Shaggy 2 Dope’s History in Insane Clown Posse Videos

Chances are slim that either Violent J or Shaggy 2 Dope, the men behind Insane Clown Posse’s empire, ever thought they would create something so large it could spawn a motion picture. Yet that’s exactly what has happened. Insane Clown Posse’s video empire may be substantially smaller than its musical kingdom, but that doesn’t mean Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J don’t view Insane Clown Posse videos like Big Money Rustlas as being of negligible importance. It’s much easier for Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J to get their message across when they have the assistance of a visual medium, like Insane Clown Posse videos such as Big Money Rustlas or any of the band’s music videos. There isn’t on Juggalo out there who will tell you they only enjoy ICP in an audio, not video too, one reason why feature films like Big Money Rustlas are produced in the first place. So what role has Shaggy 2 Dope played in bringing Insane Clown Posse video to Juggalos worldwide? In the 90s, when music videos were in their heyday, Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J shared screen time equally. Both were usually depicted as ruthless horror rappers with few cares in the world. That said, even though Shaggy 2 Dope may have shared equal screen time with Violent J, that does not mean he is featured during that screen time. In fact, because Violent J is usually the first rapper heard on all Insane Clown Posse tracks, he is the first seen in all Insane Clown Posse videos. There are some Insane Clown Posse videos where Shaggy 2 Dope doesn’t utter a line, but is in the shot nonetheless, even if he’s just in the background chillin’. The same is not true for ICP films like Big Money Rustlas. There are rare instances where Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope are pitted against each other in the plot of an Insane Clown Posse music video, but it would be looking to far into these circumstances to say Shaggy 2 Dope or Violent J is more often than not the scapegoat when these things happen. When the medium shifts from Insane Clown Posse videos that revolve around songs to feature films like Big Money Rustlas, Shaggy 2 Dope’s role shifts yet again. In Big Money Rustlas, a film that takes place in a dusty western town, Shaggy 2 Dope returns from years of exile to take back the city in the name of his assassinated father, but must conquer Violent J’s character and underling assassins too. It’s difficult not to root for Shaggy 2 Dope’s character in Insane Clown Posse videos like Big Money Rustlas, but even though he plays the protagonist in Big Money Rustlas, the sample size is not large enough to imagine his protagonist ways remain consistent in other Insane Clown Posse videos. The truth is, he and Violent J’s characters are about split when it comes to good / evil. Resource Box Insane Clown Posse videos like Big Money Rustlas position Shaggy 2 Dope’s character in a positive light, but does this theme hold true for other Insane Clown Posse videos? To learn more about feature films like Big Money Rustlas, please visit http://hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.

Comparing Hard Core Rap Groups like Dayton Family to Horror Rap Groups Like Dark Lotus

