You can’t consider yourself a real Juggalo if you haven’t heard by now that Insane Clown Posse will be releasing their 12th studio album, The Mighty Death Pop!, on August 14th, 2012. Of course, with the release of The Mighty Death Pop!, will come a new Joker’s card for all Juggalos and Juggalettes to explore. The most noteworthy fact about the Mighty Death Pop! Joker’s card so far is that it will be the second card in the second deck of Joker’s cards. However, that being said, it would appear so far that the second deck of Joker’s cards will not be that different than the first deck of cards, because card #1 in deck #2 of Joker’s cards dealt with the same themes known to Juggalos in the first deck of Joker’s cards. The Dark Carnival (mythology surrounding ICP albums and Joker’s cards) is without a doubt one of a kind. You’d be hard pressed to name five other artists that have designed their own mythology to attract new fans and keep them interested, as ICP has done with Juggalos. All cards to date, and presumably the Mighty Death Pop! Joker’s card, deal with themes of justice and repercussion for individual actions. ICP’s Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope express these messages in these forms because they know that medium is one which today’s fans will understand. Music fans of 2012, especially Juggalos, are in no mood to listen to preaching in music or otherwise. However, this clever approach gets Juggalos interested in the band’s message in an obsessive manner. They hope to continue this trend with The Mighty Death Pop!’s Joker’s card , something most Juggalos are salivating over. The first unique thing to note about Mighty Death Pop!’s Joker’s card is that there are two of them. Yes, The Mighty Death Pop! will be the first ICP album on which Juggalos can enjoy two separate cards. While the first Mighty Death Pop! card was nothing too unusual (face of an evil Jester), it looks more fierce than its predecessor in Bang! Boom! Pow!’s Joker’s card, a continuous explosion to clear evil souls out of carnival grounds. The Mighty Death Pop! card is more ornate as well, and if you can take that to mean they spent more time on Mighty Death Pop! than Bang! Boom! Pow!, that would be a positive as far as most Juggalos are concerned. The second Joker’s card revealed for The Mighty Death Pop! is another evil face on a ticking bomb. The unmistakable symbolism here is that Mighty Death Pop! is going to be more intense than previous albums, and probably blow up when it hits stores in August. This kind of tease from a card always gets Juggalos riled up and excited for the next release. Has it done so for you? Resource Box Joker’s cards are one of the most important staples in Juggalos’ appreciation of ICP. To view merchandise containing ICP’s past and present Joker’s cards, please visit http://hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
ICP’s The Wraith made big waves in the media when it was released 10 years ago, but not for the reasons you would expect. ICP’s The Wraith didn’t spread all over the Internet because it was the best horror rap album every written, and ICP’s The Wraith didn’t suddenly win over the critics that had been vilifying the group for years. What ICP’s The Wraith did do, however, was shed light on Insane Clown Posse’s Christian values for the first time ever. This was a bigger deal than normal because Insane Clown Posse and Christianity is the last collaboration any fan would have ever expected. Why is that? Because ICP’s The Wraith, just like any of their other albums, was a horror rap album. So who could have predicted these horror rap tycoons write a song that, while giving a glimpse into Insane Clown Posse’s Christian views, simultaneously announced that Insane Clown Posse and Christianity had been teamed up all along, just not blatantly like they were now? The results of this admittance were two fold: One, those Juggalos who loved ICP but not Insane Clown Posse + Christianity were quick to voice their disapproval. Many of those Juggalos who felt duped when ICP’s The Wraith was released decided right then and there that they were done with the group, and moved on. The second result was a little more interesting. Those who were fans of Insane Clown Posse and Christian deep down inside couldn’t have been more thrilled. They knew there was a reason they’d been drawn to the horror rap group all along, and couldn’t wait to join them in Shangri-La some day. So as you can see, ICP’s The Wraith was a polarizing record, as is the combination of Insane Clown Posse and Christianity in general. The question remains, will we see any more of this on future albums like The Mighty Death Pop!? ( The Mighty Death Pop! is slated for release 8/14/12.) For the time being, signs are pointing to no being the answer to that question. The Mighty Death Pop! (being released 10 years after ICP’s The Wraith) will be many things for sure, but Insane Clown Posse’s Christian morals will probably be far away. Why do I say this? Because both Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have talked about The Mighty Death Pop! being a way for them to respond to the crazy Juggalo and ICP hate that’s been pervasive in recent years. That’s probably not with Christian light. You knew they were serious about making a damn good record when they vowed to not smoke any cannabis during The Mighty Death Pop!’s production. There’s little question as to whether or not Insane Clown Posse and Christian values are still aligned on same level—some angry fans isn’t enough to change that. But, the chances that those morals will be aired on The Mighty Death Pop! or any future ICP album are slim. Resource Box The Mighty Death Pop! will hit shelves in August 2012. But being 10 years after Insane Clown Posse and Christianity we’re anointed through ICP’s The Wraith, will The Mighty Death Pop! bring back any of the Christian message? To learn more about The Mighty Death Pop! or ICP’s The Wraith, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
