywood Records. Throughout Insane Clown Posse’s history they’ve even made three movies that have nothing to do with horror rap, and have been the subject of two documentaries.

They have an unprecedented line of merchandise in the realm of musical acts, (no act compares even outside of the horror rap world) all of it branded with their trademark horror rap branding.  Lastly, ICP might be the only band to constantly wear face paint, a move that has seen their legion of horror rap fans also wearing face paint at nearly every concert in Insane Clown Posse history.

As you can see, a glance into Insane Clown Posse’s history will show that ICP has gotten to where they are today chiefly through innovation, being true to themselves and their fans.
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This history of Insane Clown Posse is an underdog story filled with wrestling, spirituality, and even some gang involvement. To learn more about the History of Insane Clown Posse please visit the bands website at http://insaneclownposse.com/

Musicians these days have a very difficult time selling their music; most of it falls victim to piracy. That’s why it’s more important now than ever before to sell as much merchandise – shirts, posters, buttons, etc. – as humanly possible. Some bands are better at this than others, but one band stands above them all: Insane Clown Posse.
One of the most impressive things about the Insane Clown Posse isn’t their success, their hatchetman logo, their enormous Juggalo fan base, their own festival, their wrestling league or their expansive record label -- it’s their unprecedented line of merchandise, or ICP gear. That’s why artist merchandise like ICP’s gear is so important – it goes a long way in making up for lost revenue from illegally downloaded CDs.

Necessity of the Hatchetman

 

Merchandise is much easier to sell when there’s a recognizable brand or logo plastering the item. When people like associating with your brand, they’ll take every opportunity they can to do so. Most artists have logos built around their name, but nothing more.

What makes ICP exceptional is that they have a band name, an aptly named record label (Psychopathic Records), a name for their fans (Juggalos), and a maniacal cartoon (the hatchetman) to brand it all with. That’s why all of the Joker’s Card faces are so crucial to the success of Insane Clown Posse.

If it weren’t for Insane Clown Posse member Shaggy 2 Dope sitting down and sketching the now famous hatchetman logo on a napkin back when the band was just getting started, ICP gear would not have nearly the significance it does today.

Product Variety

 

Aside from having multiple brands, the objective for every band should be to have as many individual products to sell as possible. If we were to list all of the hatchetman-branded ICP gear items out, it would take up multiple pages. The fact is, Insane Clown Posse members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope realized the importance of diversifying their line of ICP gear early on, and today, there’s a multitude of ICP gear out there. 

ICP Gear Diversification

Yes, Insane Clown Posse has branded traditional items like clothing, jewelry and accessories with the hatchetman as part of their ICP gear line. And, also to be expected, ICP’s gear line is stocked with all of the music and other media like books and movies they’ve put out under the Insane Clown Posse name over the years.

Not to be expected -- and this is what makes them so unique among bands today – is the collectibles section they’ve built into the ICP gear line. Insane Clown Posse comic books and action figures based on characters in those comic books have become something that diehard Juggalos pine for regularly.

Insane Clown Posse have even gotten creative with their traditional ICP gear items like clothing, extending it to include items like backpacks, wallets, and school supplies. Back to branding, much of these items are stamped with a Joker’s Card face or the hatchetman. 

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Horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse have made a name for themselves not only in music, but also through their impressive merchandise line of ICP gear, mostly branded with the famous hatchetman and joker’s cards faces.  To learn more about ICP Gear or the hatchetman, please visit the band’s website at http://insaneclownposse.com/