This best way to demonstrate the difference between hard core rap and horror rap groups would be to compare different lyrical samplings of each side by side. However, it’s smarter to start with the difference in backgrounds and mentalities of hard core rap groups like Dayton Family and horror rap groups like Dark Lotus. Dayton Family is a hard core rap group from Flint, Michigan, who named their group after one of the most crime-ridden streets in their crime-ridden city, Dayton street. That should say enough about the attitude of these hard core rappers. It’s not often that an environment such as the one Dayton Family originates from breeds anything other than gritty, honest, street-heavy rap. You won’t hear anything lighthearted in Dayton Family’s rhymes, and when they talk tough, they’re not kidding around. If there was ever any doubt about Dayton Family’s cred, said doubt vanished once founding members Bootleg (Ira Dorsey) and Backstabba (Matt Hinkle) were each incarcerated separately during the turning point in the band’s short career. These two imprisonments undoubtedly hindered the quality and quantity Dayton Family was able to produce as a hard core rap group throughout its career. Now Dark Lotus, on the other hand, is different in many respects. For one, Dark Lotus is a horror rap super group, so each one of Dark Lotus’s members was an established horror rap artist in his own right before joining up with Dark Lotus. That said, the themes present in Dark Lotus’s horror rap music really is not far off each of its individual member’s own horror rap music. For those unfamiliar, horror rap themes usually include but are not limited to death, suicide, murder, violence, Satanism, and other terrifying themes. Unlike Dayton Family, you will not see Dark Lotus rapping about the hood, drug dealing on street corners, or about cops in a derogatory fashion (at least not often). Dark Lotus’s horror rap, in contrary, is much more personal, introspective, and spiritual. Often times you can find Dark Lotus’s horror rap artists bemoaning the fact that they are still alive and wishing to die, thoughts that often travel into the supernatural with talk of souls traveling to different destinations. One common link between Dayton Family’s hard core rap music and Dark Lotus’s horror rap music is their origin. Members in both groups come from impoverished, street-centric adolescenses, and thus have much of the same fodder for their rhymes. Though they may approach these topics from two different angles in horror rap and hard core rap, when you boil it down, Dark Lotus and Dayton Family are the way they are for very similar reasons! Resource Box The Dayton Family, one of hard core rap’s most notorious Midwestern groups, and Dark Lotus, arguably the largest horror rap super group of its kind in the world (definitely in the Midwest), may write different styles of music, but they come from similar backgrounds. To learn more about Dark Lotus and their music, please visit http://hatchetgear.com/bands/darklotus.html.

"Homies" by ICP Proves Horror Rap Is Juggalo Family Music

Who was you with when you got tattoos?

Who was you tripping with when you did them mushrooms?

Who the f*ck threw up all over your car?

And then felt worse then you about that shit in the morning? (Friends ya'll)

Who loans ya money, homie?

Who owes ya cash?

Who taught you how to use the bong for the grass?

I don't know much but I gotta assume

When ya hit ya first neden, ya homies was in the room

These are the lyrics to "Homies" by ICP. This song has neared anthem status for those within the Juggalo Family, but more importantly, "Homies" by ICP acts as insurmountable evidence that horror rap can bring people together. Many anti-horror rap crusaders out there have long accused horror rap of being an overly violent, misogynistic genre of music that does nothing but turn youth against their parents, or existing fans against the rest of the public. As "Homies" by ICP lyrics demonstrate above, nothing could be further from the truth. But it’s not just songs like "Homies" by ICP that perpetuate the Juggalo family atmosphere among horror rap fans. It’s the people and horror rap’s over-arching message that makes Juggalo and family go together like horror rap and Psychopathic Records. ICP’s Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, unarguably the godfathers of horror rap music, have always viewed themselves, for better or worse, as misfits. They don’t fit in with mainstream society, and would have it no other way. This is where horror rap comes in. Instead of moping about their status or feelings toward the public at large, the guys write songs like "Homies" by ICP to show a welcoming mentality towards other horror rap heads who feel the exact same way they do. Has this strategy worked? To say the least, yes. Songs like "Homies" by ICP and the band’s general attitude towards the Juggalo family have created an artist-fan bond so strong that ICP could retire now and never have to work again if they wanted to. The scenarios put forth in "Homies" by ICP, as evident in the lyrics to "Homies" by ICP above, are perfect examples of this kind of Juggalo family love. Aside from their shared love of horror rap, those within the Juggalo family are just as strongly connected as stereotypically bonded relationships, like frat brothers or father-son, if not stronger. Juggalo family members loan each other money, get too drunk, talk about girls (or boys for the Juggalette members of the Juggalo family) , etc. So next time you think that horror rap only deals with themes of suicide, murder, Satanism, or other non-sense violence, remember "Homies" by ICP and the Juggalo family bonds! It they weren’t real, the Juggalo family and all other homies of ICP would have long since disbanded. Resource Box Everyone knows that the Juggalo family is one of the most securely bonded musical fan bases in the world, but not everyone sees proof of this their horror rap lyrics, like those to "Homies" by ICP. To learn more about music similar to "Homies" by ICP and view Juggalo family merchandise, please visit http://hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.

