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Insane Clown Posse
Violent J (left) and Shaggy 2 Dope (right).
Violent J (left) and Shaggy 2 Dope (right).
Background information
Also known as ICP
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Genre(s) Hip hop Rap music
Years active 1989–Present
Label(s) Psychopathic Records
Website InsaneClownPosse.com
Members
Violent J (Joseph Bruce)
Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Ustler)
Former members
John Kickjazz (John Utsler)
D-Lyrical (Dale Miettinen Jr.)
Kid Villain (John Rode)
Greez-E_(Erik_Olson)

Insane Clown Posse is an American Horror Core / Rap / Hiphop Duo from Detroit. ICP's music style was been described as acid rap, horror core and "the wicked shit", as the duo uses horror imagery in their music and also speaks out against racism and conservatism. The duo Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope both dress as gangster demonic evil clowns and wear face paint. Despite the imagery and lyrics in their music, many ICP songs are set away from reality and are not meant to be taken seriously, the band themselves compare their gimmick to something out of Wrestling, the group also is known for their story telling in their songs and their jokes.

Besides being platinum selling artists and legends in the rap music scene not only from Detroit but now world-wide, ICP has grown huge with their label Psychopathic Records, they hold a gathering of the Juggalos (name for fans of ICP) event every year where their fans all over the world attend, they are also huge wrestling fans and are both amateur hardcore wrestlers, running their own independent wrestling circuit JCW (Juggalo Championship Wrestling) They also appeared on WWE Raw in the late 1990s when they rose to prominent fame, and Eidos Software created 2 wrestling video games based on the rappers as well as hardcore wrestling for PS2 and Xbox called "Backyard Wrestling" and "Backyard Wrestling 2" in the early 2000s

The Juggalo culture originated from Insane Clown Posse's fanbase and was further developed by other music acts on their record label, Psychopathic Records.

Biography

Early days[]

Main article: Inner City Posse

ICP originated as the gangsta rap group Inner City Posse, which was active under this name from 1989 to 1991. ICP debuted their new name and image in 1992. The act was originally a group of four members, but quickly became a 3-piece act when Kid Villain (John Rode) left and eventually became a duo in 1993, after original member John Kickjazz (John Utsler) left the group in 1993 and his replacement, Greez-E (Erik Olson) quit after only being in the group for a couple of months. ICP has remained a 2-piece ever since.

Joker's Cards[]

Main article: Joker's Card

ICP's debut concept album Carnival of Carnage (1992) marked the debut of the act's Dark Carnival mythology, which carried over a series of three decks of "Joker's cards," the first deck being produced in 2007, and the second deck never being completed. The first deck consists of six cards each. One card from the single deck is covered on two albums, separately discussing heaven, which ICP refers to as "Shangri-la". The group has also made "sideshow" EPs and LPs that are not a part of their "Joker's cards" series.

Music and lyrics[]

Main article: Insane Clown Posse's music style

The mythology of ICP's lyrics is built around a carnival which is a manifestation of a carnival, serving as a limbo in which the carnival entities pass judgment upon the recently deceased and serve out retribution towards evil humans, reflecting lyrically ICP's condemnation of racists, elitists, bigots, the greedy, child molesters, men who abuse their spouses and more.

ICP's recordings from 1992 to 1996 exhibit a sample-heavy hip hop sound, while their albums from 1997 to 2002 featured more live instrumentation and elements from rap metal, although this would be dropped from future recordings.


During their original incarnation as Inner City Posse, they co-founded with former manager Alex Abbiss their own record label, Psychopathic Records, which would since produce and release albums by other artists whose music would be shaped and overseen by Violent J, while allowing the artists themselves to handle their own marketing and artwork production, as ICP did.

Insane Clown Posse Top 10 Hits

  1. In My Room.
  2. Boogie Woogie Wu.
  3. My Axe.
  4. Hokus Pokus.
  5. Chop Chop Slide.
  6. Imma Kill U.
  7. To Catch a Predator.
  8. Halls Of Illusions.
  9. The Neden Game.
  10. Rainbows & Stuff.

Wrestling career[]

Main article: Juggalo Championship Wrestling

ICP are also professional wrestlers, having previously been backyard wrestlers before starting their music careers, and after wrestling for WWF and WCW, they formed their own wrestling federation, Juggalo Championship Wrestling.

Discography[]

Trivia[]

External links[]

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