Founded in Detroit in 1989, Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore and is known for its elaborate live performances. Originally known as JJ Boyz and Inner City Posse, the group introduced supernatural- and horror-themed lyrics as a means of distinguishing itself stylistically. The duo founded the independent record label Psychopathic Records with Alex Abbiss as manager, and produced and starred in the feature films Big Money Hustlas and Big Money Rustlas. They formed their own professional wrestling promotion, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, and later collaborated with many hip hop and rock musicians.
The songs of Insane Clown Posse center thematically on the mythology of the Dark Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead are judged by one of several entities. The Dark Carnival is elaborated through a series of stories called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways" of listeners before "the end consumes us all". The original lineup of Insane Clown Posse was John Utsler (John Kickjazz), Joe Bruce (Violent J) and Joey Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope). John Utsler left before Carnival of Carnage was released in 1992.
Insane Clown Posse's performance style is often described as horrorcore hip hop, which "utilize shocking (and blatantly over-the-top) narratives to give an over-exaggerated, almost cartoon-like version of urban deprivation in Detroit", according to author Sara Cohen. Bruce and Utsler describe many of their lyrics as being tongue-in-cheek. The group's early work features a raw, minimalistic sound, which later evolved into a more rock-oriented style. The group's lyrics serve as morality tales, with songs focusing on subjects such as cannibalism, murder and necrophilia. Insane Clown Posse's debut album, Carnival of Carnage, features a politically-oriented focus, criticizing elitism and prejudice against those who live in the ghetto, while the album's liner notes criticize the Gulf War. The group's lyrics have opposed racism, bigotry, domestic violence, and child abuse.
Insane Clown Posse has covered songs by Geto Boys, Sly Fox, and Above the Law. Bruce and Utsler refer to Ice Cube, Awesome Dre, Geto Boys, and Esham as influences on their own music, while Bruce has expressed admiration for Gong, Pearl Jam, and Michael Jackson. Mike E. Clark's production for the group incorporates elements such as "carnival organ riffs, power chords and shotgun blasts...banjolike plucking and Van Halen-esque guitar squeals", while Bruce and Utsler sometimes alternate between rapping and screaming. Bruce has credited pop music as an influence on some of the group's material, even terming the music "Wicked Pop". Bruce has also stated "We do our own genre of music". In his review of The Tempest, Allmusic's David Jeffries writes that Bruce and Utsler "[rap] in a carnival barker fashion that fits with their circus motif, their Insane Clown disguises, and Mike E. Clark's big top-inspired production." Insane Clown Posse has influenced similar acts, such as Axe Murder Boyz, Blaze Ya Dead Homie and Boondox.
Juggalo Island
Insane Clown Posse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If we had our own island. Man
Let's trip in the sun
Let's trip in the sun
I got my toes in the sand, watchin' hoes play volleyball.
It's summer time, and I'm feeling jolly ya'll.
here for the weekend, me and these friends, sunny sunshine, and blue skies never end.
There's a mermaid, wavin' me to come in, underwater on my balls she's hummin'.
Smokin' on a phat one, we come to have fun, I got my dick in your hot dog bun.pouring out shots for everybody that's sippin', let's get loose now, skinny dippin'.
Don't hate me cause the speedo I'm wearin', got your girlfriend stairin'.We out here, sky's so clear, ice cold beer, suntan, topless, bitch, come over here.
[Chorus]
On Juggalo island,
We can be one.
Let our nuts hang by the water.
On Juggalo island, we can have fun.
We can let go, by the water.
Shaggy: Bang! Pow! Boom!, sunny like high noon, met some lettes, and they all comin' over soon.
Have aluha, I'm getting blew out, come over here if you ever get threw out.
We gotta place for ya, never will ignore ya, gotta hot plate and a drink we gunna pour ya.
Corpse on tha grill, plays on the one, two, and around here the dead have fun too
Stiffs in the water, float and we see you, doing flips in the air on a sea-do
No cops, unless they pourin' out shots, unless you're helping us smoke these crops.
Surfin' on the big one, havin' big fun, fuckin' with a big fat one under the sun.
lettin' them hang, doing our thang, listen to them up and down the beach everybody sing.
