In its 30+ year history, rap has come along way. It’s gone from being an insignificant micro genre to one that’s enjoyed heavily all around the world. It’s gotten so big that it has many sub genres of it’s own at this point, and is blanketing enough to exist in the mainstream and underground.

If underground rap is one of your favorite types of music, then there are other types of rap and hip hop out there that you’ll probably enjoy as well, one of which being horror rap. If you like horror rap, then you’re automatically a fan of horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse.

Insane Clown Posse’s Horror Rap Roots

 

If you know anything about the Insane Clown Posse, it’s that they don’t come anywhere close to mainstream sounds in any of their horror rap music. From the beginning, Detroit’s Insane Clown Posse (originally Inner City Posse) has been rooted in underground rap, choosing to rhyme about underground rap / horror rap themes revolving around violence, death, evil, Satan, suicide, and more.

Insane Clown Posse Dark Carnival Mythology

But there’s more to Insane Clown Posse than their brutal lyrics. For one, they have an entire mythology surrounding their work called the dark carnival. This concept of a limbo period before departed souls are dumped to hell is weaved throughout all of Insane Clown Posse’s albums.

While many underground rappers can claim insider themes for their die-hard fans, few if any have the same complexity and allure of horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse’s dark carnival and subsequent Joker’s Cards. No, these aren’t the same useless Joker’s Cards in your standard 52-card deck, they’re synonymous with the albums Insane Clown Posse releases and each contain insight into the band’s moral philosophies.

Insane Clown Posse Costumes

Another thing underground rap lacks in comparison to Insane Clown Posse’s brand of horror rap? The costumes. Horror rap acts can be spotted a mile away in their trademark evil clown face paint, a style that without doubt adds mystique to their performances. If traditional underground rapper garb isn’t hellacious enough for you, check out an Insane Clown Posse concert and see what you’re missing.

Gathering of the Juggalos and Juggalo Family

While some of the above mentioned comparisons, there is one aspect of Insane Clown Posse’s horror rap family that knows no comparison: the annual Gathering of the Juggalos horror rap music festival. Can any mainstream or underground rapper out there say they have their own music festival? Or beyond that, their own music festival created by its own record label? We think not.

And as any Juggalo will tell you, Juggalos far and wide share a family mentality and bond that’s competitive with that of any artist around.

So if you’re tired of the same old underground rap and are looking for something new and refreshing, try the Insane Clown Posse. With family ties, face paint, mythology and a huge annual festival, Insane Clown Posse and their horror rap brand of music is if nothing else at least guaranteed to bring a breath of fresh air.

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Insane Clown Posse is an underground rap duo consisting of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. They are one of the most unique bands in America. To learn more horror rap, underground rap or Insane Clown Posse visit ICP's website at http://insaneclownposse.com/