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.

Happy Sant Jordi Day

In Catalonia, an area of Spain, they throw parades and celebrate a day in honor of Sant Jordi (Saint George). According to the almighty Wikipedia, the day is also known as El Dia del Libre, or The Day of the Book.

Wikipedia also states that "Historically, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion—"a rose for love and a book forever." In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary."

Conveniently, I have a book published. The Man Makes You Work: How the Rich and Powerful Hold Down Everyone has gotten great reviews on Amazon. I have also sold many in person. People like it.

It would make a great Sant Jordi Day gift.

Have a very enjoyable and happy Sant Jordi Day!

Review of The FCW Story on WWE Network

From 2008 to 2010, I frequently attended Florida Championship Wrestling events at the FCW Arena on Dale Mabry Boulevard in Tampa, Florida. Longtime readers of this website might remember my writings about FCW and the group of friends I hung out with there. As a wrestling fan, I enjoyed the fact that WWE trained the next generation of superstars five minutes from where I lived.

The closeness of FCW to my place meant that not only was the entertainment close, but so were the athletes. I would frequently see current WWE champion Drew McIntyre walking his then-girlfriend's dog in my complex. Other wrestlers and referees were commonly seen, whether they were at the local pizza place, the grocery store, the burrito restaurant, jogging, or getting their mail. To paraphrase the old Sesame Street song, FCW athletes were the people in my neighborhood.

So it was with great interest that I finally watched WWE's newest documentary, The FCW Story, on the WWE Network. The FCW Story described the rise and fall of FCW, from its very humble beginnings as a bar show in New Port Richey, Florida, to its disbandment after the creation of WWE's NXT brand. The documentary ran for approximately an hour and half and featured many interviews from current WWE superstars who trained at FCW, from Seth Rollins to the Bella Twins to the aforementioned Drew McIntyre.

There was a lot to like about The FCW Story. First and foremost, I liked that they talked with Steve Keirn, owner of Florida Championship Wrestling and Tampa wrestling legend. Keirn gave a rundown of the history of professional wrestling in Tampa, which is vitally important in understanding the local identity of FCW. What I did not realize was how much Keirn actually ran. FCW was basically an independent promotion using WWE talent. The organization itself was not owned by the WWE. That explains a lot about why FCW was run the way it was and why things happened the way they did.

After introducing Keirn, The FCW Story used first person interviews to tell how FCW operated before they secured the warehouse on Dale Mabry Blvd. FCW would run weekly shows at Bourbon Street, a sports bar in New Port Richey, nearly an hour north of Tampa. Bourbon Street was known for independent wrestling and the crowd there was lively and knowledgeable. The good crowd and the grassroots approachability of early FCW led to wrestlers and fans creating nascent friendships that many took with them to Tampa when the organization found a permanent home.

While I enjoyed The FCW Story, not mentioning the connection with the fans was a glaring omission in the documentary. WWE loves to taut the NXT fanbase, even showcasing a video in which Triple H visited fans at a local restaurant after a show. While Triple H discusses a "bonded community around NXT", there were plenty of fans who bonded over FCW. Steve Keirn knew us, the wrestlers knew us, and even the legendary Dusty Rhodes knew us.

(True story: one night after an FCW show, Dusty Rhodes pulled up near us in his pick-up and signaled for me to get closer. Recognizing who it was, I walked over. Dusty then personally thanked me for coming to the shows and supporting FCW. That is a wrestling story that will stay with me forever.)

The accessability of the talent is missing today with NXT. As a WWE product, NXT is highly controlled. Athletes are brought in, they perform, and they leave. NXT does not have the grassroots, independent vibe that FCW had.

One of the segments in the documentary I also really liked was the former FCW wrestlers talking about their do-it-yourself trials and tribulations. They discussed putting up flyers, posing for programs, and assembling and disassembling the ring whenever they traveled. Those experiences made them into who they are today, both physically and mentally.