[Chorus]
And when the sun goes down, we up all night, dance of the dead, boogywoogy in the moon light.
Fuck the rules, right? the dead do bite, listen to the quiji board, we can only do right.
Can't do wrong, fatty in a blue thong, everybody can't be together with you gone.
Come get with this, wicked ridiculous, This world is ours every bit of this.
Get you a burger with cheese, enjoy the breeze, I'm choppin' coconuts outta palm trees
And we all in, a free ballin', see me shore side, surfin' on a dolphin.
Grass skirt, dead hola girls, hatchets, and whstever your fishing hook catches.
We don't leave without you, so lets hang, Boom Pow Bang, lets do the damn thang.
[Chorus]
Let's trip in the sun
Let's trip in the sun
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Insane Clown Posse's song Juggalo Island depict a utopian fantasy of having their own island where they can let loose and enjoy life to the fullest. The song conjures up a carefree summer day in which the group and their fellow Juggalos (fans of the band) engage in various activities such as playing volleyball, grilling, boating, skinny dipping, and smoking weed. The island seems to be a safe haven where everyone is accepted without judgment, and even the dead are invited to join in the fun. The chorus repeats the idea that on Juggalo Island, they can be themselves and have fun without any worries or constraints.
The song can be interpreted on different levels. On one hand, it can be seen as a playful and lighthearted tribute to the Juggalo community and their shared values of loyalty, friendship, and hedonism. The song celebrates the idea of belonging to a group that embraces individuality and rejects societal norms. On the other hand, the song can also be read as a critique of mainstream culture that marginalizes and stigmatizes outsiders. The island represents a space where the Juggalos can escape the pressures and prejudices of the outside world and create their own alternative reality.
Line by Line Meaning
You know what would be the shit?
Wouldn't it be amazing if we had our own island?
If we had our own island. Man
We could have so much fun and let loose on our own island.
Let's trip in the sun
Let's have a great time in the sun together.
I got my toes in the sand, watchin' hoes play volleyball.
I am enjoying the beach and watching girls play volleyball.
It's summer time, and I'm feeling jolly ya'll.
I'm enjoying the summer season and feeling happy.
food on the fire, boats in the water and takin' time off from my serial slaughteren.
We're cooking food, boating and taking a break from our usual violent activities.
here for the weekend, me and these friends, sunny sunshine, and blue skies never end.
We're on the island for the weekend with our friends, enjoying the sunny weather and endless blue skies.
There's a mermaid, wavin' me to come in, underwater on my balls she's hummin'.
There's a mermaid inviting me to join her in the water and I'm feeling aroused.
Smokin' on a phat one, we come to have fun, I got my dick in your hot dog bun.
We're smoking and having a good time, and I'm jokingly putting my genitalia in someone's food.
pouring out shots for everybody that's sippin', let's get loose now, skinny dippin'.
I'm offering everyone drinks and encouraging them to let loose by skinny dipping.
Don't hate me cause the speedo I'm wearin', got your girlfriend stairin'.
I'm wearing a speedo and some people might find it attractive, causing some jealousy.
We out here, sky's so clear, ice cold beer, suntan, topless, bitch, come over here.
We're having a great time with clear skies and cold beer. I'm inviting someone over to join us.
On Juggalo island, We can be one.
Being on the island together makes us feel united and connected.
Let our nuts hang by the water.
We can relax and be ourselves on the island, even if that means being vulgar and crude.
On Juggalo island, we can have fun.
Our time on the island allows us to have a lot of fun and let loose.
We can let go, by the water.
We can let go of our stresses and worries while enjoying the water.
Bang! Pow! Boom!, sunny like high noon, met some lettes, and they all comin' over soon.
We're having a blast and meeting new people, including some girls who are coming over soon.
Have aluha, I'm getting blew out, come over here if you ever get threw out.
I'm having a good time and a girl is attracted to me. I'm inviting her to join us if she has nowhere else to go.
We gotta place for ya, never will ignore ya, gotta hot plate and a drink we gunna pour ya.