What Juggalos Can Expect of The Mighty Death Pop! Joker’s Card

You can’t consider yourself a real Juggalo if you haven’t heard by now that Insane Clown Posse will be releasing their 12th studio album, The Mighty Death Pop!, on August 14th, 2012. Of course, with the release of The Mighty Death Pop!, will come a new Joker’s card for all Juggalos and Juggalettes to explore. The most noteworthy fact about the Mighty Death Pop! Joker’s card so far is that it will be the second card in the second deck of Joker’s cards. However, that being said, it would appear so far that the second deck of Joker’s cards will not be that different than the first deck of cards, because card #1 in deck #2 of Joker’s cards dealt with the same themes known to Juggalos in the first deck of Joker’s cards. The Dark Carnival (mythology surrounding ICP albums and Joker’s cards) is without a doubt one of a kind. You’d be hard pressed to name five other artists that have designed their own mythology to attract new fans and keep them interested, as ICP has done with Juggalos. All cards to date, and presumably the Mighty Death Pop! Joker’s card, deal with themes of justice and repercussion for individual actions. ICP’s Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope express these messages in these forms because they know that medium is one which today’s fans will understand. Music fans of 2012, especially Juggalos, are in no mood to listen to preaching in music or otherwise. However, this clever approach gets Juggalos interested in the band’s message in an obsessive manner. They hope to continue this trend with The Mighty Death Pop!’s Joker’s card, something most Juggalos are salivating over. The first unique thing to note about Mighty Death Pop!’s Joker’s card is that there are two of them. Yes, The Mighty Death Pop! will be the first ICP album on which Juggalos can enjoy two separate cards. While the first Mighty Death Pop! card was nothing too unusual (face of an evil Jester), it looks more fierce than its predecessor in Bang! Boom! Pow!’s Joker’s card, a continuous explosion to clear evil souls out of carnival grounds. The Mighty Death Pop! card is more ornate as well, and if you can take that to mean they spent more time on Mighty Death Pop! than Bang! Boom! Pow!, that would be a positive as far as most Juggalos are concerned. The second Joker’s card revealed for The Mighty Death Pop! is another evil face on a ticking bomb. The unmistakable symbolism here is that Mighty Death Pop! is going to be more intense than previous albums, and probably blow up when it hits stores in August. This kind of tease from a card always gets Juggalos riled up and excited for the next release. Has it done so for you? Resource Box Joker’s cards are one of the most important staples in Juggalos’ appreciation of ICP. To view merchandise containing ICP’s past and present Joker’s cards, please visit http://hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.

Why Psychopathic Records and Twiztid Torrents are Bad for Horror Rap

At first, the reason horror rap fans started illegally downloading horror rap tunes from Psychopathic Records artists was because they were free. At the dawn of the download era, this type of temptation was understandable. Why pay for Twiztid’s new album when you can download a Twiztid torrent instead? That was probably the thought process behind many horror rap fans’ decision to do things like download Twiztid torrents illegally. However, since that wild west phase on the internet more than a decade ago, it’s become apparent that doing things like illegally downloading Twiztid torrents, or torrents of any Psychopathic Records artist, is seriously damaging to that artist’s livelihood. It’s a misconception that musicians like those signed to Psychopathic Records are so wealthy that they can live large without people purchasing their horror rap music. Yes, these musicians may be better off than you or I, but the fact of the matter is that when you steal music from and Psychopathic Records artist, they start cutting their staff, many of which are essential to their career’s progression. Imagine that most fans of Psychopathic Records horror rap artist Twiztid started downloading Twiztid torrents for free online instead of buying them through hatchetgear.com, iTunes, or a traditional record store. When Twiztid starts feeling the financial pinch, he might cut his publicist. Without his publicist, he won’t be scoring nearly as many promotional gigs. Without those gigs, people won’t know about his concerts or new work, and eventually he start seeing less money in every aspect of his career. This type of chain reaction as mentioned in the Twiztid torrent scenario is the reason why many artists have vanished off the face of the earth, including horror rap artists. Just because you’re signed to Psychopathic Records does not mean you’re immune! Now that we as a society have had a decade to witness the cycle of artists who’ve fallen victim to things like the Twiztid torrent scenario mentioned above, it’s time we change our actions to better accommodate artists we admire. There’s some truth to the statement that Psychopathic Records artists wouldn’t have reached nearly the fame they enjoy today without the help of websites that give out things like Twiztid torrents. However, empty fame is less valuable than a smaller group of devoted, paying fans. Horror rap artists everywhere can get behind a sentiment like that. The moral of the story is to pass up the next opportunity you have to take action on a Twiztid torrent or other Psychopathic Records horror rap artist illegal download. You may not think it will have an immediate impact, but you’re wrong! The last thing any horror rap fan wants is for there to be no more horror rap left to enjoy! Resource Box All musicians, including horror rap artists signed to Psychopathic Records, have felt a financial hit thanks to the internet offering up things like Twiztid torrents for free. To learn more about Twiztid’s albums and purchase them legally, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/twiztid.html.

