"Capitalizing on the rap-rock sensation of the late '90s, Insane Clown Posse broke through to suburban metalheads by melding skeezy, violent rhymes and imagery with on stage antics that involved them wearing clown get-ups and spraying the audience with soda. Dedicated fans became known as ""juggalos,"" and eagerly bought up their records--six of which were part of a concept series. These ""joker cards"" (albums) were messages from the Carnival Spirit, who had possessed the duo at the center of Insane Clown Posse, ordering them to alert the public to an impending apocalypse. Despite this, after the fifth joker card was released in 1999, four albums, a graphic novel, and a direct-to-video movie were released before the grand finale, The Wraith--Shangri-La, was issued.ICP's rise began in 1989, when Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler) formed a rap group known as Inner City Posse in their native Detroit. By the early '90s, they had reformed as ICP, donning clown makeup and brandishing chainsaws and fireballs at their live shows. The spectacle of their concerts was meant to be dark and horrific, blending the sensibilities of metal with the rhymes of rap. Unfortunately, despite a fervent cult following in Detroit, the group went largely ignored until 1997's The Great Milenko, which was pulled by their record company, probably due to anticipated outrage over its violent and crude content. They found a new label, and the controversy found them new fans.The group's albums began to show up in charts, with 1999's The Amazing Jeckel Brothers landing at number four on the Billboard 200. When the long-anticipated Wraith finally was released, it shot to number one on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart.The band went on to record several versions of the Hell's Pit album, followed by The Tempest in 2007."
