Every genre has its marquee album. You know, the album that made a name for the genre and its performing artists. For horror rap, that album is arguably Riddlebox by ICP. No one will deny the fact that most horror rap heads (now known as Juggalos) were quite familiar with the genre and Insane Clown Posse before ICP’s Riddlebox was released, but Riddlebox by ICP is important because it’s the album that introduced much of the wider world past Juggalos to horror rap. As Violent J put it back then, Riddlebox was "all the records we had done … rolled into one single effort." That insightful quote says a lot—perhaps ICP’s Riddlebox was the record that broke them to an audience past Juggalos because they treated it as such going in. Remember, up until this point, horror rap had existed solely as an underground genre situated mostly in the Midwest. Once Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope started treating their horror rap art as a movement that could reach the entire nation, they started to take off. What’s also interesting about ICP’s Riddlebox is the fact that they managed to breakout of their geographical niche while retaining the respect of die hard Juggalos that had been there since the beginning. Often times, artists only blow up because they sell out. That is, they deliberately write songs that appeal to a larger number of people just for the monetary success it will bring them. Not the case with ICP’s Riddlebox, and that’s why Juggalos respect ICP to this day. They’ve never wavered from their horror rap roots. ICP’s Riddlebox stayed true to the Joker’s Card legacy started in their earlier albums. The Joker’s Card for Riddlebox by ICP is indeed a jack in the box that determines whether the dead will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Just like past Joker’s Cards, this jack in the box aligns with horror rap themes of judgment and retribution. Additionally, as is protocol with all Joker’s Cards, if the jack in the box deems you’re fit for hell, how it sends you there is graphic to say the least. And Juggalos like imagery of gore. However, that’s not the most important thing that Juggalos like. The thing that unites Juggalos isn’t always strictly horror rap, or the violent rhymes in their favorite artists’ verses. Instead, it’s a feeling of being misunderstood, just like ICP has been their entire career. I mention this because it came to a head with the release of ICP’s Riddlebox. When the labels showed little interest in promoting Riddlebox by ICP, what did ICP do? They promoted the album themselves independently in local record shops, selling plenty. This example of the band walking the walk transparently with their own album really helped Juggalos solidify their love for horror rap, and its creators. Resource Box ICP’s Riddlebox holds a special place in Juggalos’ hearts because it was the album that broke horror rap, their favorite genre of music, to the wider world. To learn more about horror rap, Juggalos fashion, or merchandise pertaining to ICP’s Riddlebox, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
How ICP Concerts at The Gathering Have Evolved
The Gathering of the Juggalos is a mecca for fans of horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse. Once a year, this gigantic festival that features a handful of ICP concerts and an enormous number of other horror rap performances takes a Midwestern location by storm, as Juggalos in the tens of thousands arrive for 4 days of horror rap music, friendships that can only be made at The Gathering, and the best ICP concerts of the year. There’s much about The Gathering that draws in Juggalos from around the world: helicopter rides, Ms. Juggalette beauty pageants, Faygo showers, oil wrestling, partying, and of course the intense concentration of the world’s best horror rappers all giving concerts in the same place at the same time. But would Juggalos still flock to The Gathering if there was no ICP concert involved? Of course the ICP concert isn’t the only good thing about The Gathering, but it is the one event that Juggalos most look forward to every year. Has it always been this way? The Gathering first took place in the year 2000, and the ICP concerts there were indoors. Many Juggalos today undoubtedly prefer the outdoor festival settings as opposed to the indoor settings back then, but seeing how it was early in The Gathering’s existence, it’s safe to say that Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope hadn’t become festival planning experts yet. However, even though the outdoor setting may be preferable for those who wish to roam about freely, enjoy the weather, and see other groups perform The Gathering, it’s impossible to replicate the epic feeling of an indoor ICP concert. Check out some of the footage from The Gatherings that took place indoors in the early ‘00s if you don’t believe me. An arena packed full of Juggalos in every direction gives the event a greater magnitude than can be achieved in the outdoor setting. Also, the stage for the indoor ICP concerts were enormous, and the guys used some creative thinking power to devise awesome sets and stage plots to take advantage. If you were a Juggalo in the front row at any of The Gatherings that were indoors, not only did you get to witness the acting and storylines come to