As For Me

Although I do not consider myself a juggalo, I must respect them on some level. They have so much self respect and self love, I cannot help but admire. These people are all about acceptance. If you can't accept them, screw you, they still have their family to back them up.

I hope through my research you can be accepting of the juggalos and juggalettes. I hope my openness to learn about their subculture will in tun allow you and others to feel comfortable to research them too. I hope my depiction of 'los and 'lettes will serve as a reminder that they are humans too, with feelings. We should be able to relate to the family instead of be afraid of them. Difference should never serve as separation between people. If anything, it should spark the interests of others and act as a conversation starter.

We often fear what we don't understand. So look into it, get to know the ICP in another light like myself. Make a friend, follow a forum, drink Faygo or paint up. I hope that my blog and research will at least lead to society picking up on the family's number one virtue:acceptance. We all want it, we all need it.

 

MCL (much clown love).   

What is a Juggalo?

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyricss/icpinsaneclownposse/whatisajuggalo.html

According to the lyrics of the ICP song "What is a juggalo," a juggalo gets butt naked with a two-liter in his butt-checks and walks around town. He might try to put a weave in his nut hair and he drinks like a fish. He's a lunatic, he's not a phoney, he has a job and he's a Hulk-a-maniac.

From my research I've concluded a juggalo is an outcast. They find a belonging within their juggalo family. They always have someone on their side, someone they can turn to, someone who is an outcast like them and understands them. They've lived the same life, have been the outcast together. Juggalos thrive on the hatred they receive everyday. It's what brings them close and makes them a family. With out the haters, there would be no ICP and juggalos.

The negative actions associated with the ICP is just apart of the culture. For instance, at the "Gathering of the Juggalos", the fans throw bottles at outsider singers. It's a game to them to see how long they could last on stage in front of the 'los and 'lettes. It's almost like a challenge to see if you're worthy of being there or not. Throughout the four day festival they throw garbage at each other, oddly enough out of love, not hate. The other crimes associated with the ICP, like the attacks on the innocent people in the Pittsburgh park, were dismissed by the juggalos. They claim real juggalos wouldn't act in this way. Juggalos are laid back, they wouldn't go out of their way to attack someone. After all, their golden rule is to accept.

My theory is the juggalos were outcasts growing up, they constantly dealt with abuse from others and society. Inside the juggalo family they feel they finally have a place to belong. Their harsh exteriors and often scary persona's are a way for the juggalos to attack society and those outside the family before society can attack them. They've built their guards up so high they assume everyone is judging them, which is probably a good assumption. But maybe they're so used to this negative energy from the world that they're addicted to it. Maybe that's why they paint up and act so different. They need society to hate them so they can still have a family, a place to call their own. Or maybe not. The face-paint could symbolize these people finally have a place where they are loved and are no longer the outcasts. They're proud of their family and they rep it everywhere.

One of Them

This post is dedicated to the insider presence i had on the site "JuggaloFaith." I registered an account with the site so I could get full access to the forum and get the insider scoop.
This website is dedicated to teach the purpose of the Dark Carnival. They believe their message is the message of the Gospels of Jesus Christ. Who would have thought a subculture generally associated with violence and crime has their own form of Christianity. Their heaven is called Shangri-La and there are weekly sermons based on the teachings of Christ. They even offer counseling. As a Catholic, I find this very disturbing.

The Reverends give sermons and sometimes change the gospel to fit into the juggalo life style, so fellow juggalos can better relate. To me it's like these people are Christians, they just change the words and add "juggalo" to the message. I wonder why they can't just be a part of a regular church instead of insisting on being different.
From watching the faith sermons and seeing people's comments to the posts, the only conclusion I can come up with is that they don't like the money aspect of the church. Which is understandable. The website also has a prayer request section, where I posted a prayer myself. I noticed no matter what these juggalos and juggalettes are saying, they always have love and support back. They could be confessing the worst moral sin in the world, but they are asking for forgiveness and love from the family. Every time they get a MMFCL or a Whoop Whoop.

