Good documentary on Florida music history

 

Years before the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Black performers had to play at venues in Black communities. In the South, the path through these venues was called the Chitlin Circuit. Florida had many stops on the Chitlin circuit as jazz, blues, and R&B performers took their tour bus from Pensacola to Miami.

Florida’s Chitlin Circuit explores the history of these tours. The 45-minute documentary also profiles the performers, many of whom went on to national fame and fortune. Names such as James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Ella Fitzgerald, Tina Turner, and many more all played on Florida’s Chitlin Circuit.

I give this documentary a 4 out of 5. It spends too much time on the Florida Panhandle and misses out on discussing the Jackson House in Tampa. It also loses Florida in its discussion of female performers. There was also no mention of Zora Neal Hurston’s book “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, which details the Central Florida Juke Joint scene of the 1930s. Kind of an important piece of literature on the history of rural Black music in Florida during segregation.

But if you are interested in Florida music history, click the video and check this out.

Business Advice from Vanilla Ice

 “If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it.” - Vanilla Ice

“If you got a problem training your organization on the most recent cyber threats, yo, I'll solve it.” - Me

In his 1990 smash hit “Ice, Ice Baby”, rapper Vanilla Ice is selling solutions. Whatever your problem, Vanilla Ice has an answer. His elevator pitch is distinct and confident. It is also based on simple IF/THEN programming. IF you have a problem, THEN I will solve it.

There is a lot to be learned by Vanilla Ice's bravado. As a job seeker, I struggle with selling myself. Exploring elevator pitch advice makes me think others struggle with it too. Whether due to lack of confidence, insecurity, or indecision on what to say, developing an elevator pitch can be overwhelming. Personally, I know my biggest struggle with elevator pitches is focusing too much on what I have done in the past, not what I can do in the future.

Talking about your past is wonderful for a memoir, but it is a bad way to sell yourself as a solver of problems. There is no IF / THEN. Vanilla Ice didn't talk about his past. He told you what he would do.

If you need a complicated heart surgery, you need a doctor who will tell you what he or she will do. A doctor who spends his time telling you his or her life story may not assure you that your heart will be operated on correctly or that they are doing the correct procedure. You want to know what they are going to do to solve your problem.

That is not to say backstory or credentials aren't important. Remember the old Holiday Inn Express commercials in which someone claims expertise because they stayed at a Holiday Inn? They proposed solving a problem, but were rebuffed when their lack of credentials were discovered. Staying at a Holiday Inn Express was not enough.

A better approach might be to briefly mention credentials, while keeping the focus on the problem. For example, introducing yourself as a certified heart surgeon would assure someone who needs heart surgery that you are the person to solve their problem. It is also important to address the problem in your pitch to make sure you and the potential client are on the same page on what needs to be addressed.

Here are a few examples in the theme of Vanilla Ice:

“I am a certified heart surgeon. If you need heart surgery, yo, I'll do it.”

“I am a licensed electrician. If you need your house re-wired, yo, I'll do it.”

“I am a certified organizational trainer and continuity planner. If you need your organization trained on the latest cyber threats, yo, I'll do it.”

and finally,

“I am a multi-platinum album rapper. If you need someone to perform their biggest 90s hit, yo, I'll do it.”

In most cases, you might want to drop the “Yo”. But that's personal preference. Remember IF / THEN, have confidence, and Go, Vanilla, Go!

Sidestepping Spotify

 

I might be the only person who does not have a paid Spotify account*. The service never appealed to me.

Spotify is saturated with AI-slop, background Muzak, and other fabricated phoniness. It also barely pays artists, typically paying .01 for a thousand plays of a song.

Millions upon millions of people are on Spotify. However, that might be slowing down. I’ve written that buying physical media is on the upswing. Gen Z is increasingly wanting to own media after millennials digitized everything. Combined with collectors and people who care about artists over billion-dollar companies, there is a bit of a movement on the fringes. While nowhere near the physical sales of books, physical music sales are trending up.

Consider these numbers:

• Vinyl records sales were over $1 billion in 2025.
• After plummeting throughout the 2000s, CD sales have stopped falling, and now represent over $300 million in sales.
• The used CD market is growing as younger music collectors look for a cheap way to collect as used CDs are often 1/5th of the price of a new vinyl album.

Despite this, streaming still represents 84% of the 11.5 billion in American music spending.

Meanwhile, I don’t pay for streaming music at all.

How do I, a professed music fan, listen to music? I don’t have a CD player in my car and I no longer have stacks of CDs around my house.

For those new to not streaming, here is how I have sidestepped Spotify.

First, I downloaded my favorite radio station apps (shoutout WRRJ Cocoa Beach and WMNF Tampa). But they don’t play all of what I want to hear all the time.

I used to have an iPod Classic. If you remember those, they were the best and biggest iPod on the market. You plugged your iPod into your desktop or laptop and uploaded your MP3s. Mine held 19,000 songs. But then it died. I needed a phone-based music player. Shout out to my iPod Classic. I miss you.

After the death of my iPod, I re-downloaded all of my CDs. I had over 600. Then I acquired 350 more from my brother. It took me months, but I put all the music on my desktop.

(I should have mentioned, I also own a USB CD Drive. Old media readers are still out there. Buy them now while you still can.)

For organization and meta-tagging, I used MediaMonkey. MediaMonkey is a free jukebox-type player for your computer, laptop, etc. There is a mobile version that claims to sync across devices, but I have never used it. I only use MediaMonkey on my desktop to edit the metadata for albums.

 

I scanned all the music folder on my desktop in MediaMonkey, edited metadata that needed addressing, then uploaded each album folder into Google Drive. Instead of deleting the files on my desktop, I saved them to a portable hard drive. I like having copies of my music. I did however sell most of my CDs, only keeping local artists, signed CDs, and a handful of my favorite artists. From over 900 to barely over 100.

Once my files were copied into Google Drive, I downloaded an app on my phone called Cloud Player by doubletwist, which plays the music in the cloud folder I point it to. Cloud Player is a 1-time purchase of $12. In 5 years, they have updated once for an additional $12.

When an album is uploaded into Google Drive, I open Cloud Player and hit refresh. It looks in the Google Drive folder and shows the metadata from the album I just uploaded. Ready to play.

Cloud Player is not perfect. Although it has a “Most Played” list, it doesn’t tell me how many times I listened to a song. It is oddly difficult to randomize the songs from a singular artist. While there is a playlist function, the metadata does not list if a file is already in a playlist. I have accidentally listed songs in the same playlist multiple times. And there times where Cloud Player doesn’t read a file right and it skips 5 or 6 songs until it plays another song. I don’t know why this happens. Every time there is an extended break between songs, I pause the player and hit the back button to the last played song. After that, Cloud Player has no problem playing the next songs.

In addition to playing my cloud-based tunes, Cloud Player also has a Magic Radio function that allows users to stream radio feeds from anywhere in the world. Magic Radio is organized by genre, location, or language. Every Sunday, I listen to Bru Zane, a classical music station out of Italy.

Cloud Player is perhaps my favorite, if not one of my most used apps on my phone. Despite a few weird bugs, I highly recommend it.

Even though Media Monkey is free and Cloud Player is only $12, there is a larger cost to this system. A free Google Drive only holds 15 GB. That’s not enough for a music collector. I subscribe to Google One and pay $100 a year for 2 TB of storage. That’s my cloud storage for everything - email, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets, saved videos, and my music. I am not even halfway full.

$100 to hold all my important online files and over 35,000 songs that I have curated and can replay whatever I want, whenever I want. Guaranteed no AI slop and no algorithms. Spotify is $15 a month ($180 a year) for far more songs, but a billion dollar company controls the algorithm and contracts to play or not play an artist. I am the owner of music. Spotify subscribers are users of a music service. It’s more work, but I know what side I like to be on.

Of course, I still acquire new music. I still buy a handful of new CDs of my favorite groups on Amazon. On occasion, I find new and used CDs at the local CD store. I also download new music on Bandcamp. If you are not supporting musicians on Bandcamp, you should be. Especially on Bandcamp Artist Fridays, which is a once-a-month event in which all money from purchases actually goes to the artist, not the website. But Bandcamp has to pay the bills and keep the servers serving, so giving them a few dollars isn’t a bad thing.

