How much do you know about the Insane Clown Posse? Like actually really know.
Outside of the stereotypes given to their rabid fan base (politely known as the Juggalos), their song “Miracles” which was ridiculed and made into countless memes, and the fact that they wear clown makeup; how much do you know about the Detroit-based rap duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope?
Not much, huh? But yet you still probably call their fan base a cesspool of hicks, their lyrics terrible and their clown makeup stupid. And you’d probably be right. However, the ICP are a lot smarter than you think and I for next 500 or so words will try to convince you so. I like a challenge.
Let’s start with ICP’s fan base. ICP’s fans meet every year in August in Cave-In-Rock, Ill. at the Gathering of the Juggalos. The Gathering is put on by Psychopathic Records, the independent label started by ICP that employs numerous horror-core, clown makeup wearing hip-hop acts that are similar to the ICP.
The number of attendees every year to this event? A little more than a hundred thousand; which is comparable to Electric Forest. And the Gathering has everything (for your entertainment please imagine SNL’s Stefon reading the next fragment): wrestling events, best tattoo competition, hottest jugalette competitions and Kansas City’s only known rapper Tech N9ne. Oh and drugs, a lot of drugs.
So how does this make the ICP geniuses? Simply put, the ICP made a fan group out of the depressed teenagers in high school. From the misunderstood suburbians to the goth to the wanksters, the ICP covers them all and welcomes them into their Juggalo family. Their music isn’t for the cool kids but that’s okay, because they’re going to make more money off of the guys picked on in high school instead.
Let’s talk lyrics. Most of you have probably heard their line “Fucking magnets\How do they work?” from “Miracles.” And yeah it’s terrible, as with every other lyric that wonders how DNA, space, and pets can be explained outside of just “MAGIC!” And I’m not going to try and find amazing lyrics from the ICP that show how genius and philosophical they are because I don’t have the time and I probably won’t find anything anyway.
Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope both dropped out of high school before they turned 16 and have spent some time in prison. They’re not master lyricists, but neither is Selena Gomez, Kanye West or any pop star you’re hearing on top-40 radio. They do well with what’s given them and were even influential enough in Detroit to have a beef with Eminem that started when he was a no-name until now.
However, I will say when a more talented rapper joins them on a song, then they seem even worse.
Case in point, ICP’s “When I’m Clowning” which features Danny Brown; NPR’s Jesse Thorn says it best with his tweet: “Advantage of having Danny Brown guest on your track: He’s great. Disadvantage: you have entered into an unwinnable game.” Womp womp whatever, ICP still makes that money.
I haven’t talked about the clown makeup but this is all I’m going to say; what’s the difference between their makeup and KISS’s makeup? Or Slash’s hat. Or Miley Cyrus’s twerking (sorry I had to). It’s their image, it’s who they are. Why change it?
So who is ICP? They are multi-millionaires with pursuits of their own music, their record label, their show on Fuse TV where they watch music videos (legitimately hilarious) and a rabid fanbase that is like a family.
No matter what you say about them, they are always in on the joke as evidenced by their appearances on Tosh.0, Mike O’Brien’s webshow “7 Minutes in Heaven” and 100 Ways to Die.
Most importantly, they created an empire by rapping like shit, selling shirts that say “Juggalo slut” and wearing clown makeup; if that’s not the American Dream then I don’t know what is.
God Bless America.
Are you Slim Shady? Yes, the real Shady. If you have a bone to pick with the ICP, email their groupie Michael at voloshin@wisc.edu so he can defend those clowns on his way to The Gathering.
