In another episode of “Sick, Sad World,” on September 16th, there was another “protest” –if we may call it that– from alt-right supporters in Washington DC, as a response to the infamous white supremacist rally at Charlottesville, Virginia. You would think that with all the displays of violence and racism at that first rally, no one would ever think of repeating it. But no, there was an honestly unsettling number of enthusiasts willing to support a right-wing ideology that involves undermining others nationalities, ethnicities, and basically anyone who doesn’t fit in their ideology. What these white supremacists weren’t expecting was that on that same day, a completely different march was about to take place.
When they heard the news, some felt afraid. Others thought they might be in danger. What would happen if their march collided with that bunch of misfits, weirdos, and gang members? Didn’t the FBI label this group as a hybrid gang? What if they brought chaos to their rally? However, no one could stop the notorious Juggalos from standing up and speaking out against the alt-right protest with their loud music and irreverent lyrics.
Photo by Nick Karp for New York Daily News
Photo by Nick Karp for New York Daily News
What is a juggalo?
Let me think for a second
Oh, he gets butt-naked
And then he walks through the streets
Winking at the freaks
With a two-liter stuck in his butt-cheeks
What is a juggalo?
He just don’t care
He might try to put a weave
In his nut hair
’cause he could give a fuck less
What a bitch thinks
He tell her that her butt stinks
And all that
“What Is a Juggalo?”
If you’ve never heard about Juggalos, or if you only know about them from the FBI’s statement about them, you probably think that they’re a scary gang of rebels and anarchists. However, the truth is much simpler than that: they’re just the fandom of the hardcore hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse. This band was formed in 1991 and bases most of its lyrics and image on carnival and circus-like imagery mixed with horror and subversive messages. Inspired by the esthetics of glam metal bands like KISS, its two members, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, paint their face like clowns or harlequins in black and white ink for their performances. The band’s popularity increased in the nineties, and so did their fandom, which ended up dressing and painting their faces like their idols to show their support.
Bitch, I’m a man you can talk ta
But after you leave I’m a stalk ya
If you’re a little kid I’m a take ya
And if you’re neck I’m a break ya
If you’re an old lady I’m a mug ya
Cuz bitch, you can’t fuck with the juggla
“The Juggla”
The fandom’s name comes from the song “The Juggla,” one of the tracks from the band’s first album, Carnival of Carnage. For many years, the Juggalos could just be themselves and perform without any stigma at all. However, with the FBI’s statement in 2011, labelling them as a “loosely-organized gang” accused of minor crimes like theft, drug sales, and felonies, many people started leaving the group and othera have referred to them as a bunch of criminals and anarchists.
Smash through the glass as the fireworks blast
Shaggy the clown here to murder some ass
I be the strangler, known coast to coast
And I turn any thug into a ghost
In yo face!
Some scream “Juggalo” only when it’s convenient
And no they don’t mean it, we sick of being lenient
Step yo ass back before the hatchet attacks
And ya catch a few hacks from the axe
“In Yo Face!”
However, instead of tearing the fandom apart, it seems that this statement only made the Juggalos closer than they ever were. They’ve stated that they don’t represent any political ideology, and that what they do believe in is acceptance and tolerance. In an interview by Rolling Stone Magazine, Mr. Makanhoes, a Nebraskan Juggalo, stated that, “Politics keep people divided… Juggalos come from many different political backgrounds, but unlike the general population, we are able to coexist and work together in harmony.” So, to counteract the social stigma, for 2017 the fandom organized the first Juggalo march to show the world that they just want to have fun and that they like the sense of freedom and unity in the group.
Let me ask you this about this life we live
And let me try to swerve some of this attention you give
To them distant ass relatives over Hampton
If they really missed you so much
Why don’t they just call a muthafucka?
If you wasn’t blood, would you still have love?
Or infact does the blood make you think you have to love?
Look, I probably love my family more than anybody here
But my homies are family too, 3rd cousins’ get outta here
Who was you with when you got tattooed?
And who was you trippin’ with when you did them mushrooms?
And who the fuck threw up all over your car?
And then felt worse than you about that shit in the morning? (Friends ya’ll)
“Juggalo Homies”
Just like with any other music genre, some fans might commit crimes, but why should the crimes of a few taint the image of thousands? As I hope you saw in these lyrics, the rebellious spirit in Insane Clown Posse’s lyrics is also related to their theatrical performance and the already subversive nature of hip hop. However, behind the “madness” of their lyrics, there’s also a message of being together and having fun with your friends, which is perhaps, one of the greatest things we can learn from music.
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