Insane Clown Posse – “Yum Yum’s Lure” review

The Insane Clown Posse are a horrorcore duo, the founders of Juggalo Championship Wrestling & the longest reigning JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions consisting of Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope. There have been a total of 6 members in the group since its inception in 1989, but has been boiled down to J & Shaggy since the release of their 1992 debut album Carnival of Carnage. Together, they would create an empire whether it be subsequent albums like Riddle Box & The Great Milenko or expanding the self-owned Psychopathic Records as a force to be reckoned with in the underground by signing artists from Twiztid to more recently Ouija Macc. Now I wasn’t the biggest fan of ICP’s previous full-length album Fearless Fred Fury back in 2019 because I felt like it was rushed, however I do respect how angry it was. But as they gear up for the next joker’s card Yum Yum Bedlam, the wicked clowns are preluding it by dropping Yum Yum’s Lure on Juggalo Day.

After the “Bewitching” intro produced by 1 Man Kru of the Keepaz of the Krypt, the next song “Loyalty” finds J & Shaggy detailing what it means to be faithful over an ominous piano instrumental whereas the track “Afraid of Life” might be one of the worst ICP songs I’ve ever heard, as they talk about preferring to be a zombie phantom over a rock-flavored beat from Alien Ant Farm of all people.

The song “Smell of Rain” talks about women consuming them including a reference to 新日本プロレス founder, 3-time IWGPヘビー級王座, 10–time G1クライマックス winner, WWE Hall of Famer & unrecognized WWE Champion アントニオ猪木 over a happy go lucky instrumental from Shaggytheairhead while the track “Ding Ding Doll” tells the story of a boy who buys a cursed Ecuadorian pull string doll from the dark web & the doll comes to life to wreak terror over a pillowy beat over a pillowy beat.

The song “I’ve Had It Worse” talks about how life sucks for everyone over a skeletal trap instrumental from the homie Devereaux while the penultimate track “Candyman” is a solo Shaggy cut with some of his most cringey lyrics on top of a more playful Mike E. Clark beat. The EP ends with “Clownheads”, which is a bloated & redundant advertisement for their Clownhead Paintings.

Coming from a Detroiter who’s been down with the clown since I was in middle school, I think the House Party Peep Show EP is much better because this is just as bad as The Calm & Eye of the Storm. I think the production is decent, but the execution on a good portion of these songs are terrible in my personal opinion. Really hope these songs aren’t on Yum Yum Bedlam & hopefully that album isn’t as disappointing as the material we got on here.

Score: 1/5

Insane Clown Posse – “ICP’s House Party Peep Show” review

This is brand new EP from Detroit horrorcore duo, Juggalo Championship Wrestling founders & the longest reigning JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions the Insane Clown Posse. Consisting of Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope, a lot of cats don’t know that 3 other members came & went during the first 5 years of the group’s inception. Not only would The Duke of the Wicked & the Southside Strangla go on to create seminal wicked shit albums like The First 6, but they gained an extremely loyal fanbase in the process & their self-owned Psychopathic Records became an independent hip hop powerhouse as the label’s roster continued to grow. They did a series of Paetron streams to commemorate what would’ve been the 27th annual Hallowicked show & to give back to everyone subscribed, the wicked clowns gifted them an exclusive 6-track EP.

The EP kicks off with “The Blob”, where Violent J tells the story of a killer blob from another galaxy over a dire beat from Devereaux. The next song “My Forehead” is literally J & Shaggy talking about how big Violent J’s forehead is over an old school instrumental from none other than Mike E. Clark while the track “Cartoon Goon” finds the duo going back & forth about an illustration that will seal your fate over a vilainous beat from Shaggytheairhead.

The song “Mighty Mote” sounds like a leftover from the Fearless Fred Fury sessions as J talks about a kid getting revenge on everyone from his step-dad to his school busdriver to the electronic/trap fused production while the penultimate track “The Ceremony” is a beautiful dedication to Shaggy, Billy Bill & Jumpsteady backed by an uplifting trap beat. The EP closes out with “Live Dead Forever”, which is easily the most wicked joint on the entire thing referencing the late Luke Perry only a month after his son Jack became the current AEW World Tag Team Champion.

For the 4 month wait, it was well worth it in my opinion. Violent J is still one of the greatest storytellers in hip hop history, Shaggy 2 Dope even though he only has very few verses on here is just as skilled & I do like how the production range from the touching “Medals” & the vintage “My Forehead” to the trap-flavored “Mighty Mote”. Safe to say it’s giving me hope for Yum Yum’s Lure next Wednesday as well as Yum Yum Bedlam later on in the year.

