Insane Clown Posse

That's right. I like the Insane Clown Posse.

First of all, chill out. I don't own all of their albums; Just 3 of them. I don't obsess over Faygo soda - I don't even think it's very good. There is not a single "Hatchet Man" logo to be found on anything I own, or tattooed on any part of my body. It would be almost impossible to classify me as a Juggalo. In fact, I don't even put that label on myself.

I don't agree with most of their lyrics, and I don't think that they're very good, on a technical musical level. I just think a handful of their songs are about scenarios so outlandishly absurd that they make me laugh.

And I respect the hell out of J and Shags for becoming one of the most successful underground bands of all time.

Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope

For about 10 years, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope wrote rap songs about the coming of the "Dark Carnival," explaining that the truth would come upon the release of their sixth "Joker Card" album. They received no promotion from their original record company (which, interestingly, was owned by the Walt Disney Corporation), forcing the tandem to found their own record label, Psychopathic Records.

Between messages about the Dark Carnival, J and Shaggy rapped about death, murder, rape, sex, life in the ghetto, necrophilia, misogyny, cutting people with hatchets, their supernatural origins, and some of the most absurd, twisted, bizarre content you could imagine.

In 2002, "The Wraith: Shangri-La" was released, and on the song, "Thy Unveiling," Violent J revealed that the "Dark Carnival" was God, and the two were Christians. And they weren't sorry if they tricked you.

That's right. Two jackasses in clown make-up spent nearly a decade gathering the loners and outcasts of society and gave them a family to which they could belong. And when the Juggalo family were ready to hear the revelation, ICP admitted that the whole thing was a way for them to say, "We went through some shit, and God helped us get through it. We think he can help you, too."

I dunno about you, but I think it takes a hell of a lot of personal conviction and faith to do that. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope risked absolutely everything that they had to make themselves into a success, with everything working against them. They received no promotion from radio stations or MTV, meaning any success they've had has been through word-of-mouth. The duo spent years putting all of their money into their music and albums. As proof, that's why they had dreadlocks in the earlier part of their career - They stopped buying shampoo or getting hair cuts, because they put THAT MUCH of their money into their belief that they could become a success.

And to risk what success they managed to garner by basically telling their followers, "Oh, by the way? Everything we've told you about over the last 8 albums? We pretty much believe the exact opposite of that." Seriously, they could have been done and buried overnight with that revelation.

And, a lot of Juggalos bailed after the revelation that the "Dark Carnival" was God. They felt hurt and betrayed. Others jumped on board and dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ and the betterment of the world. That's pretty impressive.

Look, I co-own a business, and even *I* don't have that much conviction in what I do. From a pure business standpoint, ICP have achieved what so many dream of and only the smallest bit of the population ever receive: The ability to do pretty much whatever they want, and get paid for it.

And if you don't like that I laugh at ICP lyrics or respect their success, I don't particularly care. These are, after all, two grown men in clown make-up and hockey jerseys. It's not like you should be taking anything they do or say all that seriously, anyways.