Overall from joining this forum I've learned juggalos and juggalettes are no different than you and I. Where we would turn to our best friend for opinions and help, they have their juggalo family. The family is a support system. Someone is always there for you and always on your side. There is always a 'lo or 'lette ready to give you advice and let you know that you are loved. It's no different than close friends and family the rest of society turns to. The only difference: they love face-paint and generic soda.

Brian the Juggalo

I found Brian on MySpace though a "talk Juggalo" forum. I hesitantly sent him a message asking if i could interview him on the ICP and the juggalo way of life. i didn't think he would respond, and if he did, it would be a mean message cussing me out. Who was I to ask a juggalo who he was and classify himself in such a way. Would he be offended? Luckily i received a message back, and it wasn't rude at all. Below are some of the questions I asked Brian, and his responses. 

1.) When did you hear about the ICP ?

I first heard about ICP when I was in my freshman year of high school, I was about 15 at the time.  A girl I knew listened to them and asked if I was a Juggalo because I seemed like one.  When I said no she said to look up Insane Clown Posse.  The first song i ever heard was "Juggalo Homies"

2.) What drew you into the music? How could you relate?

Normally I hate rap music,  Even today i still do, I’m a metal head mostly.  But this was different.  As I listened to them I noticed it was different.  It wasn’t talking about drug trafficking, gang violence, ect. Like most rap I had heard did.  They talked about acceptance and its something I wanted.  Same with some of the other artist on psychopthic i listen to, its not ordinary rap so i love it.

How can I relate?  A lot of ways.  I grew up with little to no friends and the ones I did have would pick on me or beat me up on a regular basis.  But when I started listening to the music, it was as if Jay and Shaggz were talking to and about me and about what I was going through.  My family has been the kind that struggled for a long time and we still do.  Everything I’ve ever gotten either me or my parents have busted our asses for.  They sang about acceptance for the outcasts and I felt like they were talking about me as if they knew what I was going through.  On top of that I heard about their hatred for bigots and racists, domestic abusers, child abusers, and greedy rich people; and all my life I have never liked any of them.  I can relate in many ways to the music but that’s really the jist of it.

3.) What makes someone a juggalo/ juggalette? Are there characteristics or requirements?

That question gets asked a lot and its really different with each ‘Lo and ‘Lette.  Its really hard to explain unless you feel it too.  But its honestly what you feel inside.  What we mostly have in common is that most of us grew up wanting to be accepted, or for someone like me, knew we were different but didn’t care, we just liked to be ourselves.  Most of us also grew up lower middle class or less.  Another trait we share is our hatred for bigotry racism, domestic abusers, child abusers, greedy rich people and some even hate cops.  As far as what makes one a juggalo or a juggalette that’s what each individual can tell you.  It’s different for everyone, its what each person feels inside when we hear the music or talk about it or hear about it.

As far as requirements there are none.  You don’t have to paint your face, or rock a hatchet charm or even own and ICP/psychopathic gear to be one.  You just cant be racists or a wife/child/woman beater or greedy rich fuck.  I mean I’ve met people who claim juggalo but I can tell that they are just posers.  And I’ve met people who never even heard of ICP and I know are juggalos waiting to come out.  Hell I’ve met juggalos of all races, religions, and even gay and lesbian ones.

4.) Do you wear the clown face paint? Does it mean anything?

Yes, me and my friends that I have now (my real ones not my old ones that beat my ass) actually go around town with our faces painted up just cuz we can.  We do it cuz we get bored and are like “hey lets paint up and then go out”. 

What it means to me is that I may paint up my face but I’m not hiding who I am, but I’m showing my true colors.  When the face paint comes on I know I’ll get the weird looks but I don’t care cuz I feel like me.  I mean its kinda hard to hide when u and three other people go around town painted up.  Its really hard to hide yourself then.  But like I said I’m not hiding I’m bringing my true self out.