life in front of your very eyes, but you also had the treat of getting sprayed with truckloads of Faygo, having the bottles launched off mini trampolines into the crowd, and seeing the fervor of other Juggalos and ICP members up close and personal. The indoor ICP concert advantage is also helped along by the fact the Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope were younger and more energetic back then, a fact that while slightly sobering, does not mean that the level of performance from Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J isn’t amazing for their age and history. When Juggalos attend the ICP concert at The Gathering in 2012, however, you will be in for a treat. This year’s festival takes place just days before the release of ICP’s first album in three years, The Mighty Death Pop! The guys are going to be playing songs from it and making sure you have a good enough time that you go and buy their album ASAP. Something tells me it will be just like the old days of ICP concerts at The Gathering! Resource Box Juggalos wait anxiously for the ICP concert at The Gathering every year, and the guys never disappoint. This year, they’ll be hyping up new release The Mighty Death Pop! to the maximum. To learn more about The Mighty Death Pop! and The Gathering, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Best ICP Apparel and other Insane Clown Posse Stuff
Best is a subjective term when referring to music, which is one reason it’s so great. One person can think a band or song is great, and another person might think that song or band is the worst thing they’ve ever heard. There’s no science to what’s good or bad in music (regardless of what some theorists and tech entrepreneurs tell you), so everyone is free to enjoy whatever they want, including Juggalos. Juggalos are no different with the ICP material they love or hate, but because ICP’s cult following is so strong, it’s rare that Juggalos come across an ICP release they don’t absolutely love. But can the same be said for clothing like ICP’s apparel? What about other Insane Clown Posse stuff like stickers and pins? Where does subjectivity come into play here? When browsing the online ICP apparel store, hatchetgear.com, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that there is a sea of Insane Clown Posse stuff for Juggalos to choose from. Clothing, books, DVDs, bags, you name it. If a Juggalo would want it, it’s here. Let’s start with the basic ICP apparel – shirts. Concert and band shirts have been around just as long as the concert and band have. Ever since the modern concert blew up in popularity in the late 50s and early 60s, collecting that unique concert t-shirt has almost invariably been part of the concert-going experience. The same can be said for Juggalos who attend ICP shows and gather Insane Clown Posse stuff – ICP apparel from Gathering of the Juggalos and all other ICP events is highly collectible. Inside the ICP apparel store online, one can view each merch item individually. The shirts jump out on top, and at least on page 1, one can see just how creative the guys are with their ICP apparel. The first shirt is a Dark Lotus shirt depicting some sort of growling monster, the next an ICP shirt that is a sport shirt, followed by ICP shirts with different sleeve lengths and colors. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope want Juggalos to know how diverse their ICP apparel product offering is. You have to click through a couple pages before getting to the ICP shirts that are ICP-album specific, but they’re there. With all that said, the coolest piece of ICP apparel would have to be the blaze orange ICP old school family t-shirt, featuring an old picture of the group on stage and a hatchetman on the back. And it’s orange! Aside from the shirts, this online store offers much in the way of general Insane Clown Posse stuff for the hungry Juggalo. To get a good idea of what Insane Clown Posse stuff I’m talking about, take a look at the accessories section in the online store. My favorite item here are the sunglasses. Who would have thought of ever designing Insane Clown Posse stuff for sun protection? Who knows, but it’s there, and is probably sold in large amounts to Juggalos at the annual Gathering of the Juggalos festival. What is your favorite piece of ICP apparel? What about general Insane Clown Posse stuff? Do tell in the comments! Resource Box Insane Clown Posse stuff is almost as ubiquitous as the band is. To learn more about it and which insane clown posse stuff is best, visit their online store, http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html
The Best ICP Apparel and other Insane Clown Posse Stuff
Juggalos are no different with the ICP material they love or hate, but because ICP’s cult following is so strong, it’s rare that Juggalos come across an ICP release they don’t absolutely love. But can the same be said for clothing like ICP’s apparel? What about other Insane Clown Posse stuff like stickers and pins? Where does subjectivity come into play here?
When browsing the online ICP apparel store, hatchetgear.com, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that there is a sea of Insane Clown Posse stuff for Juggalos to choose from. Clothing, books, DVDs, bags, you name it. If a Juggalo would want it, it’s here.
