Insane Clown Posse

About Insane Clown Posse

It takes a certain kind of music fan to understand the unprecedented cult appeal of the prolific rap duo Insane Clown Posse. The violent, nihilistic music takes the piss out of absolutely everything while also calling for unity among the disenfranchised. With their twin messages of hope and anger, Insane Clown Posse have gone on to inspire a literal army of fans (juggalos and juggalettes) and the rappers have used their albums to create a convoluted carnival mythology that only the most obsessive listener can keep track of. Insane Clown Posse, or ICP as they're commonly referred to, is made up of the two MC's Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler.) During their famously chaotic live rap-rock performances, ICP wear full clown makeup and often set up a bizarre, theatrical stage show that would impress legendary splatter-rockers GWAR. Insane Clown Posse grew out of the local Michigan hip hop crew Inner City Posse in the late-1980's. An integral part of the ICP mythos is that, after Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope decided to collaborate musically in 1991, Violent J had a vivid dream of an apocalyptic carnival lead by a clown spirit holding six cards. Since then, Insane Clown Posse have considered their music career to be "the journey of the dark carnival", with their major albums representing the cards held by the clown spirit. Each of these Jokers Card albums bears the chilling inscription "After All Six Have Risen The End Of Time Will Consume Us All." The Jokers Card series took ICP ten years to complete, and albums in the series are; Carnival of Carnage, The Ringmaster, Riddle Box, The Great Milenko, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers and the two-part final chapter The Wraith: Shangri-La and The Wraith: Hell's Pit. Insane Clown Posse have had hit singles with "Halls of Illusions", "Hokus Pokus" and "Another Love Song." During their lengthy career, Insane Clown Posse's long list of collaborators has included Alice Cooper, 2 Live Crew, Kid Rock, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Snoop Dogg, Tech N9ne and guitar god Slash.