(There is also archive.org and many blogs that post classic albums for those who sail the open seas, wear an eye patch, and have a parrot on their shoulder. You can find a lot of music at these locations.)

I don’t expect Spotify to go out of business anytime soon. Just like I don’t expect Amazon to go out of business. Spotify has embedded itself as a platform for artists, even though, like Amazon, creators get paid peanuts. But through a mix of free software and one very cool cloud player, I have been able to create a system that allows me to listen to all the music I have collected for over 30 years whenever I want, wherever I want.

If you want to leave Spotify and don’t want to go through everything I do, there are a few open source options. I can’t attest for any of them, but here is a link to list of them.

https://github.com/chayotic/Open-Source-Music-Streaming-Apps

If you are on Spotify, you can listen to my debut novel, Curveball at the Crossroads. I recommend it. The audiobook is awesome.

Full disclosure: I’ve made $15 dollars from Spotify since they started carrying audiobooks in 2023. I make approximately $2 per full listen of my audio book. You can buy a digital download for $10, or you can also listen to the whole 7 hour and 23 minute story as part of your subscription. For that 7 hours and 23 minutes of entertainment, I make $2. Which is approximately 1/2 of 1 cent a minute. Or 2 cents every 4 minutes, which isn’t much, but is admittedly far more than music artists are making.

(I have a Spotify author account. I had a free Spotify music account once, but I lost the password. If I remember right, I wanted to listen to a local artist’s new album, which was only on digital.)

The Kenny K Documentary Trailer

 

A few (or more) years ago, I embarked on a project to tell the story of the Godfather of Tampa Hip-Hop, Kenny “Kenny K” Waters. Kenny K was the first notable hip-hop DJ in Tampa. From 1986 to 1993, Kenny hosted his rap show on WMNF 88.5. He played the big New York artists at the same time they were being played in New York, at a time when other cities had to wait for the labels to distribute. He introduced a generation to the music of the streets.

Kenny was also notable for being a founding member of old school hip-hop group Digital Underground. Known for their smash hit “The Humpty Dance” in 1991, Digital Underground played around the world while Kenny stayed in Tampa with his show and working on his own solo music projects.


Sadly, Kenny passed away in 1994 from a liver disease, his own album never completed. Since his death, there have been a handful of articles and memorial pieces, but no one has put together his whole life story.

This week my team and I are happy to release the trailer for the Kenny K Documentary. We still have many people yet to talk to, but we wanted to show the world what we have. This is a big step in the biggest project I have ever worked on.

 

Meeting the Fake Randy Meisner

A few weeks ago, founding Eagles bassist Randy Meisner died. The real Randy Meisner.

For nearly 20 years, a man named Lewis Peter Morgan impersonated Meisner. Many websites have written about Morgan. In 2020, UltimateClassicRock.com wrote an article about Morgan and his history of misleading promoters and organizations who thought they were booking the real Randy Meisner. 

According to SFGate.com, Morgan was arrested in 1998 for impersonating Meisner. He received 16 months and was set free. He resumed his act.

In 2006, Morgan was seen at a poker tournament according to Gambling911. In 2014, writer Nolan Dalla also wrote about meeting the imposter and even having dinner with him.

Five years before the poker tournament, some time around 2001, I met someone who claimed to be Randy Meisner in a bar in Tallahassee, Florida. It might have been Lewis Peter Morgan. Or it very well could have been Randy Meisner. I wrote about meeting this man in a paper I did for an anthropology class.

Here is what I wrote:

After interviewing Jenine, I met a man who claimed to be a founding member of the famous rock and roll band the Eagles. He introduced himself as Randy Meisner and continued on about how he was taking a Greyhound bus to Tempe, Arizona to go to Lake Tahoe with 70’s singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne. A week later I did research on Mr. Meisner, who was indeed a member of the Eagles. However, the man at Fatty and Skinny’s claimed to be 63. Randy Meisner is 55 years of age. I also read an online article about an imposter in Atlanta claiming to be the classic rock band’s bass player. Was the individual I met really Randy Meisner? Or merely an imposter?

I am not sure why Lewis Peter Morgan or anyone else claiming to be Randy Meisner would have been in a college bar in Tallahassee in 2001. But I guess that makes me a small part of one of the weirdest stories in Rock 'n' Roll history.

Connecting Jackie Robinson to Curveball at the Crossroads

Creating art puts you in elite company. Not everyone exercises their creative genius in their lifetime. Meeting other creators is an awesome feeling. Especially when your creation is connected to their creation through other associations.

As I've mentioned many times, my debut novel is entitled Curveball at the Crossroads. It is a baseball novel set in rural Mississippi about a young African-American baseball player who makes a deal with the Devil. The audio version of Curveball at the Crossroads is narrated by Torian Brackett. Torian did an amazing job.

A few months later, Torian posted on social media that he another baseball book project in the works. He was narrating "Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter" written by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long. I cannot confirm or deny that doing Curveball at the Crossroads opened Torian to additional baseball opportunities, but I like to think so.

A few months after Torian's announcement, New York-based rapper Skyzoo announced that he was part of a Jackie Robinson documentary entitled "Get to the Bag". Skyzoo dropped the trailer for his project in October 2022.

Now here is where I tie it all together. In mid-2021, Skyzoo performed in Tampa. He has been one of my favorite rappers for years and I could not miss the opportunity to see him perform. After the show, I realized I had a box of books in my car. I acquired a signed CD from him and gave him a signed copy of Curveball at the Crossroads. I remember writing in it that his music has gotten me through some tough times, so it was personal. It was very cool moment for me as a creator to present my creation to a creator that I admire.

I am not sure if Skyzoo has read Curveball at the Crossroads yet. But now there is a chain through creators, associates, and subject matter from my novel in Tampa, Florida through Mississippi to New York City and laying its home in Brooklyn. We are taking JaMark Reliford and the Blues to Ebbets Field and hip-hop.

Be sure to check out Curveball at the Crossroads as well as Torian's Jackie Robinson project and Skyzoo's Jackie Robinson documentary.

Selwyn Birchwood concert at Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa FL

It has been a while since I reviewed a concert on this website. I used write about all the concerts I went to. Over the last few years, I haven't done that as often. Admittedly, COVID-19 shut down the live music scene around the world and there wasn't much to write about, but even before then I wasn't documenting as I was years ago. So excuse me if I am a bit rusty.

I am relatively new to the work of Selwyn Birchwood. Although I read his name in articles and saw it on marques for much of the last 10 years, I never took the time to look him up until I saw his song "Guilty Pleasures" on YouTube. I am a blues stickler/purist and I was super impressed. He had soul, he had a groove, and he nailed the blues.

A few months later, during the pandemic, I saw Selwyn in the background in a large blues tribute show video. I think it might be the BB King Tribute in the Capital Theater, but I am not sure and the videos for that show aren't complete. Regardless of where it was, I said to myself that I better get his music before he gets super huge and too expensive to see live.

In 2020, Selwyn put out a new album, Living in a Burning House. The album contains a song called "Freaks Come Out at Night" (no, not a Whodini cover). The video for this song was filmed at the Bradfordville Blues Club, outside of Tallahassee - one of America's last remaining juke joints and one of my favorite places to see live music anywhere. If I wasn't a fan of Selwyn Birchwood before, I was definitely a fan at that point.

I finally had a chance to see Selwyn live in May 2021 at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center in Safety Harbor, Florida. The Art & Music Center is an interesting place and the crowd was a bit subdued for my taste, sitting throughout the concert and applauding only between songs. I prefer a more active crowd.

And that is what I got at Skipper's Smokehouse.

I arrived with a few friends a few songs into Selwyn's show. Oddly, there was no opening act on the bill, only the headliner. Although I wasn't disappointed, I found the lack of opening act interesting and kinda unique. It is rare to not see an opener.

But no opener leaves more time for the headliner and that was who I was here to see.

Selwyn Birchwood and his band rocked for over 3 hours. They played a lot of his new album "Living in a Burning House", which was a lot like the time I saw him in Safety Harbor months ago, but this time he mixed in several of his older songs, such as "Guilty Pleasures" and "Hoodoo Stew".