Let’s start with the basic ICP apparel – shirts. Concert and band shirts have been around just as long as the concert and band have. Ever since the modern concert blew up in popularity in the late 50s and early 60s, collecting that unique concert t-shirt has almost invariably been part of the concert-going experience. The same can be said for Juggalos who attend ICP shows and gather Insane Clown Posse stuff – ICP apparel from Gathering of the Juggalos and all other ICP events is highly collectible.
Inside the ICP apparel store online, one can view each merch item individually. The shirts jump out on top, and at least on page 1, one can see just how creative the guys are with their ICP apparel. The first shirt is a Dark Lotus shirt depicting some sort of growling monster, the next an ICP shirt that is a sport shirt, followed by ICP shirts with different sleeve lengths and colors.
Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope want Juggalos to know how diverse their ICP apparel product offering is. You have to click through a couple pages before getting to the ICP shirts that are ICP-album specific, but they’re there. With all that said, the coolest piece of ICP apparel would have to be the blaze orange ICP old school family t-shirt, featuring an old picture of the group on stage and a hatchetman on the back. And it’s orange!
Aside from the shirts, this online store offers much in the way of general Insane Clown Posse stuff for the hungry Juggalo. To get a good idea of what Insane Clown Posse stuff I’m talking about, take a look at the accessories section in the online store. My favorite item here are the sunglasses. Who would have thought of ever designing Insane Clown Posse stuff for sun protection? Who knows, but it’s there, and is probably sold in large amounts to Juggalos at the annual Gathering of the Juggalos festival.
What is your favorite piece of ICP apparel? What about general Insane Clown Posse stuff? Do tell in the comments!
Resource Box
Insane Clown Posse stuff is almost as ubiquitous as the band is. To learn more about it and which insane clown posse stuff is best, visit their online store, http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Show Your ICP Juggalo Love With ICP Merchandise
You’re a so proclaimed ICP Juggalo, but how do you show your Juggalo love to the world. Sure, you listen to all the music, and own every ICP album you can get your hands on. You may even make it out to every ICP Juggalo event, but do you advertise your Juggalo love for this band and what they stand for? You may be wondering how you can advertise your Juggalo love short of shouting it from rooftops and posting it all over Facebook and Twitter. While these are also perfectly acceptable forms of advertising, there are easier ways to show this love to the world.
The first way to show that you are a true ICP Juggalo is to wear ICP shirts. There are a huge variety of shirts available that leave no doubt that you are a true ICP Juggalo through and through. These shirts aren’t just for play either, you can get yourself short sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts , sweatshirts and even dress shirts. This will ensure that everywhere you go, people are aware of your Juggalo love.
Another great idea for advertising your ICP Juggalo status would be to load up on ICP Juggalo accessories. You can get everything from backpacks and purses, to belt buckles and patches. There are even sick sunglasses with the ICP or Insane Clown Posse logo on the frame. For those times when you just don’t have any clean ICP Juggalo shirts clean, you will still be able to proudly display your Juggalo love with these unbelievable accessories!