Score: 3.5/5

Insane Clown Posse – “Fearless Fred Fury” review

The Insane Clown Posse are a Detroit horrorcore duo, the founders of Juggalo Championship Wrestling & the longest reigning 2-time JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions consisting of JCW Commissioner Violent J & the shortest reigning JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion Shaggy 2 Dope. They’ve been at it since the very late 80’s & through their own label Psychopathic Records, the 2 have managed to become independent titans. The last we heard from J & Shaggy in a full-length capacity was in 2015 with The Marvelous Missing Link double disc set which has been regarded as the weakest Card of the 2nd Deck but almost 4 years later, they’re returning with their 15th full-length album.

As with every album in the duo’s Dark Carnival mythology, the intro & the first song “Red Fred” serve as an introduction to the album’s titular character. The track “Fury!” is all about fighting back & not only do the verses make you feel like the adrenaline is starting to flow inside, but so does the MIKE SUMMERS a.k.a. 7 & Str8jaket production. The song “West Vernor Ave.” is a Shaggy solo cut that pays tribute to the titular street in downtown Detroit while the track “W.T.F.! (What The Fuck!)” talks about the problems of the world today over a chaotic beat. The song “Satellite” sees the 2 is an empowerment anthem with a spacious beat referencing former 2-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, FTW Champion, ECW World Television Champion, 3-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion, NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion, IWGPジュニアヘビー級王座 & the longest reigning XPW World Heavyweight Champion Sabu while the track “Seriously Hilarious” gets murderous over a haunting beat dissing their former protégés & Majik Ninja Entertainment founders Twiztid. The song “Game Over” sees J making fun of gamers over a trap beat with an AMAZING Super Mario sample thanks to Devereaux throughout while “Night of Redrum” nocturnally continues their acclaimed “Night of” series.

The song “Low” is mostly a take on the classic Zombies joint “Time of the Season” including a reference to the inaugural IWGPヘビー級王座, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion & WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan while the song “TripleX” is a clever tale taking place in a therapy session over a demented beat. The song “Nobody’s Fault” is a painfully corny emo rap cut while the song “Hot Head” is a boring, sluggish angst anthem. The song “Shimmer” is a guitar ballad to God showing the Duke of the Wicked’s storytelling abilities while the track “Freedom” sees J & Shaggy talking about just that over an uplifting beat. After the “Beware!” interlude, the closer “I Like It Rough” is a disgusting sex tune (not in a good way either) with a bland trap beat.

After the intro of the Flip the Rat bonus disc, “A Face 4 Fighting” starts the deluxe run with Violent J wickedly expressing his love for engaging in fights if shit gets ignited & Shaggy returns on “Fight Back” produced by DJ Paul talking about nobody wanting smoke with them over hi-hats & bells. “Revenge” goes for an futuristic trap vibe with the help of Mike P. making room for them warning that you’re never safe when they’re hunting for you prior to “I’m That Type” featuring Psychopathic’s biggest solo act Ouija Macc finds him & his mentors talking about the scrub life over a rap rock/trap mix.

Another artist on the Psychopathic roster Big Hoodoo join the clowns on “Hungry” to talk their desire for more paper & Brian Kuma giving it a trap flare generally while “Splish Splash” again brings Violent J’s storytelling abilities in the fold portraying a man whose house is 85% baths. “Friend Request” samples “100 Miles & Runnin'” by the N.W.A with J & 2 Dope poking fun at the concept of sending friend requests on the Meta Platforms-owned Facebook while “I Could Never” is another trap cut showing a more religious side to the Duke.

“Hawking” reaches the backend of Flip the Rat satirizing absurdism & conspiracy theories as the wicked clowns trading bars back-&-forth with each other sampling “Kiss” by the late Prince while “Tha Dogg” samples “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains venting Violent J’s frustration of being treated like a bad dog, calling back to the familiar theme in ICP’s music of being outcasted. “Be Safe” concludes the collection of a dozen bonus tracks with both Shaggy & J playfully telling the juggalos to watch your step & take it easy.

I was legitimately excited going into this after I got to see them film the “Fury!” video at my uncle’s store back in October but now that it’s here, this thing absolutely shits on The Marvelous Missing Link. Other than a small handful of skippers, I appreciate it for going back to a darker sound & featuring around themes of standing up for yourself, fighting back against injustice, & having self-respect making Fred embody this “fight back” mentality. Sucks that the MNE/PSY fallout happened due to Young Wicked of the Axe Murder Boyz signed to MNE after he was having an affair with J’s niece as someone who grew up in Michigan at a time where Psychopathic was a roster full of artists, but it certainly made the clowns sound the angriest they’ve been a while.

Score: 3.5/5