It was powerful to hear the former FCW wrestlers talk about ring labor. I have seen other developmental wrestling promotions mandate ring construction to teach aspiring superstars that they are no better than the ring crew. The manual labor teaches the humbleness essential in the wrestling business.

(Quick aside: there was a really good article on Brock Lesnar on ESPN.com days before WrestleMania 36. In the article, former WWE trainer Danny Davis stated that Lesnar would build and breakdown the ring during his training days in Ohio Valley Wrestling. If Brock Lesnar is not too big to break down a ring, no one is.)

I wonder if humbleness is being lost in the huge stand-alone facility that is the WWE Performance Center. How are they teaching humbleness for the business when all the rings are permanent fixtures? What other menial jobs do they put trainees through?

There were a lot of other great parts in the FCW Story. The development of promos was very interesting, especially the evolution and development of Bray Wyatt. Although I was disappointed they did not interview him - perhaps due to the complexities of his current character, seeing Windham Rotundo evolve from Duke Rotundo, chubby tag partner of his brother, to Husky Harris to wild haired cult leader of the Wyatt Family was fantastic. That growth should be its own story eventually. While there have been many great athletes and champions, Bray Wyatt is easily the best character to come out of FCW.

Interestingly, Windham Rotundo is another FCW alumni I met and interacted with often. When he first joined FCW, he resembled other Florida independent wrestlers and I suggested he work with them, especially after FCW invaded Afa the Wild Samoan's wXw in 2009. Years later, Rotundo was sitting at a table next to mine at the Tampa Improv during a performance of comedian Bert Kreischer. Between acts, I chatted with Rotundo and congratulated him on his success. He remembered me at FCW for my big afro wig and chants. He is definitely a class act.

(Quick aside 2: The invasion angle was a story that was not told in The FCW Story, but really should have been. Or it should be its own mini-documentary. In August 2009, both FCW and wXw were running shows in Leesburg, Florida, population 23,000. wXw invaded FCW and a week later, FCW invaded wXw. Current WWE stars Tamina Snuka and Kona Reeves can be seen on the wXw side and Bray Wyatt, Byron Saxton, and others can be seen working for FCW. I was personally at the FCW invasion. The next week, I went to an FCW show wearing a wXw shirt. Dusty Rhodes himself told me I was wearing the wrong shirt.)

As a fan who was there for much of FCW's existence, I really enjoyed The FCW Story. It brought back great memories of a time when the greatest up-and-coming wrestling talent in the world trained in my backyard. Even though they are now global superstars, FCW made them my neighbors.

The FCW Story might mean more to me and my friends than to the average wrestling fan, but I still recommend it to anyone interested in the development of WWE stars. How WWE trains their performers now might be totally different, and FCW might never come back, but for me, the memories will last forever.

Here are a few of my blog posts on FCW:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2013
So Long, From the Sunshine State - A Review of the Final FCW Event in Tampa

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2008
Snowman of the AfroSquad Writes about Wrestling

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008
The AfroSquad and Florida Championship Wrestling

Wordly Lament

Eagerly I write words
Thousands, millions
Each word means nothing
to a newborn child
Who knows nothing
but love and hunger
Content and despair
The only essential emotions
Yet I write more words
As if they mean something

- Written on 2-20-2007


mage credits: nothing: http://rootfun.net/wallpapers/animated-wallpapers-2013/attachment/i-see-nothing-wallpaper/

Mad Bunny

Here is a poem I wrote in 2006.

Down he hops past Hickory Shop
The mad bunny on the run

Nobody try to stop him
The mad bunny has a gun

Why mad bunny? Why shoot up the shop?
The mad bunny kills for fun

Tougher than leather, sweeter than ham
The mad bunny on the lam

Away he hops to fields of carrot gold
The mad bunny has a plan

(To be continued ...)

Where to put my dollar?

So the other day I found a dollar. This dollar, along with the other dollar I found in my spare pair of pants, gives me two dollars. Now that I have two dollars, I think I will invest one of them. Maybe, just maybe, I can make a third dollar. Then I will have three dollars.

