Who is ICP?
In the early days, Joe Bruce ("Violent J") and Joey Ustler("Shaggy 2 Dope")
grew up in the nicer suburbs of Detroit, but were underprivileged. Bruce's
mother was a janitor most of his childhood and went from one broken father
to another. Both lived a childhood that is purely unbelievable and better
left for those that read their book ("Behind the Paint")
The Insane Clown Posse actually started out as these two with another rapper
in a group called the Inner City Posse. Back then, they were at least trying
to be a real street gang. After years of the hard life that went along with
it, Violent J had this brainstorm, which he claims had come to him in a
vivid dream explained in his book, of the whole Dark Carnival and the
meaning and doing Six separate Jokers Cards.
Over the years, they literally worked their asses off. From 1993 to 1997
when they got their second big deal with Hollywood Records, they spent their
lives doing shows, hitting up Kinkos, and covering Detroit with flyers. When
they were signed with their first label, Jive Records, they were still stuck
in the Detroit scene and determined to travel to Dallas, TX, of all places,
and pass out samplers for their third Joker's Card album, The RiddleBox and
became an underground hit there too.
Hollywood Records came along and signed them up. The Great Milenko was
produced. The same day of its release, though, it was recalled from store
shelves after Southern Baptists had protested against Disney, who happens to
own Hollywood Records. Insert big bad news is good news adage, and we have
ICP re-signed to a new label, Island Records, who proceed to hook up with
everything ICP could ever want to get their message out.
After a couple years of big backing from Island, things started to get stale
and ICP wanted out by the time their 6th, and final, Joker's Card was
released. After initially trying to bide time and wear out their album
quota, Island decided to straight not renew their contract.
Now, standing alone on their own label, ICP has released its final Jokers
Card and living large. And attract over 5,000 fans to yearly four day
festivals, make one of the largest margins in music merchandise, own their
own label, which now boasts more than 7 different artists/groups, and
countless other media bearing their likeness.
It's the American dream personified.