All night long, the dance floor at Skipper's was filled with people rocking and grooving to Selwyn and his band. He is one of the few blues acts to incorporate a saxophone and it definitely makes his sound more layered and unique. Selwyn also plays a happier type of blues. Instead of wallowing in the sad things in life, his music tends to be more upbeat and celebrating positive ends through the negative.

While creating his own sound, Selwyn Birchwood did some classic blues impersonations, both in voice and in riff, covering some Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. But like he said, the reason he doesn't play like them is because they are them and he is himself, therefore there is no reason to play like them.

Overall, it was a great show. Three hours of blues, groove, soul, and dancing makes for a great time. Especially on a pleasant Florida summer night. Selwyn Birchwood is the real deal, an entertaining bluesman with a modern sound that calls back to the legends of the genre. He is one of several new artists carrying the blues on to the next generation.

On a social note, my friend's friend who joined us was a young mid-20s Black girl who wasn't used to the blues scene, but wanted to come out for some live music. While she had a great time and did quite a bit of dancing, she mentioned how it was weird how she was a minority in a show performed by a band that was 80% Black doing music her culture invented. There weren't many Black folks in the crowd. I told her my theory on how the blues was stolen from Black people in the 60s and Black culture moved on to R&B, Soul, and eventually Hip-Hop. But from my perspective as a white dude, it was interesting to see and hear her reaction to the music and to the crowd. 

Before I close, however, I want to mention the venue. Skipper's Smokehouse did a lot while closed to clean up and make the concert experience more comfortable. Outside of the always tight parking, Skippers is a great place to see a show. Everything was cleaner, from the bathrooms to the stage to the walls of the venue. 

My one complaint was with the obnoxious older couple who tried to push my friend and her friend off of their seats when they tried to find a place to sit. They got an attitude and the incident almost turned into a mess. But we avoided conflict and spent most of our time on the dance floor directly in front of them, blocking their view and rocking to Selwyn Birchwood.

My Grandfather and My Favorite Nirvana Song

I recently posted my thoughts about my Grandfather, who passed away last week. While I will always have pictures and memories to remember him, there is also a song by Nirvana that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it.

The first time I heard "Sliver", it was on MTV in the mid-1990s. I was familiar with Nirvana's bigger hits such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are", etc, but I had never heard this raw, punk-like Nirvana song. I wasn't even sure what album it was on (1994's Incesticide, I would find out. Although it was a single released during Nirvana's earlier days with SubPop Records.)

Sliver stayed in my memory for a long time as in those pre-internet days, trying to find a song you heard once was fairly difficult. Today, I would have searched YouTube for 10 minutes and found it. It wasn't until I found a bootleg copy of "The Best of Nirvana" at a vendor table in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1998 that I finally owned the song I heard years earlier.

First, the video, then I will discuss why this song means so much to me.

When I was little, my parents and I lived approximately 10 minutes from my mother's parents. We went there regularly. It was there that I watched Star Wars on VHS for the first time - and every time I visited. While the adults talked and prepared dinner, I was in the living room watching Star Wars or cartoons. Every time.

And when my parents had to go somewhere and couldn't bring me, as the song says, they dropped me off at Grandpa Joe's. The rest of the lyrics also reflect different times at my Grandparents.

[Verse 1]

When Mom and Dad went to a show

They dropped me off at grandpa Joe's

I kicked and screamed

Said, "Please, don't go!"

Although I liked going to my Grandparents' house, I am sure I did this a few times.

[Verse 2]

Had to eat my dinner there

Mashed potatoes and stuff like that

I couldn't chew my meat too good

I ate dinner at my Grandparents' house many times. As a growing kid with a fast metabolism, my Grandmother used to say I had a hollow leg. One of my Grandmother's best dinners was meatloaf and mashed potatoes and stuff like that.

[Verse 3]

She said, "Why don't you stop your crying?

Go outside and ride your bike"

That's what I did

I killed my toe!

I don't remember riding my bike around my Grandparents' house when I was little, but when I was 10, we visited my Grandparents' new house in Florida. I went outside to ride a bike and instead of killing my toe, I flipped off the bike, banged my head, and had a concussion. Not quite the same, but close.

[Verse 4]

Well, after dinner I had ice cream

I fell asleep and watched TV

I woke up in my mothers arms!

I guarantee this happened. As I mentioned, I watched Star Wars every time I was there. And like most kids, I had a huge ice cream habit.

I am not sure if Kurt Cobain really had a Grandpa Joe. I am also not sure if his childhood was spent eating dinner at his Grandparents house, having ice cream for dessert, and falling asleep to Star Wars. Maybe this is just a catchy pop tune that popped into Cobain's brain as he was fiddling with his guitar. Maybe he just dug the rhythm of the lyrics and an Uncle Ralph or Uncle Fred wouldn't rhyme with "show".

But I had a Grandpa Joe and whenever Sliver plays, I will remember those days. 

Every line ends in rhyme. 

[Chorus]

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

Grandma, take me home!

I wanna be alone!

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 8: The Great Milenko

Welcome to my latest review of the Insane Clown Posse and Psychopathic Records's catalog. It has been a while since I reviewed an album here, so I am excited. Today's subject is The Great Milenko, released in 1997. This is ICP's fourth major release and the fourth Joker's Card album. The card in the album calls this ICP's "most controversial release yet". This should be fun.

Before I start, the album liner notes are particularly interesting. The thanks might be the longest thanks I have ever read in an album. There is also an interesting blurb on who is The Great Milenko. I am not sure I understand what they are talking about, but perhaps the album will make it clearer.

Intro

The album starts with a country-western vibe. People are playing a jukebox when a voice comes over the air warning about the Great Milenko. This is actually a very cool and informative introduction of the Carnival of Carnage. It tells the story of why the carnival exists and its purpose. It also describes how three Joker's Cards have already come and gone. This seems like an introduction for those who might not already be down. But it is a good reminder for those of us trying to figure out the clown philosophy. 

Great Milenko

This beat is nice. Violent J introduces The Great Milenko and who he is. A wizard of the dead. I wonder how Violent J and Shaggy brainstormed these ideas. Was it a team effort? Or did one just go along?

Hokus Pokus

Violent J opens this song with a song introducing that ICP is in town. Nice beat. I can see this song being nice in concert. Definitely upbeat. Even Shaggy's verse in this song is decent. I like the DJ scratch segment and breakdown. This song seems like the clowns are announcing the circus is back and led by the Great Milenko. Fun song.

Piggie Pie

This song starts in a prison. Woah, a rock-driven beat. Violent J and Shaggy rap about murdering rednecks and rich people. I am still not sure how the anti-redneck theme jives with the circus. Are the clowns avenging the wrongs committed by southern white culture? Is this is sort of a Django-type fantasy? Interesting mention of a rich man as the devil and Violent J killing the devil. Does this pit the devil versus the carnival?

This songs ends with an awkward suicidal phone call.

How Many Times

A slower beat. This seems like a reflective song. Violent J raps about some of the wrongs of the world, especially the awkward responses of people to wrongs and death. I like this song. It really has nothing to do with the circus or the clowns. It is just interesting observations about life from the perspective of ICP. A weird ending by a braggatocious wannab who gets called home by his mom. 

Southwest Voodoo

Wait, was that a shout-out to Da Lench Mob's "Guerrillas in tha Mist"? Nice. (Ed note: I paused it to find out that "Voodoo, running from my magic" is actually a X Clan line that Da Lench Mob sampled as well.) This song starts with a Shaggy 2 Dope verse. I think he is making things up here. The verse makes no sense. This song also sounds like it would be fun in concert, even if the lyrics are nonsense. This isn't the first time ICP has mentioned Southwest in a song. I am not sure where they are referring. Is it southwest Detroit? Southwest USA? I am confused. Again.

Halls of Illusion

Shaggy 2 Dope starts this song as well. I am not sure what he is talking about. Violent J follows with a verse taking revenge on wrong-doers. Interesting rock-riff chorus. One Shaggy's verses is about how seemingly perfect families and neighborhoods often hide dark secrets. 

Under the Moon

This is a weird song about an obsessed dude who kills for a girl. While he sits in prison he thinks about her. Does this song have anything to do with the carnival or the clowns? Dumb song.