5.) Is there a special language among the juggalos and juggalettes?

Most people ask that too and there is a language, well sorta. 

“WHOOP WHOOP!” is like our call.  When I walk around and see someone else repping

The hatchet or something related to ICP or psychopathic I give it a yell and I’ll hear it back or vise versa.  I hear someone yell it and I yell back. 

A chicken refers to a redneck racist assed mother fucker.

Our other biggest one is “much clown love”  Most times you’ll see this in writing and its shortened to MCL.  It means that the clowns got love for all juggalos/lettes, we got love for each other, and we got love for the clowns

Yes we are a family.  We accept anyone who doesn’t think that they’ll be accepted by anyone including friends or even their own families, (unless you’re racists, or beat on women or kids, then you can never be a juggalo).  I mean everyone has someone in their real family that they don’t like and there are people of every group that give the whole group a bad name.  So no we may not all get along but its like a real family establishment.  We are always here for each other and support each other the best we can because most of us who have already been in it know what its like to be accepted and want to help others.  Also if you listen to the song “we belong” by ICP that should help answer this question really well.

7.) I've read many juggalos identify themselves as outcasts. Would you describe yourself this way? why or why not?

Lol yes I would.  As I’ve stated before growing up I knew I was different.  I was always deemed the weird kid in school but I never gave a fuck to be honest.  I mean there was a point in my life I wanted to be accepted but I didn’t like who I was to try and fit in, it didn’t feel like me.  I didn’t want to have to act a certain way or talk a certain way just to be liked so I said fuck it, if they don’t like it its not my problem.  I got picked on, beat up, threatened and most girls wouldn’t come within ten feet of me.  I never kept up with trends and styles mostly because I couldn’t afford it.  So I made my own with what I could afford.  I mean hell to this day I still shop at wal-mart cuz its affordable.  I don’t need this Hollister or American eagle crap, I hate the style anyways.  Would I still consider myself an outcast to this day? Yes I would.  I still don’t follow fashion trends, I make due with what I have and I’m gonna act how I want to act and do what I want to do because its what I want to do not because someone tells me what to do.  Honestly Fuck whats the “in thing” right now.  I don’t care if its in or out, if it makes me happy imma do it and or wear it.

8.) Have you ever been to an Insane Clown Posse concert? Can you describe what they're like?  How people act and what feeling you have when you're there?

Yes, I’ve been to three so far in my life.  When I first heard the music and the preaching of family I had my doubts even though I could relate so much.  But I had met Juggalos on (at the time) myspace who would talk and share stories and open up to me and these ninjas lived states and states away.  But when I went to my first concert the amount of love shown there was amazing.  I was surrounded by people who didn’t even know me and walked up and talked to me as if I’ve known them for years.  I even had one ninja walk up behind me put me in a headlock and yell “yo homie hows it going?”  So I put him in one too and said “going pretty good you?” then we started talking about how he broke his arm the week before.  It was amazing.  Some asked if I wanted to smoke weed or dink after the show and when I said no they were cool with it.  They just accepted me for who I was and didn’t even care.  I still get goosebumps thinking about it.  It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.  No one fought or anything.  I accidentally bumped into one guy and spilled his beer all over him, I though he was gonna fight me.  But after I said I’m sorry he just looked at me and said “don’t worry homie I’ll just grab another one”  Again it was amazing

ICP themselves put on one hell of a show.  Faygo everywhere, people coming out in all kinds of costumes relating to the songs they play and just an awesome environment

9.) Is there anything else you can share? A story, a favorite memory, an insider thing among juggalos?

Pretty much one of my favorite memories is from the concert I said above.  But I’ve got a few other good memories.  My brother and I were never close but when I got him into ICP and he realized he was a ‘Lo it grew us closer together.  I’ve met some Juggalos that I chill with almost every day.  When I got jumped last year all five of them including my brother went with me to the spot I got jumped in every day for a week hoping to run into those guys again so we can get some revenge.  And even then they would go through my town asking people if they knew anything about ppl getting jumped in my area and who did it.  Granted we never found out who did it but they stayed by my side and helped me the whole way.  I’ve gone through some rough times since meeting them two years ago but no madder how hard it got they’ve been by me every step of the way.