As you can see, there are many ways to show your Juggalo love with ICP Juggalo merchandise. You may be asking where you can find this plethora of sick merchandise. All of this ICP merchandise can easily be viewed and purchased from the comfort of your home just by visiting the Hatchet Gear online store at: http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html. So what are you waiting for? Start showing your Juggalo love now!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Meaning Behind ICP’s “17 Dead”
At first glance, the song “17 Dead” by Insane Clown Posse might appear to Juggalettes and Juggalos to be about some sort of killing spree or other massacre. It could refer to a shooting, or a bad car accident, or a 17 year old who died. However, it is none of the above. ICP’s “17 Dead” is really just another one of the group’s morbid horror rap songs that Juggalos and Juggalettes can’t get enough of. Consider the following “17 Dead” excerpt when looking for meaning in “17 Dead.” I woke up next to a dead body / roll it out the way and jump out of bed / strap on my kicks and step out of my room / cuz somehow there’s another stiff in the bathroom / dead fucks all over the grass / I’m a kick somebody in they dead ass. It’s difficult to determine if the guys in ICP are trying to portray themselves as the murderers of these 17 dead or if they’re just observing the aftermath of some massacre that left 17 dead. So if that’s really all there is to “17 Dead”, then why is the song such a hit with Juggalos and Juggalettes. The answer is simple. Juggalos and Juggalettes are fans of more than just ICP; they’re also fans of ICP’s genre of music – horror rap. And horror rap is filled with these types of rhymes and verses, that’s kind of the point. Don’t ever assume that ICP’s J and Shaggy 2 Dope are serious when writing lyrics like this for Juggalos and Juggalettes, they think it’s nothing more than fun and games to write gruesome lyrics, and their Juggalo and Juggalette fans feel the same way. Nothing to get bent out of shape over! However, the astute Juggalos and Juggalettes reading this will know that there is some reasoning to part of the title in “17 Dead”, the number 17. That number wasn’t chosen randomly, instead it’s a very important number in Juggalo and Juggalette culture. You see, 17 dead was the number of records that ICP sold on the first day their first album, Carnival of Carnage, was released. It goes without saying that 17 copies isn’t much, but I’m sure the guys wouldn’t have really cared how many they sold on that first day if they knew how many copies of all their albums they would be selling 20+ years later to adoring Juggalos and Juggalettes! If you look closely, you’ll see mentions of the number 17 in many ICP songs, and sometimes the numbers mentioned, if not 17, add up to 17 when combined. So remember, just because horror rap isn’t known for its metaphors or hidden symbolism doesn’t mean that innovative groups like ICP will slip a little clue into their music every once in a while! It’s this kind of tactic that keeps Juggalos and Juggalettes glued to every ICP release for a long, long time. Resource Box Insane Clown Posse has written many gory songs over the course of their career, songs like “17 Dead”. To learn more about ICP’s songs like “17 Dead”, please visit http://insaneclownposse.com.
What is Hip Hop? Dissecting the Umbrella and one of its Sub-Genres
Everybody and their mother knows the answer to the question, “What is hip hop?” That’s what happens when people ask “What is hip hop?” for 30 years – eventually it will reach saturation, for better or worse. But while most of the world is fixated on this umbrella genre, there are many lesser-known micro-genres that have sprouted up in the same time period. After all, when people keep asking “what is hip hop?”, some are not going to be satisfied with the answer and venture out to make their own version of the now famous genre. Juggalos certainly weren’t satisfied. Thanks to the musical innovators of the world, one such micro-genre with obsessive Juggalo fans is that of horror rap. What is hip hop in its purest form? The genre largely consists of synthesized drum beats and instrument samples that are looped in frequencies of 2, 4, or 8 measures. Sometimes the pattern changes up for a chorus, but more often they stay the same throughout. The trademark of hip hop is, however, in the vocal stylings. Hip hop artists do not sing, they rap, or talk quickly and rhythmically over the music described above. Content can range from heavy to light, but most popular hip hop is on the light side. The darkest content in hip hop belongs to that in the micro genre of horror rap, lapped up by Juggalos. What is hip hop’s relation to horror rap? Horror rap is a hip hop micro-genre that separates itself with dark, sometimes even morbid, lyrical content. The most noted act to have success with horror rap is Detroit horror rap outfit Insane Clown Posse. One look at the evil clown face paint, listen to the disturbing lyrics, or experience with Juggalos at one of the group’s famous live concerts and you’ll have a very thorough understanding of what horror rap. Analyzing this style of music would lead one to believe that, when unsatisfied with the typical answer to “what is hip hop?”, the horror rap founders believed it could be darker and less focused on care-free topics like materialism and braggadocio. What is hip hop’s fan base like compared to horror rap’s fan base? To start, the horror rap fan base (consisting primarily of Juggalos) is much smaller than that of general mainstream hip hop. Horror rappers appeal to their Juggalo fan base primarily through their content and legend, but also through interesting add-ons like mythology, customized horror rap music festivals, a family feeling, etc. What is hip hop and what are horror rap are two very different questions, the answers to both would best be explained by a demonstration of their various live settings. Juggalos and normal hip hop heads are very different people. What is hip hop’s life span? Time will tell, but good mainstream hip hop, the kind that the genre’s founders had in mind, hasn’t been on top of the charts in a decade, while horror rap is growing rapidly. Perhaps Juggalos could see a switch in the genres’ fortunes soon! Resource Box Hip hop is a major musical form that has been around since the mid 1970s, and has given birth to micro genres such as horror rap, the genre preferred by Juggalos. To learn more about horror rap and Juggalos, please visit http://insaneclownposse.com
What Rare ICP Do Juggalos Like the Most?