What is a Juggalo?

I am not sure this song actually defines juggalos. But I think that is the point. The point is that the juggalos aren't defined by the song, but the fact that they dig ICP and are strong in their identity. Otherwise, if you take the song seriously, you aren't down with clown.

That's part of my confusion with ICP. If this song isn't supposed to be taken seriously, is the carnival? What about their hatred of rednecks?

House of Horrors

We are now back to the carnival theme. Shaggy 2 Dope opens with a verse welcoming people to the House of Horrors. This is actually a good verse, especially if you consider he is trying to scare people who entered the house unintentionally. Cool beat.  

Boogie Woogie Wu

Interesting intro. Definitely a horror movie vibe. Violent J is back with a scary verse about the Boogie Man. The Boogie Man scares or kills his victims.

The Neden Game

This song was on the Mutilation Mix album from the last review. It follows a TV game show format. Definitely creative. Not sure what this has to with the carnival or the clowns. 

Hellalujah

The intro is of a preacher on TV. Then Violent J drops a verse from a crooked preacher's perspective. At least this song is consistent. While I understand the content, not sure what this perspective has to do with the carnival. Why are the clowns not taking revenge on the preacher? The breakdown "pass me the collection plate" is very cool.

Down with the Clown

I like the upbeat vibe of this song. I like the opening verse, in which ICP discuss how they have their niche and listeners will not seeing them selling out. The group is definitely sure of their identity here. And they are asking the fans to be sure of their fandom as well. This is much more of an affirmation song than What is a Juggalo. All ICP asks is that you be down with them. If you are down, then you are a juggalo.

Just Like That

Not sure what to think about this song. It sounds like filler. What does it have to do with the rest of the album? Eh.

Pass Me By 

Shaggy 2 Dope raps over a piano-driven beat about how he dies and joins the carnival. Interesting chorus. Violent J also drops a similar verse about dying and joining the carnival and being more happy in death with his juggalo brethren. This is almost a 2Pac-like reflection song. Curious way to end the album.

Overall, I liked this album. Some of the songs are filler. But some would be fun to see in concert. ICP shows a lot of growth on this album. They define themselves and what they believe in. They also invite others to be down with them, while still staying true to their underground roots. This album is not as underground sounding as their previous albums, but it is definitely not mainstream. ICP shows a bit more depth and maturity on this album, as much as they can. It is definitely a deeper album than their previous offerings.

Previous Reviews:

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 7: Mutilation Mix

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 6: Tunnel of Love

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 5: Riddle Box

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 4: Shaggy 2 Dope F*ck Off

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 3: Ringmaster

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 2: Beverly Kills 50187

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 1: Carnival of Carnage

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 7: Mutilation Mix

It has been a while, but once again I am brave enough to venture into the long and illustrious catalog of Psychopathic Records, home of the Insane Clown Posse and other associated acts.

Today's listen will be Mutilation Mix: Greatest Hits (That Never Were Hits) released in 1997. The back of the CD says there is 75 minutes of music and 2 new tracks, so I am expecting many songs I've heard over the first 6 albums I listened to. I wonder if this album has a theme, or are the hits that never were haphazardly arranged. Will these mostly be remixes of the socio-economic revolution songs or of tales of redneck-hunting and other murder and mayhem?

Unfortunately, the CD liner notes do not have the track list, so I had to copy it from Wikipedia. I hope it's right.

Request #1 (Nate the Mack)

The album starts with a phone call to Violent J. Nate the Mack asks about their greatest hits, which he claims they never had. Unless it was Cemetery Girl, which is a segue into the next song.

Cemetery Girl

This song is from Riddle Box. I dig this new beat. This might be better than the original, which I called "skippable" when I reviewed Riddle Box.

Hey Vato

This is the first time I have heard this song. It starts with Shaggy 2 Dope yelling at someone named Richie. Then it goes into a Violent J verse about gang banging. I still don't understand ICP's fascination with gangs. The song repeats how it is "all about clown love" - which is great marketing for their community theme. While the beat is interesting, and the chorus is good,  the verses are forgettable.

Wagon Wagon

This song was originally on the Ringmaster album. My original review was that this was the most mainstream of ICP's early work in regards to beat and structure. This beat sounds similar to a DJ Muggs-type beat from early Cypress Hill albums. 

Request #2 (Esham)

This track is another phone call. This time from Esham, asking that a song he was on be included in the greatest hits, which of course rolls into the song.

Psychopathic

This song was originally on the Carnival of Carnage album. My original review said this song was like Funkadelic meets Halloween, with the ICP style of lyrical braggadocio - murder, mayhem, and sex. This version is shortened, about half as long and does not include the Esham verse. I wonder if that is on purpose.

Southwest Strangla (2 Dope solo)

I haven't heard this song before. This is a story from a murderer's perspective. While the lyrics aren't that deep, it is classic horrorcore. Still not a big fan of Shaggy 2 Dope's flow.

Never Had It Made

This song was originally on Carnival of Carnage. I like the intro. I still don't understand the ICP fascination with jail and incarceration. Do they have experience in the pen? Were they clowns in prison? 

Chicken Huntin' (Slaughter House Mix)

This is remix of Chicken Huntin' that was on the Riddle Box album. 

I Stuck Her With My Wang

This is the first time I've heard this song as I don't have the Terror Wheel EP. Shaggy 2 Dope opens the song with a verse on mutual sexual violence. At least I assume this is consensual. Horrorcore meets sex rhymes. 

The Loons

This song is off the Ringmaster album. Still creepy, but this time without the verse about socio-economic revenge.

Red Neck Hoe

This song was originally on Carnival of Carnage. Shaggy 2 Dope's flow is not good. So simplistic. This version does not have the Violent J verse. 

I am noticing a pattern with this album, that is it just samples of the songs. Which is really weird. Why would ICP do shortened versions of their own songs? This album would be better if it flowed like a real mixtape.

Request #3 (Charm Farm)

A third phone call recording to ICP. Dennis and Steve from Charm Farm request I'm Coming Home.

I'm Coming Home

This song was originally on Riddle Box. I didn't like it then. Does ICP know that many people who have returned from prison? Have they ever returned from prison themselves? This song admits a comfortability with negative conditions. It also doesn't have much to do with Carnival of Carnage/Ringmaster/Riddle Box storyline. Very confused.

Superballs

This song was originally on the Tunnel of Love EP. I dug this song on the EP. The beat is fantastic. Tunnel of Love is probably my favorite album of the ICP albums I have listened to so far. 

The Stalker

This song was originally on Beverly Kills 50187. When I first heard this song, I was confused. Still creepy. 

Wizard of The Hood

This was on the Carnival of Carnage album. This was favorite song of the Carnival of Carnage CD. This track is only 1 minute long. Starting to think this whole album is a mixtape without any blending. Just samples of ICP's first 7 albums (6 I have reviewed, and the Terror Wheel album.)

Skitsofrantic

Another one from the Terror Wheel album. Which means this song is new to me. Very West Coast funky beat. All about being paranoid. This is a cool song. Sorta a Mind's Playing Tricks on Me vibe. 

3 Rings

From the Riddle Box album and Shaggy 2 Dope's solo joint. Another song about the carnival. Violent J has an Ice Cube flow on this song. 

Request #4 (Harm's Way)

Not sure who Harm's Way is, but they are on this phone message. 

Murder Go Round

From the Ringmaster album. Still not a fan of this song. 

Request #5 (Daddy X of the Kottonmouth Kings)

The fifth call of the album. 

Southwest Song

From the Ringmaster album. This has a funky beat. Shaggy 2 Dope sounds pretty good here. Not sure why ICP fantasizes about the southwest. Is it Southwest Detroit? Or the southwest US?

Fuck Off!

Another Shaggy 2 Dope song. I bit uptempo for Shaggy, but he sounds good on this. This would be a fun song in concert. I wonder why some of the songs on this album are over 3 minutes and others are less than 2 minutes.

Dead Body Man

From the Riddle Box album. I didn't understand the songs placement on the Riddle Box story, but here it fits.

Cotton Candy

This is from the Tunnel of Love album. I dug this song the first time I heard it. All about sexual innuendo. 

