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Insane Clown Posse Vs. the FBI
Other | Tuesday 14th August 2012 | Osh
Do you like hardcore rap music? Well that means you could be labelled a “loosely organised hybrid gang” by the FBI. Such is the predicament of a group of horrorcore fans known as “Juggalos” who follow the band Insane Clown Posse (ICP) of Detroit, Michigan. Wow, I wonder what they would call people who like classical music, a “loosely organised hybrid gang of old farts”?
Originally known as Inner City Posse, the group, in an attempt to differentiate themselves stylistically, introduced supernatural and horror-themed lyrics to their music. The duo later founded the independent record label Psychopathic Records which has exploded into producing and starring in feature films such as Big Money Hustlas and Big Money Rustlas. This duo have also formed their own professional wrestling federation, one look at the duo and you will know why!
With all of these fairly straight laced activities the hardcore fans have nonetheless found themselves under the keen eye of the law. Perhaps it is the inspiration for their music that sets some people on edge with their songs focusing thematically on a fictional mythology of the “Dark Carnival,” a limbo in which the lives of the dead are judged by one of several entities.
However, it is their fans well being that is enraging the duo, "It's been almost a year since Juggalos were put on the National Gang Threat Assessment and we are hearing too many stories from our fans about the trouble it's causing them, just because you like a music group doesn't make you a criminal” says Shaggy 2 Dope, one half of ICP.
Fuelling this move by the FBI is there report stating that Juggalos were "of concern to law enforcement", exhibiting "gang-like criminal activity" and threatening communities "due to the potential for violence, drug use/sales, and their general destructive and violent nature".
But whether the actions of the Juggalo’s are gang like is seems to be more a matter of personal opinion with ICP planning to sue the FBI, petitioning for the removal of their fans from an official list of American gangs. As of yet the FBI have failed to respond.
By Saabeah Aforo-Addo