Before we pose the question, it’s best to define just what media type is being referred to with the term rare ICP. Because there are rare ICP merchandise items, rare ICP footage, rare ICP music, and other rare ICP or horror rap material in general, the media type is an important distinguisher. Let’s begin with Rare ICP footage. This could mean concert footage, backstage footage, footage of the guys just hanging out before they were famous, or maybe even footage of the guys hanging out with members of their Juggalo fan base or Psychopathic Records’ horror rap entourage. Some of the coolest rare ICP footage out there is of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope just being themselves. There’s a couple videos of J putting Shaggy 2 Dope’s makeup on for him before he learned to do it himself back in the early 90s, and one exceptionally rare video of the guys writing music in producer Mike E. Clark’s bedroom studio in 1994, without makeup or any other usual ICP horror rap decorations. That video only has 14,000 views on YouTube, has it been overlooked by Juggalos looking for rare Insane Clown Posse footage? Probably! To Juggalos, or any fan of horror rap in general for that matter, the most inspiring thing about all the rare ICP footage is that it proves Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope haven’t changed one bit since they started in the early 90s. The rare ICP interviews will prove that their philosophy is still the same, and they were just as invigorated about it then as they are today. They still stick up for the less fortunate, and have never forgotten their roots. On top of that, there’s some excellent rare ICP footage taken by Juggalos themselves, and not by a TV network or ICP insider. For example, a rare ICP concert footage google search will turn up fan-generated video of waiting outside in line for the group’s horror rap concerts, and some times even from inside the venue when the horror rap performers were actually performing. Another inspiring thing about these Juggalo generated videos – they show that the Juggalo has not evolved since the early 90s either. Juggalos are still as madly passionate about ICP as they were in the early 90s, the only thing that’s changed is their age and the number of them in existence. Older Juggalos who may have retired from the horror rap scene would undoubtedly be impressed by the fervor that Juggalos still show in 2012, just like they did 20 years ago in 1991. Rare ICP merchandise, while not as revealing per se, is still extremely valuable to Juggalos and all who follow the horror rap game. The Hollywood Records version of ICP’s 1995 release Great Milenko is rare because it was only on shelves for 6 hours before the record label realized what kind of music ICP was and pulled it. Another cool merch item is the Carnival of Carnage Crew BMX Jersey. ICP rolling papers and old, colorful t-shirts are other highly sought after rare ICP items for Juggalos. Resource Box Horror rap enthusiasts will find some pretty appealing gems if they Google “Rare ICP.” To learn more about horror rap, Juggalos, and all things rare ICP, please visit http://insaneclownposse.com.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Insane Clown Posse’s Horror Rap – Christianity Connection
Monday, December 5, 2011
How Do I Dress Like a Hot Juggalette?