17 Dead

From Beverly Kills 50187. I like when ICP goes social-economic. But the message gets lost often among the horrorcore filler, anti-redneck screeds, and sexual innuendo songs. Very confusing.

Request #6 [(2 dog)]

2 Dog drops a message on ICP's answering machine.

The Neden Game (Album Version)

This is a new song to me. ICP is on a gameshow answering a girl's questions, a la The Dating Game. I think this was a preview of the next album. "I would order you a drink, a stir it with my dick" is a great line. I like when ICP gets randomly creative. But again, their blending of several messages throws me off. Maybe that's why I like the EPs better than the joker card's albums thus far.

House of Wonders + Mike Clark Bitchin'

This is another new song that I haven't heard before. Violent J raps about how he doesn't like a preppy dude. Then the chorus goes into a carnival chant. Shaggy 2 Dope rhymes about turning a woman who did him wrong into a member of the freak show.

The song and album closes with their producer Mike Clark yelling at ICP for not paying him for this album and their previous albums.

Overall, this was interesting. I am not sure the point of a "greatest hits" album after only being around for a few years. This was definitely more of a mixtape than a greatest hits. I think if it was a mixtape in the traditional hip-hop sense, it would have flowed better. Here, it was just a bunch of clips of songs. I can't think this is a must-have for ICP fans, but real ICP fans need it in their collection.

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 6: Tunnel of Love

Picking up on my journey through the long and illustrious catalog of Psychopathic Records, today's listen is "Tunnel of Love", released in 1996. This is a non-joker card release following Riddle Box.

Based on the cover art, this album looks like it is going to be interesting - like ICP's version of a romance album. If I understand the Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope a little bit already, this isn't going to be Luther Vandross. There will probably be a lot of murder, mayhem, and misogyny. Romance, the ICP Way.

Intro:

Intro starts with a deep tone and a whispering creepy voice welcoming us to the Dark Carnival. A woman whispers "do you love me?". This is creepy. I'm scared.

Cotton Candy:

Funky beat. Shaggy 2 Dope opens the song with typical A-B-A-B rhyme style. Cotton candy isn't about candy. Imagine that. I like this beat and the chanting chorus. Violent J drops the second verse. I am not surprised this album starts with sex rhymes. There is no Dark Carnival-Carnival of Carnage in this song. I wonder if there will be at all in this album. Is this the clowns day off? The Ringmaster gave them a few days off and they decided to chase women instead of kill rednecks. The clowns lead interesting lives.

Super Balls:

Another funky beat. Slower and more bassy than the last song. Super Balls is a superhero. I wonder if Super Balls knows Redman's Soopaman Luva. Super Balls is the first time I have heard "whoop-whoop", which I am pretty sure is an ICP staple. I dig this song, as misogynist as it is. It is funny. There are verses on this song that do not seem rapped by Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope (ed: according to Wikipedia, this song features Legz Diamond - which seems like a rip-off of Wu-Tang Clan Raekwon The Chef's nickname of Lex Diamond).

Ninja:

This song starts with skit of a murder in which the victim doesn't die. Then it goes into movie narration describing what a ninja is. (Seriously, first Legz Diamond, then a straight Wu-Tang style song intro. Wow.)

Then the song drifts into a fantasy verse by Violent J and his obsession with ninjas. Which is similar to "It Feels Good to be a Gangsta". The ninja is of course a hero. The ninja beats bullies, defends his mom, and then takes revenge on his jerk boss. No love in this song, just ninja fantasy. Like an 1980s kid after American Ninja or and other Ninja movie. I dig this. Super cool.

This song is the Official Ninja Webpage to music. Which is awesome and should always be promoted.

Stomp:

Driving beat. Shaggy 2 Dope opens this song with a murder verse. I guess the clowns are back. Although he mentions acting like a "gang banger should". Huh? This song features a fun call and response between "stomp" and "whoop whoop". I bet this is great concert song.

The song ends with a carnival beat and mention that the jugglers and clowns are coming to your town. I guess the clowns aren't gone.

Prom Queen:

Creepy intro. Violent J opens this song with a story about his upcoming prom. Unfortunately, he gets rejected by his proposed prom date. Then, in typical ICP fashion, he has to kill the girl who rejected him and brings her body to his house for his own personal prom. Sadly, I can see this song being listened to by kids who aren't very popular and maybe face rejection in high school. It is not very optimistic. I get it, but I worry the wrong kid could like this song. It seems more realistic than ICP's other social revenge songs. Creepy. Sorta like Possum Kingdom by the Toadies.

My Kinda Bitch:

Violent J opens this song taking his "kinda bitch" - who of course is a freaky carnival woman. This beat is really weird but interesting. There sounds like there is a duck quack in the background. Of course, Violent J's chick is anti-social, disturbed, and promiscuous. This is the ICP version of Apache's Gangsta Bitch.

When I Get Out:

Starts with a skit about a prisoner getting punked by guards. Shaggy 2 Dope opens with a verse about getting out of jail. I am guessing this song has nothing to do with the carnival of carnage. I am not sure where being in prison falls in the ICP story. Is this just a fantasy? Why would ICP fantasize about getting out of prison? Do they have people in prison? They never mentioned before that prison was a part of their lives. I am not sure about this song. It sounds like they are trying to build "gangsta street cred" with this, glorifying getting out of jail. Sounds like a song suburban white kids would write to be cool. Worst song on the album.

???:

Track 8 has a hidden track at the end. After minute of silence, there is a gameshow called "You're a stupid ass" that narrates a quiz that when correct, gives a number to call to hear the title of ICP's new album. Neat way to build excitement and keep fans engaged.


Overall, this was a fun album. I wasn't expecting a lot, although I was expecting ICP's take on romance. I wasn't disappointed. A lot of the beats were tight and the rhymes were creative. The high point was Ninja and Super Balls. The low point was definitely When I Get Out. Another point about this album was that it avoided a lot of the socio-economic revenge ideas that have confused me about the clowns. But I think the joker card series is what kept the fans coming back. But to me, there non-joker cards albums have been more creative and fun thus far. Maybe I just don't get it yet.

Coronavirus Death Metal Album

I probably listen to too much extreme metal. I was imagining what an entire COVID-19-themed metal band would call themselves, their album, and their songs.

I would buy this album and I would see this band in concert. No doubt.

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 5: Riddle Box

Continuing my valiant review of the Psychopathic Records catalog, today's listen is the Insane Clown Posse's Riddle Box, released in 1995. Riddle Box is the third Joker Card album from ICP, following Carnival of Carnage (1993) and Ringmaster (1994).

Going into this music adventure, I did not realize ICP was so prolific in the mid-90s. With the LPs, they are releasing an album or two every year. That's hustling.

Without further ado, let's begin:

1. Riddle Box

This album starts with ICP driving and then getting into a car crash. After dying, they are confronted by people who want them to turn the crank to jack-in-the-box.

2. The Show Must Go On

This song starts with a carnival barker barking about people getting something from a "riddle box" after they die. Then Violent J introduces himself. They call themselves Juggalos again. Violent J also says "the jokes on you". Shaggy then introduces himself to the listener and says they received their prize from the riddle box. The carnival barker says by turning the crank, the deceased will learn whether they go to heaven or hell. There is a continuous beat but no verses.

Following the beat is the actual song "The Show Must Go On", which is listed as Track 3, but is the second song. ICP is trying to confuse me.

This song drops right into Violent J's verse. And the clowns are back. Here he references the Joker Cards - "three more cards and the skies will be falling". Not sure what that means, but the cards are a theme for ICP. I dig the beat in this song. It has a dark, deep, funky sound. Following Violent J is of course Shaggy 2 Dope with a decent flow. A little better than his previous albums.

I like the narration in this song. It actually describes the ICP meaning. The clowns are part of the carnival, setting up the tents, etc.

3. Chicken Huntin' (Slaughter House Mix)

This song starts with a prank call to stereotypical southerners and ends in a delivery person shooting the southerners. This song is a remix of the song Chicken Huntin' that was on the Ringmaster album, although this song has a rock riff, coming out in early phases of rap-rock. I still don't understand ICP's obsession with killing rednecks. Is this the clowns' vigilante mission? Or is this part of the carnival?

