Insane Clown Posse is often referred to as the most hated band on the planet. Consisting of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, the Insane Clown Posse has been making songs since 1989, to the dismay of some. However, I am here to tell you all the reasons why you should not hate the Insane Clown Posse, as they have done more than enough to earn the respect of music fans. Without further ado, this is the list of the reasons why you should not hate the Insane Clown Posse.
ICP has a very long history of helping charity. From toys for tots to food drives, there really is not a charitable fundraiser that ICP has not done. One special instance I want to highlight was actually pretty close to my hometown in Dayton Ohio. ICP met with a fan who was really sick, and ended up becoming friends and keeping in touch. When the young man passed away, they reached out to help however they could. Not only do they do good deeds on their own time, but they also work closely with the Make-A-Wish foundation, and have even sent wishers to their gathering of the Juggalos. You got to respect anybody who has the community in mind.
One of the main appeals of Insane Clown Posse is that their entire brand is for the kids. One controversial clip that paints this picture perfectly is from their Bill O’Reilly interview in 2001. While signing posters, they say some pretty raunchy things to their young fans. Violent J asked one boy if his “nuts dropped yet”? When questioned how that could possibly be good for the kid, Violent J responds with “What I am not doing is insulting him” and carries on by saying “What 12 year old in the United States… show me the neighborhood where a 12-year-old kid doesn’t know what a pair of balls are yet.” Once again challenged by O’Reilly, Violent J ends it off by saying “it’s a relief, they’re treating me like for real.” ICP has maintained a child fanbase for over 20 years, and it isn’t hard to see why.
The Gathering of the Juggalos is basically Coachella for Juggalos, and fans of underground rap. Usually held in the middle of nowhere, the event lasts multiple days with dozens of artists, comedians, wrestling, fair rides, and the freedom to do whatever you want. They have had performers that you might not expect to be down with the clown, but we will touch on that later down the list. A lack of police presence is instead replaced by Juggalo security, which might seem scary to a noob, but you will quickly find how safe and invited Juggalos are. In fact, someone got caught stealing at a Gathering, so they did what any other person would do… they destroyed his car.
This one is arguably the most important entry on this list. Juggalos are currently listed as a gang by the FBI, a result which has hurt Juggalos and Insane Clown Posse so much, they had several legal battles about the decision. The main argument here is that Juggalos, although they may be a little more dedicated, are nothing but fans of music. Labeling them as a gang member not only takes away from their Freedom of Expression but it also puts regular music fans at risk of being labeled as a hardcore gang member for simply liking a band. Regardless of your opinions on ICP, you need to remember that this is bigger than music, imagine if the FBI classified Backstreet Boys fans as gang members, does that seem right or fair?
A lot of Insane Clown Posse songs can have very confrontational and violent lyrics which may turn some off. In fact, the Insane Clowns are considered a pioneer of horrorcore music. However, if you listen closely to a lot of their lyrics, they are usually going after some of the worst parts of society. For example, their song “To Catch A Predator” is a song about catfishing child predators, and murdering them. Another great example is “Halls of Illusion” which is this rollercoaster type amusement ride that shows abusers and other bad people the outcomes of what they have done. At the very least, know that you and ICP probably agree on a majority of social issues.
Other rappers might say they started at the bottom, but the Insane Clown Posse truly did come from nothing. While both tend to keep their childhood private, it is no secret the hardships they faced growing up in Detroit in the late 70s & early 80s. In their early adult life, they had run-ins with police and even worked in a car wash. Now, with a combined net worth of $30 million, they have given back to their community, bought houses for their family, and funded their own record label Psychopathic Records. If you can not like them for anything else, you should at least respect how far they have come.
Ever since 1989, Insane Clown Posse has been releasing songs, albums, and mixtapes. In that time, they have sold over 7 million records, with 2 platinum records and 3 gold records. Not only have they found respect from Juggalos, but there are plenty of rappers who respect ICP. “The Amazing Jeckle Brothers” album featured a song with a Snoop Dogg feature and another with a feature from the Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Others include Vanilla Ice, Ice Cube, Coolio, Chuck D of Public Enemy, and a plethora of other artists which respect the Insane Clowns. If Snoop Dogg is down with the clown, then you can be too!
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