After hearing Brian's responses I got a totally different perspective of the ICP and juggalos. Before they were weird, violent, no one I could ever relate to. But he made it real. Being a juggalo is more than face paint and explicit lyrics, I think that's what people fail to see. It's about acceptance. Something every one wants and craves. It's often looked at differently because people don't understand it. People, including myself judge juggalos before they would judge anyone else. I really look up to this way of life and think society could pick up this trait from the juggalo family. Below is a link to the song Brian was referring to in question 6, "We Belong." 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08ZMoc0ihww

Juggalos Are Us Review

http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/content?oid=oid%3A19778

Melissa Meizner does an excellent job of portraying the Insane Clown Posse in neither a negative nor positive light. She just states the facts. She describes the "fandom" during an ICP show and how you can spot out a juggalo: face-paint, t-shirts, and the iconic hatchet man. Once the show starts she describes the energy and all the Faygo (a generic soda) that is sprayed on the audience the entire concert. You almost feel like you were there and witnessing everything for yourself.

She explains the ICP's albums have been about God and the righteousness all along. And how the fans view the "family." And she even makes a point to address the juggalo attacks that have been reported previously. She notes the band manager Alex Abess said any real juggalo knows we do not approve of the type of behavior. Which makes since because the juggalo family revolves around acceptance. She covers fans of all types, older listeners, young listeners, and even parents. Meizner reaches out to all types of audiences and makes the ICP seem like real people, not just the freaks society views them as.

JuggalO'Reilly Factor

After viewing the ICP interview with Bill O'Reilly from 2001, I had a better understanding of what society's view of the group was like. Although this interview is completely one sided and aims at making the ICP look bad, Bill O'Reilly does make a few valid points. However, his interpretation of the group is unfair and his use of language only makes himself look bad. For example, in the beginning of the interview when he says, "And what they advocate makes some of the black rappers look like Shirley Temple." What exactly is he implying about black rappers, and why does he find the need to differentiate between black rappers and white rappers. Already, he has turned my away from the interview and makes me think anything else he says will be biased.

When O'reilly asks the members of ICP if they care about the audience, he does redeem himself. Although  Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J say they are playing with the kids and relating to them and in no way trying to be a role model, telling a 14 year old to do drugs is not acceptable. Whether or not he was going to do it on his own anyway, telling a fan, a "family member" to do drugs is wrong. They also make themselves look bad by saying if the two children at Columbine had juggalo face paint on, they wouldn't have felt bad. To me, killing other people is never okay and Violent J passes it off like it's no big deal.

Finally the members of the ICP explain themselves and it all starts to make since. To the outside world, including O'Reilly, the ICP members are just "evil scrubs." But to the family, there is a positive side. If you're looking for negativity you'll find it within the ICP, just like any other subculture. But is it fair to judge the ICP and call them evil? The group that doesn't discriminate and accepts all. Perhaps society is the evil one for being judgmental.

Popular Culture's view on the ICP and fanbase

Juggalos and juggalettes are fans of the Insane Clown Posse and other Psychopathic Records hip hop groups. They have their own culture, language, and characteristics. Their name came about during the performance of the song "The Juggla" when the audience was referred to as juggalos. The audience's positive reaction led to the ICP fan base identifying themselves as juggalos, and later juggalettes for females.

A major stereotype with the ICP and juggalos is criminal activity. Although members deny any affiliation with gangs, police often recognize them in this way. 'los and 'lettes participate in "Gathering of the Juggalos" where there are concerts, wrestling matches, games, enjoy Faygo (generic soda) and listen to talks by artists for a four day span. An infamous crime / attack that took place at the festival was on Tila Tequila. When she was on stage, she had rocks and bottles thrown at her.