Insane Clown Posse

Formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA, Insane Clown Posse's highly shocking rap/metal fusion and spectacular live performances had, by the time they were signed to a major label in 1997, earned them both public notoriety and commercial success. Violent J. (b. Joseph Frank Bruce, 28 April 1972, Berkley, Michigan, USA) and Shaggy 2 Dope (b. Joseph William Utsler, 14 October 1974, Wayne, Michigan, USA) originally performed as the Inner City Posse in the late 80s, releasing the hardcore gangsta rap Dog Beats in 1991. Following the underground success of this album, Bruce and Utsler changed their name to Insane Clown Posse and underwent a startling change of image, adopting Kiss-style clown make-up and rapping about the apocalypse. The duo released several albums on their own Psychopathic Records imprint (each claiming to contain a further revelation from the final judgement), and gained a sizeable underground following in the Midwest without the backing of any radio play. (Their loyal fans are known as Juggalos). They also roused the public ire of several local politicians and moral and religious campaigners, who reacted with shock to the foul-mouthed lyrics, open fires, chainsaws and barely contained violence of the duo's live shows.

Insane Clown Posse switched to Jive Records in 1995 and released The Riddle Box, but the album failed to sell. [Walt] Disney's Hollywood Records signed the band a year later and poured nearly a million dollars into The Great Milenko, Insane Clown Posse's 1997 major label debut recorded with guest artists including Slash and Alice Cooper. The label recalled the album only six hours after it was released, however, with the duo's obscene lyrics placing Disney under further pressure from powerful Christian groups. Island Records bought out the Hollywood contract, and re-released the album later in the year with Insane Clown Posse still a permanent fixture in the media pages.

Their Island debut, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers, broke into the US Top 5 in summer 1999. The following November the duo assaulted the US public with two separate releases, the confusingly titled Bizaar and Bizzar. Their next release, The Wraith: Shangri-La, was cermoniously named "The Worst Album of All Time" by Blender magazine. Further albums have attracted increasingly dismissive responses from mainstream critics while being eagerly snapped up the group's fanbase.

In addition to their work with Insane Clown Posse, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have released solo albums and recorded with their protégés Twiztid, Blaze and Mystery under the Psychopathic Rydas moniker, and as part of the Psychopathic Records "supergroup" Dark Lotus.