Following Chicken Huntin' is a track in which an interviewer tries to interview ICP to no success. This is not the next song. ICP trying to confuse me again.

4. Toy Box

Nice old school rap beat with a kid's type laugh track. And Shaggy 2 Dope goes into a horrorcore verse about a loner in a broken home who makes distorted toys. Each of the toys of course adds to the chaos and murder.

5. Cemetery Girl

Begins with a track of two guys talking about how one guy is still in love with his dead girlfriend.

Violent J starts with a nice sounding verse about his visiting his dead girlfriend in the cemetery. Apparently clowns like necrophilia. Do the clowns exist by any moral code? If real people have to turn the crank, do the clowns exist in heaven or hell? Or are they limbo beings, able to do whatever they want with no repercussions? Does the Ringmaster and others also exist with no moral code?

Otherwise, this song is skippable.

6. 3 Rings

A carnival barker greets "wealthy beings" to a circus of freaks and unfortunate souls. This is song was previously on Shaggy 2 Dope's solo album. It is a song about individuality that is looked down upon by mainstream society. It has a good message of acceptance in a twisted, horrorcore way.

7. Headless Boogie

I like the beat of this song. Funky. Violent J raps about finding a group of dead bodies dancing. Nice Kurt Cobain reference. Why is the clown surprised to find headless people? I do like the upbeat groove of this song. I bet this is a crowd favorite.

8. The Joker's Wild

Wow. This beat is super nice. Very funky. Shaggy 2 Dope starts rapping about a gameshow and its contestants. Of course the contestants are people ICP dislikes and they get killed. I don't think this is part of the carnival. Or this could possibly be a creative Walter Mitty-type dream of someone who feels marginalized.

9. Dead Body Man

A newscast discusses missing dead bodies. The clowns like dead bodies. They have them everywhere. Is their deadbody girl their cemetery girl? And are the dead bodies those who turned the Riddle Box? Does this song have anything to do with the theme of the album?

10. Lil' Somethin' Somethin'

This is not a good song. The tone of the song is an attempt at a twisted love song. ICP sing more than rap. I don't like the tempo and the beat. It is like a bad break in the album. Are the clowns on their day off from the carnival here?

11. Ol' Evil Eye

We have returned to the carnival. Ol' Evil Eye is the main attraction movie at the carnival. This beat is fantastic - very similar to the Gravediggaz beats. Violent J raps about trying to kill a dude with a weird eye. Shaggy 2 Dope also tries to kill the old evil eye dude. As bad as the previous song was, this song is very cool. Probably one of the best in this whole ICP adventure.

12. 12

I love that the 12th song of the album is named 12. Violent J kicks it off with a verse about coming back from the dead and killing someone. Shaggy follows it with a verse about killing someone as well. Are the clowns reincarnated? I think the clowns are avengers of sorts, collecting souls for the carnival.

13. The Killing Fields

Violent J starts with a depiction his sad life and neighborhood. Then he states when you die, you go to the killing fields. Is this a depiction of hell? Or this ICP's depiction of the inner city? ICP hasn't mentioned the inner city versus suburbs concept at all this album. The meaning of this song is confusing. Probably why it is the second to last song on the album.

14. I'm Coming Home

This song concludes with Violent J celebrating going home to the ghetto. According to ICP, they want to go home to the freaks, gang bangers, and crooks in the inner city. This song brings back my confusion about ICP: are they celebrating the poor elements of the inner city? Do they want it to get better? If not, it sounds like they are exploiting those in poor socio-economic conditions for content of their song. It almost conservative in its celebration, like a country song about beat-up pick up trucks in a poor small town.

The album ends on two bad songs.

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 4: Shaggy 2 Dope F*ck Off

Continuing my journey through the long catalog of Psychopathic Records, today's listen is the first solo album from a member of the Insane Clown Posse: Shaggy 2 Dope's F*ck Off, released in 1994.

Besides being the first solo album, this album continues ICP's pattern of releasing EPs between their main "Joker Card" albums. Interesting strategy to keep fans interested.

Going in, I am not expecting much. Thus far on their albums, Shaggy 2 Dope has definitely been the weaker of the duo. Violent J was the better rapper on the first three albums. Let's see what Shaggy can do solo.

1. F*ck Off

Starts with a nice upbeat hip-hop beat. Shaggy immediately jumps into anti-social rhymes. Shaggy doesn't care what people think about him and he will do what he wants. Braggadocio rhymes with an anthem feel. "I won't mix rap with rock'n'roll, like someone I know" - is that jab at Kid Rock, who was the Carnival of Carnage album? That was only the year prior.

2. Clown Luv

Decent beat, but Shaggy 2 Dope doesn't sound as a smooth on this song. This song also has a weird reverb and audio fade. I am not digging this song. Content-wise, this song is carried by the chorus about being part of the Clown Luv crew - which is supposed to be a bridge of all the other sets. I wonder if ICP knew the growth potential of their following by this point in their careers.

3. I'm Not Alone

Shaggy brags about being down with the carnival crew from the ghetto. This is the first mention of the carnival on this album. "Jokers and freaks in the night" - this song talks to the outsiders and gives them a sense of identity as well as talks about them getting social revenge on those who hold them down. Sort of a Tad Browning's "Freaks" vibe. Is this is a Walter Mitty dream type fantasy or are they calling for outsiders to bond? Or are they trying to tell outsiders that they aren't alone to boost their self-confidence? Outsider kids might migrate to this, thinking ICP has their back.

4. 3 Rings (w/ Violent J)

Back to the carnival vibe, this song starts with a carnie barker telling "normal" people to check out the circus of freaks. The song starts with a Violent J verse, about freaks and mutants being excluded from the popular parties. Interesting premise. Shaggy 2 Dope takes the second verse and flows like he did on the first song. I dig the "One of us" vibe of these last two songs. It celebrates differences.

This CD didn't make me wonder about the psycho-social-economic themes of the Joker card albums. It was on a "we are cool because we are different" vibe that was empowering. It also didn't contain any of the anti-southerner or racists themes of the full albums. Shaggy 2 Dope still isn't consistent lyrically, but overall, although short, this was a fun listen.

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 3: Ringmaster

Continuing my trip through the catalog of Psychopathic Records, today's listen is the Insane Clown Posse's Ringmaster, released in 1994.

Ringmaster is the second release in the Dark Carnival and Joker Card series, behind Carnival of Carnage. The album looks more professional than the previous Beverly Kills CD.

1. Wax Museum

Church bells is cool way to start an album. Very cool fortune told by a fortune teller. Very apocalyptic. Talks of evil payback of the sins people did. How the evil of one's life will be lead by the Ringmaster. Then the song goes into a bass-driven carnival beat with some nice DJ scratches. I am digging this. Apparently ICP works for the Ringmaster. So they are prophets of sort.

2. Murder Go Round

From the very cool intro, I am not digging this song. The beat is very jarring and the rhymes are way too simple. We went from high concept mythology to rhyming about killing for shock value. Although he does mention that he is a juggalo a few times. The first time I have heard that team used/ Violent J's verse is just about killing people in his neighborhood for no reason. Unless the clowns are mindless followers of the Ringmaster? Are they like zombies? Should I feel sorry for their plight as mindless killers like I would Jason Vorhees, whose rational for being a mass murder was because he was abused by camp counselors?

3. Chicken Huntin'

This song starts with a skit of ICP encountering an old southern man and attacking him. This song continues ICP's attacks against southerners. The rhymes are much better than the previous song. This is an anthem of sort with "chickens" being traditional rednecks. This song is also the first appearance of Shaggy 2 Dope on this album. Are the clowns killing the rednecks to continue the agenda of the Ringmaster? Or is this independent work by the clowns?

4. Mr. Johnson's Head

This song starts with a clip in a classroom. Violent J talks about his days in school, possibly high school. Interesting premise: the reason the class has had repeated substitute teachers is because Violent J chopped off the head of his racist teacher. Then the student goes crazy from lack of social skills. This is an fantasy track with interesting socio-political message about the euro-centric, white Utopian teachings in American classrooms. I dug this.