But where to invest my one dollar?

Maybe in a municipal fund?

I just finished reading an article about municipal bonds (yes, I read financial newsletters). This article got me thinking:

Could municipal bond investing represent a certain demographic's level of faith in the local government's ability to stay afloat?

More than just an investment opportunity, investing in municipal bonds is a statement of confidence in the local government. It is a strange dilemma that people could have more faith in the stability in corporations than in their own government.

A true measure of the popularity of municipal bonds would be to measure the actual investment and compare that to expected (or average) investment in a typical scenario. Especially during expected times of municipal bond prosperity. If people aren't investing in bonds when the market says it is financially prudent for them to do so, that means there is another factor in play. Possibly something social, such as faith in the system.

What if no one believed in government investing opportunities? Would the government tax more?

I'll admit, I don't know much about this stuff. But those are just some thoughts I had.

They do seem smart though, don't they?

Maybe I will take my one dollar and invest it in an independent minor league baseball team.

That sounds like a much more stable investment than investing in the government.

Talking WrestleMania at the Tampa Bay History Center

WrestleMania 36 is coming to Tampa in less than 30 days. I am excited not only as a pro wrestling fan, but also as a resident of Tampa. I love seeing big events come to the city and the city grow. There is a lot happening here and it is a fun place to be.

As part of the Road to WrestleMania, the Tampa Bay History Center opened up an exhibit displaying the history of pro wrestling overall and especially in the Tampa Bay area. The exhibit opened Saturday and I was among the first visitors. Being one of the first people there meant I got rounded up to chat with the local news.

Check out my interview with Gabrielle Arzola of Bay News 9 below or you can check out the news website article here.

Did he just say Bull Semen?

While channel surfing last night I came across the VS Network's Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals ABBI Bucking Bull Sale. Wow. The NFL and NBA draft for bulls!

Although far from an expert in bull auctions, I watched the team of announcers analyze each bull, their value, and their pedigree. Understandable, I guess you would want the biggest bad-ass bull to have little bad-ass bull babies. Everything you wanted to know was right there. There was a ticker line on the bottom announcing previous acquisitions and how much they went for, a profile box on the left of the screen showcasing the latest bull to be picked, and even guests talking about their latest picks.

Then completely unexpectedly one of the announcers started talking about bull semen. I was stupified. Uh, where did that come from?

Can you imagine the NFL Draft or the NBA Draft analysts discussing the intricacies of a pick's semen? Imagine them saying, "This player has tremendous upside. Although I had him going a little lower, you gotta like a guy who is long, can play the 3 or the 4, can shoot the jumper, get his own rebound, and has high quality semen."

Or "This is a horrible pick for the Broncos. This guy was a backup JUCO transfer two years ago, had a poor forty time at the combine, and his semen is just terrible. Bad, bad pick."

Little did I know this is an issue in bull acquisition. See here or here. They even have tanks to put the semen in. Amazing. It got me to thinking: how long until human athletes are drafted on their pedigree? Will we soon get bids on Nomar Garciaparra and Mia Hamm's unborn superstar? Or how about Andre Aggasi and Stefi Graf's future tennis champion?

You know it's a shame Wilt Chamberlain is dead, he could have made a fortune.

Battle for the Last Brew

Many moons ago, back in my college days, my roommate and I played a game called "Hide the Last Beer". The rules were simple: when there were two beers left in the fridge, the person getting the second-to-last-beer would hide the last beer in the vegetable crisper drawer and then play it off like their beer was the last one. After finishing the second-to-last beer, the drinking roommate would then go back to the fridge to remove the "hidden" beer and have a good laugh at the duped roommate's expense.

It worked every time.

Looking back, I am glad I had a roommate who could take a joke. Other roommates might not have been so forgiving. Back in Dec 2002, for example, a man was convicted after shooting his roommate after the roommate drank the last beer.

"There was only two beers left, so I took one, and I told Willie not to take my last beer".