Juggalos are among the most colorful musical subcultures going today. To explain simply what they are, juggalos are devoted fans first and foremost of the Detroit horrorcore rap duo Insane Clown Posse. ICP is known for performing in clown makeup as their name indicates, and many of their songs have a circus theme. The term "juggalos" first came during an impromptu performance of the ICP song "The Juggla," when the group members called their audience "juggalos" during an impromptu ad lib. The term "juggalos" stuck, and it's become a rallying cry for these devoted fans. Juggalos are also fans of other artists on ICP's Psychopathic Records, as well as similar underground rap and hard rock acts. They favor a unique style influenced by hip-hop, as well as a grab-bag of other underground subcultures. Unlike other hip-hop subcultures, juggalos often sport rock-influenced hairstyles and wear bright colors and ICP-inspired face paint. Most interestingly about juggalos as a group is the high visibility of females in the subculture. They're known as juggalettes, and they come in all stripes. You're equally likely to encounter a hot juggalette who emphasizes her sexiness, or a group of tough juggalettes who are proudly tomboyish. For juggalettes, just like male juggalos, individuality is key and almost anything goes. But how can you dress like the juggalettes? First, you should probably attend a local event where you might be likely to encounter other juggalettes, like a concert by ICP or another similar group. If that's not possible, you can look up pictures of juggalettes online or befriend some online through forums and social networks. Once you look around for photos of juggalettes, you'll see that there are no hard-and-fast rules. Juggalettes may even change their dress style from day to day depending on how they feel or what side of themselves they want to express. If you want to dress like a hot juggalette, though, there are a few basics you can master. Casual days are the easiest. To hang out every day, juggalettes might just choose baggy hip-hop style jeans, a T-shirt of ICP or another Psychopathic Records group, and maybe a treasured Psychopathic charm necklace. Concerts and gatherings may call for a more hot juggalette look. There are a few variations here. A hot juggalette might again choose baggy jeans, but instead pair them with a sexier small top. For a hot juggalette look, short, pleated skirts are also a popular choice. Often these are paired with knee socks and a collared shirt for a schoolgirl type of hot juggalette outfit. Other times, this might be paired with a mesh or lace top for a more goth or raver-influenced look. Also important to a hot juggalette look is your hair. Some juggalettes favor bright, crazy, colorful hairdos made up of tiny braids or huge ponytails augmented by fake hair. You might dye your hair a crazy unnatural color. Other juggalettes prefer a more traditional feminine style with long, shiny hair. Either is fine and up to you. Finally to top off your hot juggalette outfit, you might try ICP-style face paint. This is a popular look among juggalettes for big concerts and gatherings. You'll need grease paint rather than regular face makeup, and you should experiment with your design a few times to get it right. Just as with every other element of your hot juggalette outfit, there are no set rules and you should let your personal creativity flow. Resource Box Of course, the epicenter of the juggalos' subculture is Insane Clown Posse. To learn more about these leaders of juggalos and juggalettes, visit the official Insane Clown Posse web site at http://www.insaneclonwposse.com. There you'll find the latest news on concerts and other gatherings where you'll encounter other juggalos and juggalettes.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Preparing for Your Favorite Music Festival
If you’re smart, you can combine both ideas into one and throw an artist-curated, themed music festival that gives more bang for buck than any other option. Insane Clown Posse was so ahead of the game on this one that they’ve been doing it for twelve years!
Why Gathering of the Juggalos is so Popular
There are many things that made Insane Clown Posse’s Gathering of the Juggalos horror rap soiree different from every other major music festival in 2011, primarily its deliberately underground nature. This music festival’s predominant genre of music is that of horror rap, a genre very rare in mainstream music -- just the way Insane Clown Posse members and Juggalos want it.
Aside from the general sound booked at the Insane Clown Posse music festival, other things that set it apart were the wide range of activities available to Juggalos in attendance: bonfires, helicopter rides, artist seminars (with Insane Clown Posse and others), autograph sessions, wet tee shirt contests and Juggalettes are just some of what was offered at this Gathering of the Juggalos horror rap music festival in 2011.
For examples of just how devoted Juggalos are to Insane Clown Posse’s mission, check out some of the ways fans get prepared for the festival every year. If every music festival in 2011 had this much personality and drew this much energy from music enthusiasts, music festivals in 2011 would be more popular than they already are.
Insane Clown Posse Face Paint
It’s impossible not to notice the face paint permanently plastered to the faces of Insane Clown Posse horror rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. They’re never seen without it, and neither should you be at Insane Clown Posse’s Gathering of the Juggalos horror rap music festival!
When applying the face paint, remember that the objective is to look frightening. Insane Clown Posse perform horror rap, after all. You wouldn’t fit in very well at the Gathering of the Juggalos if you painted your face like a normal, happy clown.
Thanks to its complexity, accomplishing the Insane Clown Posse horror rap face paint look is harder than it sounds. Whatever horror rap face paint design you choose, make sure to dash in some red accents to make sure you look as wicked as possible. At the same time, make sure your horror rap face paint looks good before you attend Gathering of the Juggalos!