5. Southwest Song

A funky beat led off by Shaggy 2 Dope. I like the addition of a chorus, a modification of the Wizard of Oz's oooo-eeee-oooooo. I could drive to this song. With the mention of the Joker's Card, I think this song might relate to the Ringmaster again. Maybe the Southwest Song is the song people hear when they die, before they face the Ringmaster.

6. Get Off Me, Dog!

Nice 70's vibe in this song. Another Shaggy 2 Dope song. 2 Dope is not as good of a rhymer as Violent J. His songs are very elementary. I don't think this song has anything to do with the Ringmaster. Shaggy 2 Dope wants people to leave him alone.

7. Who Asked You

While the beat is fun, the lyrics are like filler. "Lemon drops, lick lollipops" is not good. Although maybe that is the point of the song. This is a rebellion track telling people that ICP will do what they want no matter what people's thoughts of them.

8. The Dead One

The intro to this song is awesome. Perhaps from a movie with a nice drum beat with a cool guitar riff. Violent J starts this song by talking about his own death over a continuing slow beat. Violent J leaves his house as a dead person. This song isn't about clowns at all. By the end of the song, Violent J is pushing against his death, claiming he doesn't want to die. This was cool. Very different. When they are serious, their songs are deep.

9. My Fun House

Two cops lead off this song analyzing a murder. Then Violent J drops another verse about killing people, the clowns, and the carnival. There is a lot going on on this album. Like two or three themes at the same time. This song mentions the Ringmaster again. Maybe the Fun House is where the Ringmaster works and the clowns are taking victims through the fun house. Which songs am I supposed to take messages from and which are filler?

10. For The Maggots

This short song is about people who defy their friends or who don't act honestly. Posers, wannabes, etc.

11. Wagon Wagon

The first song to mention the Insane Clown Posse by name. The wagon seems to be what the clowns roll around in to spread their chaos. The Ringmaster drives the wagon so this song continues the theme. This song is also the first song by ICP to mention weed, which is a frequent subject of many rap albums. This is probably the most mainstream rap song of the album.

12. The Loons

Starting with a prank call, this song then gets into a creepy Violent J verse over a horror movie beat. Through the song, Violent J is creeping towards the woman he prank called. Then the song mentions how the governor took everything he had and now the ghetto freak show is creeping into the suburbs. Again, this is what I don't understand. Is the Ringmaster involved in the ghetto freak show? Is ICP socio-political or psycho-spiritual or a weird combination of couched in a circus theme? I am very confused.

13. Love Song

ICP's version of a love song. Violent J insults his woman while saying he loves her. ICP's version of "Me and My Bitch" by Biggie. Nice interlude between the songs with hidden meanings. This song is upfront and simple and psychopathically romantic.

14. Bugz on My Nutz

Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J with sex rhymes about catching STDs. Two tracks in a row that are not serious and not about the Ringmaster or the ghetto freak show. I wonder if ICP fans are divided on the type of songs they like - the songs with deep meanings or the songs with surface level meanings.

15. House of Mirrors

We are back to the carnival theme. The subject of the song dies and now has to view themselves in house of mirrors. The mirrors reflect their biggest fears back to them. Additional by Capitol E, who drops a clear yet complex verse. I liked his verse. Again, ICP are targeting the rich and privileged in their rhymes. More socio-political-psycho-spiritual premises.

16. Ringmaster's Word

This instrumental loops a carnival theme beat with lines that seem to be from a vampire movie. The beat is pretty cool. Overall, I dig this song. Interesting way to close out the album. But what does the vampire have to do with the Ringmaster?

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 2: Beverly Kills 50187

Welcome to part 2 of my trip into the Psychopathic Records discography. As a reminder, I am listening to the Insane Clown Posse and other Psychopathic releases for the first time ever and writing my initial opinions, attempting to give unbiased and honest reviews.

Today's journey takes us to 1993 and ICP's second release, Beverly Kills 50187. This is a short album with only 6 songs, although each song is 5 to 8 minutes long. Whereas Carnival of Carnage, ICP's first album, had a major label look, this album does not. It looks very bootleg.

1: Beverly Kills

First off, I like the references to the Warriors movie right in the start. This is before Puffy did the same on the "Flava in Ya Ear" remix. But instead of "Warriors", the voice calls for "Jugglers". This song has an NWA-like sound, especially Easy-E and MC Ren. ICP again goes right into the clown/carnival visuals.

This song has a lot of different changes and breaks in it, credit to the producer. The second part of the song deals with Shaggy 2 Dope's misadventures in taking out his anger on his classmates in high school. There is also the first mention of a Joker's Card, which I know is an ICP thing.

2: 17 Dead

This song starts with someone waking up and then listening a positive message. Then it breaks into a list of tragic murders, saying that the media doesn't care unless they happen in the suburbs. The chorus emphasizes the social rift between the "safe" suburbs and the horrible, murderous inner city. Then Violent J discusses attacking the suburbs and America for their lack of concern. Definitely a song about social revolution and retribution. Not as carnival-clownish as some of their previous songs. This song has a message.

The track concludes with a freestyle full of joke raps by Violent J and Shaggy.

3: The Stalker

I like this beat. The content is a bit weird, about stalking women. Another mention of a Joker's Card. Is this supposed to be scary in a horror way or in a predatory way? Am I supposed to think the girl led him on and he is trying to get her attention. I am confused.

4: In The Haughhhh!

This song has a very disjointed beat. Almost like dubstep. Interesting mention of Zug Island, which I think is another group on Psychopathic Records. The song seems like a message to people ICP does not like and again to those who ignore the plight of the inner city.

Again, however, I am not sure if the Insane Clown Posse wants the inner city to change. There is no hope in their music. Similar to death metal with lyrics of war and destruction. Is there no other way? From ICP, I get the impression that there is not. Which is interesting for hip-hop, most of which aspires to change their environment - to use that anger for social change. ICP seems to embrace the negativity of the inner city as a permanent way of life. That's why I struggle with whether or not they are exploiting struggle of the inner city or not.

Then the song beat changes drastically to a funk-like vibe. I like how it tails off at the end of the song.

5: Chop! Chop! (with Esham)

Another song with a horror movie meets funk type beat. Interesting sample of "swing, swing, swing, and chop, chop, chop" which Ice Cube used twice, once on 1991's Death Certificate and again on 1992's The Predator. Another song about wicked clowns unleashing chaos on their environment. While the beat is cool, not the biggest stretch lyrically.

6: Joke Ya Mind

The piano here is a nice touch. It gives a sense on somberness to the song. As does the slow delivery of lyrics. The lyrics have a surrealist feel, where the joker clown is ruling the world and things such as chocolate soup with a fruit loop exist. Another mention of the clowns coming to town to wreck havoc on the rich suburbs. Sounds like revolution again, but without the substance. Is the revolution supposed to be a mass riot, or lone wolves? I did this song musically, with the piano and the synthesizer, but again the content confuses me although did get the impression it was a dream sequence from the beginning and end skits. Is that how I am supposed to interpret all ICP songs? Are they all nightmarish dream sequences of people living in negative circumstances?

The album ends with a two minute return to the beat from The Stalker. Which as I mentioned, I thought was a very cool beat.

Overall, I thought this album was ok. There were some good beats, but the lyrics did not seem to progress at all from Carnival of Carnage and I am still trying to figure out ICP's purpose: are they revolutionaries trying spark the lower class to overthrow the upper class (like the movie Joker), are they chaos agents, are they a dream sequence, are they like Medieval artists depicting twisted Devils on Earth, or are they just good, old fashioned horror that attacks quiet, safe middle America (a la Freddy Krueger)? 

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 1: Carnival of Carnage

My first venture into the immense catalog of the Insane Clown Posse begins at the beginning at the Carnival of Carnage, ICP's 1993 release. This is ICP's first CD as the Insane Clown Posse and it was released on Psychopathic Records and distributed through Island Records.

My first thought is that ICP was ahead of their time by already having a record label in a time when most rappers were beholden to draconian record executives. Smart move, and probably why they have been so successful in the underground.

On to the album ...

Track 1: Intro

Cool. A novelesque introduction. Sets up the concept of something different coming. A bit doomsday, but definitely piques interest. I will either be down or want to run away. Let's go.

Track 2: Carnival of Carnage

Interesting beat on this instrumental. Their production is putting in work here. An assault on the ears like a Public Enemy track.