We're friendly and inclusive and have plenty of food and drinks to share.
Corpse on tha grill, plays on the one, two, and around here the dead have fun too.
We're cooking a corpse on the grill and listening to music. Even the dead are enjoying the island.
Stiffs in the water, float and we see you, doing flips in the air on a sea-do.
We can see dead bodies in the water, and some people are having a good time doing tricks on a jet ski.
No cops, unless they pourin' out shots, unless you're helping us smoke these crops.
We don't want any law enforcement around unless they're drinking with us or helping us smoke marijuana.
Surfin' on the big one, havin' big fun, fuckin' with a big fat one under the sun.
We're having a great time surfing, even on big waves, and joking about a larger person in the sun.
lettin' them hang, doing our thang, listen to them up and down the beach everybody sing.
We're letting it all hang out and doing what we want while others on the beach sing along with us.
And when the sun goes down, we up all night, dance of the dead, boogywoogy in the moon light.
Even when it gets dark, we keep partying and dancing, and even the dead are getting down with us.
Fuck the rules, right? the dead do bite, listen to the quiji board, we can only do right.
We're breaking all the rules and having a good time, even if it's dangerous. We're also listening to a spirit board and trying to do the right thing.
Can't do wrong, fatty in a blue thong, everybody can't be together with you gone.
We shouldn't do anything wrong, even though there's a heavier person in a revealing swimsuit. We want to stay together and have fun.
Come get with this, wicked ridiculous, This world is ours every bit of this.
Join us and experience the wicked and ridiculous things we do. The world and everything in it is ours to enjoy.
Get you a burger with cheese, enjoy the breeze, I'm choppin' coconuts outta palm trees
We're having some food and enjoying the breeze. I'm also chopping some coconuts for us to eat.
And we all in, a free ballin', see me shore side, surfin' on a dolphin.
We're all in this together and having a great time. I'm even surfing on a dolphin!
Grass skirt, dead hola girls, hatchets, and whstever your fishing hook catches.
We're seeing some interesting things on the island, including girls in grass skirts and deadly weapons.
We don't leave without you, so lets hang, Boom Pow Bang, lets do the damn thang.
We want everyone to stick together and have a great time. Let's party and enjoy ourselves.
Let's trip in the sun
Let's continue to have a great time in the sun together.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juggalicious Memes
After going to the gathering multiple times this music video evokes the most beautiful feeling I could never describe. There's so much love in the Juggalo Family, this isn't just music, it breathes new life into people. Whoop Whoop yalls
MidnightFireHuntress
You gotta admit, they all look like they're having so much fun, no other music fanbase is like this.
Maximos Wolfe
It's easy to have "fun" in the temporal (hedonistic, appetitive) sense. But life is more than just moments. You have to look beyond the moment if you want to find any lasting sense of peace. I've done plenty of things that seemed fun in the moment but had destructive consequences. Trying to string together happy moments (sensations activated by certain parts of the brain with respect to external stimuli or chemical substance abuse) is actually one of the ways people end up being miserable. You have to go in search of the eternal, sacred, transcendent and truly elevated if you want joy and peace (a satisfied mind) rather than merely intermittent explosions of relaxation.
MidnightFireHuntress
@Maximos Wolfe ...what in the heck are you talking about? lol lasting sense of peace? I feel I achieved that a looong time ago, in good health, surrounded by friends and family, money is solid, life is amazing, I live in the moment, if I were on that island partying I wouldn't sit and think "Oohh man am I ever going to find everlasting peace and happiness?" Talk about a buzzkill haha
Petar Ticinovic
People with lower-class tastes are ALWAYS having fun.
MidnightFireHuntress
@Petar Ticinovic Yep! :D And that's not a bad thing!
Petar Ticinovic
@MidnightFireHuntress As long as they shower regularly, I suppose.
muddy_redneck
I listened to these guys in the 90s when I was little. cool to see them still doing their thing.
666108
I'm a full on metalhead but love Icp and would love to go to a gathering as it seems to be just good energy all round
Zultch
A song about chilling with some friends and having a good time. idc who sings that, I can get behind it.