Gathering of the Juggalos Inside Lingo
A unique lingo is just one more thing that the Gathering of the Juggalos brings to the table that no other music festival in 2011 has offered or will offer. If there’s one term that’s universal among Insane Clown Posse adoring Juggalos at the Gathering of the Juggalos, it’s “whoop whoop.” Its meaning is about as simple as you’d expect, translating to a simple hello or what’s up.
Horror Rap Merchandise
As Insane Clown Posse and most other bands that performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival in 2011 are closely associated with the horror rap genre, nearly all merchandise sold at the Gathering of the Juggalos will reflects that. Horror rap hoodies, tees, action figures, posters, pretty much any artist merchandise you can imagine was on hand, branded with artistic horror rap gore of some sort.
Anatomy of Successful Music Festivals in 2011
If the facts about Gathering of the Juggalos above can teach us anything about the modern music landscape and how festivals can continue to grow beyond 2011, it’s that creating a sense of belonging is key. Through providing alternative activities and creating miniature inner-festival cultures, many music festivals could soon grow to reach the same status as Gathering of the Juggalos.
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The Gathering of the Juggalos was one of the best-known music festivals in 2011, featuring a lineup of horror rap artists on the Psychopathic Records roster. It offers a lot over the course of its four-day life, so coming prepared ahead of time is a necessity. To learn more about Gathering of the Juggalos music festival visit ICP's website at http://insaneclownposse.com/
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Importance of Branding Music Merchandise
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.
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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 aboutICP Gear or the hatchetman, please visit the band’s website at http://insaneclownposse.com/
Juggalo Documentary: A Family Underground
Gathering of the Juggalos is one of the largest music festivals in the country, and has been around for 12 years. Every year, tens of thousands of Juggalos (referred to as a family underground when spoken of collectively) flock to the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival, hosted somewhere in the Midwest.
And the family underground knows how to party. Don’t believe it? Just watch the 2008 documentary A Family Underground.
“Whoop whoops,” oil wrestling, late night parties and more are all documented in A Family Underground. The film does a great job of providing insight into the legitimate family that horror rap duo Insane Clown Posse has created. The Family Underground label isn’t just because it’s a large group of fans in the same place at the same time; there’s more to it than Insane Clown Posse appreciation.
The Gathering of the Juggalos Family Reunion
As Juggalos explain in A Family Underground, the family terminology is used because there’s a sense of unity amongst Juggalos. They all feel misunderstood, and have had to face enough BS in life that coming together with like-minded people creates a wonderful sense of belonging. One festival attendee in the documentary says there’s incredible openness between Juggalos too; people talk about their problems like they were having heart to heart conversations with life-long friends.
It doesn’t hurt that the Juggalos who make up the Family Underground have a lot in common with each other either. They’re fans of Insane Clown Posse’s music, horror rap in general, wrestling, Faygo soda, face paint, and causing mayhem. Put these people in the same enclosed area for four days in August and it will be unforgettable.
That’s not to say they come from many different walks of life. The video loosely follows a British couple in their early 30s around who took time off from work to come to the Gathering of the Juggalos. When Shaggy 2 Dope drives by in a golf cart, both of the Brits say they can go home happy now, and are visibly in awe for a considerable amount of time after. If that wasn’t good enough, the couple is unofficially married by Insane Clown Posse member Violent J at the end of the video.
In fact, wrestling has been so ingrained in the Gathering of the Juggalos music festival and Insane Clown Posse culture that there’s a wrestling league within it all. Juggalo Championship Wrestling (originally Juggalo Championshit Wrestling) plays host to epic rematches and world famous WWF wrestlers at every Gathering of the Juggalos festival. Blood and guts galore are displayed to much delight.
Juggalo Empire is Only Growing
Insane Clown Posse members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope deserve a lot of credit for doing what they’ve done. Not many artists can say they’ve yet or ever will build a cult-like following consisting of fans as devoted as the Family Underground. With the 12th Insane Clown Posse album releasing in 2012, there’s no end to the Family Underground’s expansion in sight.
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A Family Underground is a 2008 documentary directed by Paul Andresen about the Insane Clown Posse’s musical subculture. Featuring interviews with similar artists, fans in attendance and local bystanders, it provides an insider view to this hidden Family Underground. To learn more Insane Clown Posse, or their Juggalo followers and the Family Underground as a whole, please visit their website at http://insaneclownposse.com/!