Track 3: The Juggla

First track with lyrics. I like the mention of Violet J being mentally unstable - very Geto Boys or Heltah Skeltah "Therapy. Apparently, the Juggla is not to be messed with. Violet J has a very Ice Cube nursery rhyme flow if he was part of a very twisted circus.

Track 4: First Day Out

This must be Shaggy as this is not the same voice as the first song. This flow is not as good. Like Easy-E's self-written songs compared to the songs Ice Cube wrote. Way too disjointed. The romantic segment had a better flow than the actual song. Eh.

Track 5: Red Neck Hoe

ICP doesn't like southerners. Especially not racist southerners. This is Shaggy with a better flow than the previous song. The girl actually has a red neck. Ok, rhyming Conway Twitty with titty made me laugh. Halfway through the song the beat changes completely, as Shaggy goes off on racists. Then the song goes back to the laid back harmonica-driven beat with the weird chorus. Shock value with a hidden message.

Track 6: Wizard of the Hood

I think this is Violet J again. This is a nice flow on a nice club beat. Very MC Ren-style flow. This might be best song so far. I like the taking of the Wizard of Oz story and adapting it to the ICP story. But is it exploitative of low income areas? Do ICP consider themselves the twisted CNN of Detroit or are they using violence in low income areas for shock value?

Track 7: Is that you? (with Kid Rock)

Violet J again. Then a Kid Rock sex verse from before he got big. Then Shaggy. I like this beat.

Track 8: Psychopathic

This song has a very interesting beat - Funkadelic meets Halloween. I am getting used to the ICP style of lyrical braggadocio - murder, mayhem, and sex.

Track 9: Guts on the Ceiling

Another horror score beat. Not sure what the lyrics mean. His body has been blown up all over the city. Is there symbolism I am missing? Does this mean he lost his mental will for life due to low income difficulties? Maybe he lost a part of himself due to tragedies in different parts of Detroit. Or maybe I am thinking too much. Maybe this is just a twisted version of A Tribe Called Quest's song about losing their wallet in El Segundo.

Track 10: Never Had It Made

I like this beat. Shaggy raps about his struggles growing up. Of course, everything is exaggerated. Then Violet J gives his take on growing up in the hard streets of Detroit then going to jail then going to the electric chair. Then of course, he comes back and kills more people. Like Jason Voorhees if he was a John Wayne Gacy.

Track 11: Your Rebel Flag

Violet J is on another killing spree. This time his target is rural southerners again. Shaggy echoes the notion with rhymes about killing rednecks. They don't say why they hate redneck/hillbillies besides the fact that they are bigots and racists although I don't think ICP is into deep socio-political rhymes. But it is interesting to hear white rappers go after other white people. Do ICP associate as white rappers?

Track 12: Ghetto Freak Show

This beat doesn't do it for me. Very disjointed. The lyrics are pretty similar to the shock value murder raps of other songs. "Insanity's grip will never let go, here is your chance to get a glimpse of the ghetto freak show" seems to sum up the entire album so far.

Track 13: Taste

This beat is super cool. This song features ICP associates Jump Steady, Capital E, Nate the Mack, and Esham with Shaggy and Violet J. Jump Steady has a nice flow as does Capital E. This whole song is about bringing the experience of the inner city to the suburbs. Instead of changing the inner city as much hip-hop advocates, ICP and their boys advocate bringing tragedy to the upper class. Not sure if this is the most effective way to bring change to their predicament.

Overall: 

Interesting album. Better than I expected. Musically, some of the beats were good. Some were not. It does have a very raw, early '90s sound, which was expected. Structurally, ICP's rhyme styles were a bit simplistic, but many others were as well in the early 90s. I was impressed by the overall theme of the album. ICP's story as insane, tortured murderers on the loose in the suburbs and the south was consistent, although their backstory is a bit weak, similar to a low budget horror movie. From what I can guess, they were also the first group to run completely with what would be known as horrorcore, predating the Gravediggaz and Flatlinerz by a few years.

I don't think this album would have made me a big fan of their's had I heard it in 1992 but 28 years later, it's not bad. Let's see how or if ICP grows as rappers.

Next up: Beverly Kills 50187 (1993)

A Journey to Hatchet City Part 0: Introduction

Although they have been around for nearly 30 years, I know very little about the music of the Insane Clown Posse. I know they are predominantly independent rappers who through the years have built a large following. I know they hold festivals and political rallies and have been on the FBI's gang list (fairly or not) for at least 10 years.

But I still know very little about their music.

A few weeks ago, I was given a large collection of CDs. Included in the collection was 62 CDs from ICP and other Psychopathic Records acts to include Twiztid, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Anybody Killa, Esham the Unholy, Zug Island, and others. There are also mixtapes, soundtracks, and solo albums.

If I ever wanted to learn about ICP and their affiliated acts, this is the perfect time.

In the name of fairness, I am going to go through each act in chronological order and write a quick review and possibly grade each effort. Then I will make a cumulative list of which albums and acts I liked best or didn't like. My goal is to be as honest as possible.

My only research thus far has come from wikipedia and faygoluver.net's Psychopathic Records Chronology. This idea was inspired by Elijah Watson's article "I listened to all of Insane Clown Posse’s albums, and now I understand" published in 2017 in The Daily Dot. But whereas Watson only listened to 13 ICP albums, I intend on listening to 62 ICP and Psychopathic Records releases.

I have no idea how long this project will take. It could take weeks, months, or years. I might never finish. But at a minimum, I would like to listen to ICP and Twiztid's official catalogs. They are the biggest collections of the allotment.

About me: I am a longtime hip-hop fan whose collection is predominantly old school NY acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Biggie, Def Squad, and Duck Down Records. My initial thought is that ICP and acts may be like the Wu-Tang Clan and their affiliated acts such as Sunz of Man, Killarmy, Killah Priest, La The Darkman, GP Wu, Shyheim the Rugged Child, and the Killa Beez. But I assume they are more into shock value like early RA the Rugged Man (whose work I enjoy) or early horrorcore group the Flatlinerz.

I am curious and somewhat excited. I like checking out new music and trying to figure out the ICP allure will be interesting.

Let's do this.

Wine and Blues Appropriation

A few months ago I wrote a post here about how yoga moms had appropriated hip-hop without paying respect to the culture from which it came. While this is still a problem, there is a bigger cultural appropriation of African-American culture in white society.

For years, white people have taken over the blues. What started as a tribute from Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones, has turned into exploitation and a performances that have completely lost the meaning of the genre.

The blues was born in the poor cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta. The blues is low income lament music. They are songs about not having or losing. Unfortunately, white America has taken the blues to places it should never be and forgetting those who are still struggling.

Just like hip-hop loving yoga moms.

For example, I saw an ad recently for the Lakeridge Winery Blues and BBQ Festival. While blues and BBQ go together like peanut butter and jelly, how are you going to have a blues festival at a winery? The blues is for juke joints and dive bars. Wineries are for the high class. In previous generations, wineries would be for the plantation owners while the slaves and servants would play in the shacks in the field.

Does this look like the type of place where people would understand low-income struggle music?

For a traditionally African-American music, there are only two African-Americans in the video and one is the warehouse taking bottles off the line and putting them in boxes. I bet he has the blues more than anyone else in the video.

Not to only pick on the Lakewood Winery, there is also the Dunedin Wines the Blues 2020 coming in November 2020. 

The blues should be a group catharsis, a way for people to forget their problems and celebrate getting together. The blues works amongst people of similar social status. Having authentic blues singers play for wine connoisseurs is exploitative.

This is not to say white people can't have the blues. Not at all. But integral to the blues is the struggle. Whether socio-economic, race, or dependency, there are problems that hit us all. But they should not be played in front of the wine-tasting bourgeois.

On the other hand, there is an organization called Music Maker Recordings out of Hillsborough, North Carolina helping preserve the culture of the blues. They are finding old blues players in small towns, recording them, and helping them make money from their art. This is an amazing venture as there aren't many old blues players left. According to NPR, "Over its 25-year history, Music Maker has helped more than 400 artists, most of them in the latter stages of life."

That's fantastic and much more representative of blues culture than wine festivals.