Insane Clown Posse has been misunderstood

by Cheyenne Wise

So many pro-Trump bootlicking racists think that Insane Clown Posse (ICP), formed by Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J, is a band that speaks to their ideology and stands for the same beliefs. Some people perceive fans of ICP to be synonymous with white rural racists in this country. However, Juggalos—a term of endearment among fans, akin to Taylor Swift fans being called Swifties—and ICP have always preached inclusivity and freedom of expression.

ICP is against racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and the destruction of civil rights. They even sat down with Chris Hansen to talk about their mutual hatred for sexual predators. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Chris Hansen?

They have fought for years to be seen and heard as valid, especially when the FBI labeled them as a violent gang. Juggalos come from all walks of life, from poor to rich, from all religions and backgrounds. If you are a Juggalo, you’re family.

A self proclaimed Juggalo attacked a gay bar in 2006. In response, ICP’s manager Alex Abbiss said, “It’s quite obvious that this guy had no clue what being a Juggalo is all about. If anyone knows anything at all about ICP, then you know that they have never, ever been down or will be down with any racist or bigotry bullshit. In my opinion, the perpetrator of this crime committed these acts not because he was a Juggalo, but because he was a neo-Nazi. He subscribed to an ideology of racism and bigotry, and was quite clearly, in my opinion, out of his mind.”

While they aren’t full-on political, they are vocal in what they hate and what they do to people they don’t like. In their 2015 song “Confederate Flag,” they really let people know their thoughts on the rebel flag and the people who wear it.

I say fuck your rebel flag/ Out here pretending like you ain’t offendin’/ I say fuck your rebel flag/ You redneck judges with racist grudges/ I say fuck your rebel flag/ If you gotta tattoo, I’m aimin’ at you/I say fuck your rebel flag/You get punched in your faces reppin’ the racists

Even before that, in the 1990s, they were singing:

The country we live in was built by slaves/ Beat down and murdered and stuffed in their graves/ You put a slave owner on the one dollar bill/ And you want to know why I KILL PEOPLE!

ICP took to selling a new batch of t-shirts in 2020 that were originally sold in the early ‘90s. It’s a Juggalo tearing and burning a Confederate flag with the words “Fuck Your Rebel Flag” on the back. They brought it back from the demands of their fans from the devastating events in 2020 with the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and many others. Wearing it pisses off the right people and makes for great conversations with those that love ICP and those that love burning the rebel flag.

While hip-hop/horrorcore mosh pit energy music might bit much for a lot of people, you have to admit putting out music that screams what they think so loudly is pretty cool. Maybe you’ve thought about some of ICP’s lyrics in your head and agreed with them but would never say it out loud. Maybe you’ve thought about picking up a heavy object and just so happening to swing it near a known sexual predator.

I think the world could do with a little ICP in their lives. They are inclusive, body-positive, and LGBTQ+ safe. They don’t care about your bank balance and they stick up for all Juggalos no matter their background. Check out wikiHow’s How to Be a Juggalo: 12 Steps for more information.