Throughout ICP’s entire career, they’ve been ridiculed for being different, and often times harshly so. But at the same time, this renegade streak is the very reason ICP is the global horror rap juggernaut they are today. But does the constant public ridicule ever get to their heads? Is there ever a point when Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope will say “enough is enough, let’s write some mainstream music?” It hasn’t happened yet, and it will probably never happen, but one of the closest instances had to have been during the time two years ago when Insane Clown Posse on SNL garnered much in the way of unwanted attention directed towards the song “Miracles” by ICP. It all started when Insane Clown Posse and SNL (Saturday Night Live) got to know each other through a spoof SNL had conducted about the song “Miracles” by ICP. “Miracles” by ICP is a song in which the guys rhyme about the mystifying world we live in. How do magnets work? Where to Zebras and Giraffes come from? Despite the fact that science has answered most of the questions put forth in “Miracles” by ICP, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope decide to spend life wondering instead. Where’s the mystery in life if you know all the answers? The Insane Clown Posse on SNL skit involved SNL comedians asking more ridiculous questions than J and Dope did in the original version of “Miracles” by ICP, and yes, when Insane Clown Posse on SNL was filmed, the comedians impersonating J and Dope were indeed wearing the trademark Juggalo face paint. “Miracles” by ICP was intended to be a serious song that opened the minds of Juggalos everywhere, but when Insane Clown Posse on SNL aired, it was spoofed to make the guys look uneducated, to put it lightly. Whatever the fall out may have been from Insane Clown Posse on SNL, or any other spoofing of “Miracles” by ICP done by other outlets, one questions remains: With new album Mighty Death Pop! slated for release this August, will ICP go a different route? Both Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J have made it known how seriously they are taking the recording process of Mighty Death Pop! In fact, both have vowed to not smoke cannabis at all during the Mighty Death Pop! recording process, which to some signals a change in direction. The tone of the album sounds different than “Miracles” by ICP already. Insane Clown Posse and SNL might not work together on Mighty Death Pop! Are they trying to make Mighty Death Pop! a smart album after “Miracles” by ICP was so heavily ostracized? Are they concerned that they lost a little credibility after Insane Clown Posse on SNL went viral online? Only time will tell – Mighty Death Pop! drops in 6 months! Resource Box “Miracles” by ICP was made fun of on Saturday Night Live 2 years ago, but was it severe enough to make ICP rethink their artistic direction with Mighty Death Pop? Could Insane Clown Posse’s SNL spoof change their sound on Mighty Death Pop? To learn more about Insane Clown Posse, their merchandise and Mighty Death Pop!, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
Mighty Death Pop is on its way out this May. Mighty Death Pop implies many things in the title, but the most obvious is that Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope hope the album to be a cog in the wheel of pop’s destruction. But while Juggalos and Juggalettes are pondering the meaning behind Insane Clown Posse’s new album’s title, this writer wouldn’t be surprised if Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope themselves, and Psychopathic Record label executives, weren’t secretly fretting over Mighty Death Pop sales. But could they fix this with ICP free songs? The musical landscape has changed a lot since the last time an Insane Clown Posse new album came out. Fans of most music are no longer interested in purchasing whole albums like Mighty Death Pop. Instead, our music market has turned into a singles culture, one where individual songs off Insane Clown Posse’s new album are destined to be more successful than Insane Clown Posse’s new album alone. A gloomier prognosis would be that our music market has turned into a free music culture, where ICP free songs would be taken more than anything with a price tag. In fact, many music industry experts would probably recommend that Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope release ICP free songs before the release of Mighty Death Pop. Doing so would undoubtedly generate some buzz around the Mighty Death Pop release, and put new music in the hands of Juggalos who have been more than hungry for Insane Clown Posse’s new album to arrive. 3 years ago, when Insane Clown Posse’s new album was not Mighty Death Pop, but instead Bang! Boom! Pow! was Insane Clown Posse’s new album, suggesting that ICP free songs be included on the new release would have been received poorly. But that’s because there hadn’t been enough time for the marketing minds in the music industry to properly process the power this idea could have. Think about it. People like free things, and music is no exception. So when ICP free songs are released to run wild on the Internet, fans are going to swallow them up, and this act is going to lead to more and more and more fans doing the exact same. With their appetites just barely wetted for Insane Clown Posse’s new album with this ICP free songs experiment, Juggalos would be rabid for more to come on the actual Insane Clown Posse new album. Make sense? Whether ICP’s management will take any risks like unleashing some ICP free songs when marketing Mighty Death Pop remains to be seen, but the bigger risk would not be trying anything innovative at all when marketing Mighty Death Pop. Here’s to hoping someone gives it a try! Resource Box Mighty Death Pop is slated for release in May 2012, whether or not ICP free songs come out in advance of Insane Clown Posse’s new album release. To learn more about Insane Clown Posse’s new album and associated merchandise, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
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. -- 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. -- 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/
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