Psycho Realm Lyrics: An Early Example of Horror Rap?

Many students of 90s hip hop could tell you about hip hop super group Psycho Realm off the top of their heads. Those same people would probably tell you, that while Psycho Realm lyrics do not epitomize horror rap values, Psycho Realm’s lyrics had enough influence on Psychopathic Records artists Insane Clown Posse for them to invite their Californian rap pals on tour. But even though Psycho Realm lyrics to not embody what horror rap is known for, at least as far as Psychopathic Records is concerned, that doesn’t mean Psycho Realm’s couldn’t have had another type of impact on horror rap Gods Insane Clown Posse. And to say that Psycho Realm lyrics did have an impact on these legendary horror rappers would be quite the compliment, because Insane Clown Posse even owns their own label—Psychopathic Records--full of other talented horror rap artists. To say they know what they’re doing would be an understatement. The similarity of Psycho Realm lyrics and Insane Clown Posse lyrics that sticks out the most to me has nothing to do with their content; instead, the delivery of Psycho Realm’s lyrics and the delivery of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope’s horror rap lyrics are on the same wave length. Both are tight, rhythmic, and dropped with intensity. Listen to Psycho Realm’s lyrics on "Stone Garden" and compare them to Insane Clown Posse’s lyrical delivery on "Hokus Pokus" (released on Great Milenko through Psychopathic Records) and you’ll see what I mean. So there’s the delivery comparison. And while there may be more to discuss in that realm of things, perhaps there is some overlap when it comes to the substance of Psycho Realm’s lyrics and the meaning of lyrics that come from the mouths of Psychopathic Records artists. Consider this snippet of Psycho Realm lyrics from "Stone Garden": We’re on our way to the stone garden, End of the road where everybody goes but not forgotten, Frames all rotten souls travel to unravel, Other worlds and big cloud castles Any Juggalo or Juggalette can note similarities in this song and Psychopathic Records’ horror rap music, specifically that of ICP, right away. For one, they’re talking about the after life, and we all know how prominent of a theme Hell and Heaven are in Psychopathic Records songs. ICP even has Joker’s cards dedicated to them. This theme is not only true for ICP, but for other Psychopathic Records artists too. Secondly, these Psycho Realm lyrics discuss departing souls. Souls that travel happen to be a lyrical staple for Psychopathic Records artists. I don’t know if there’s a closer cousin to ICP’s horror rap mythology about the Dark Carnival, where souls wait in limbo to find out if they’ll be traveling to heaven or hell. Resource Box Psychopathic Records recording artist Insane Clown Posse has many influences that are forgotten to all but hip hop students of the 90s. Psycho Realm is one of those artists. To see if you can hear any similarities in ICP’s music to Psycho Realm’s lyrics, please check out the band’s horror rap offering on http://hatchetgear.com.