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| Riding a tidal wave of publicity and fan support Insane Clown Posse prepared to release their 5th Joker's Card in June '99, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers. It debuted at #4 on the Billboard Charts, just behind The Backstreet Boys. Considering the lack of radio/mtv play and media support, this was a major achievenment in the music industry. The Amazing Jeckel Brothers was quickly certified platinum. '99, and '00 saw ICP touring throughout the country, both in larger arenas, including an appearance at Woodstock Music Festival, and covering lesser small venues. ICP also appeared |
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| As their underground popularity grew, other record labels began to take interest in Insane Clown Posse. Moving from Jive, ICP signed a million-dollar contract with Disney's Hollywood Records to release the 4th Joker's Card, The Great Milenko, in '97. In a catastrophe turned blessing, it was pulled from the shelves 6 hours after dropping because of pressure from The Southern Baptist Federation. Far from silencing ICP, this action had the opposite effect, pole-vaulting the wicked clown duo into a media frenzy, feeding on the "bad" publicity. This sparked a bidding war between major labels, bringing ICP and The Great Milenko (w/new tracks, and fully uncensored) to Polygram owned Island Records. The Island team had what Psychopathic Records and ICP were looking for all along: the heart and dedication needed to truly promote their album, their musical style, and their message. The Great Milenko went on to be certified platinum, sound scanning 1.4 million, and is currently a records holder for one of the longest running albums in Billboard Top 200 History. The Great Milenko's success brought Insane Clown Posse to a new level. Not only were they reaching a nation-wide audience, but they began touring in Europe, where they met unexpected acceptance. Aside from touring, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope themselves delved into the world of wrestling, where they joined the WWF, then moved to WCW, as well as ECW. |
| It is now the era of The Wraith ~ Shagri La...it's message in unlike most Juggalos thought it would be. This is the Joker's Card Album that will tell who the real Juggalos are. In the past ten years of the Insane Clown Posse.. they have not changed their face paint, until know. With the dropping of The Wraith, ICP has changed their trademark facepaint, no longer just wearing the black and white, then now have a different look, as well as colour, which they incorporate into their new face paint, based on their mood, clothes, and hair. They say the messages and hints were there, although most never picked up on them.. I for one did.. I listened to the other 5 previous Joker's Cards, and I heard the message about God. You could always here it in Violent J's lyrics. There will be 2 sides to The Wraith, The Wraith ~ Shangri La is intended for the Juggalos, and everyone who has shown the clown love over the many years the ICP has been around. The Wraith ~ Hells Pit, is for everyone else, all those people who thought they wouldn't last, who thought that their message wasn't there. Well, look who's laughning now, ICP has been in this industry for longer then anyone would have put money on it, with thousands of Die Hard Juggalos by their side. "We will never Die Alone, Juggalos will Carry On, Swing out Hatchets if we must, Each and every one of us....." |
| On the cover of several magazines, including Alternative Press, with what issue going to break all AP sales records. They released a successful comic book series through Chaos! Comics. ICP even started an independant wrestling promotion called Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (JCW), which went on to become the second highest grossing promotion in the U.S. As the turn of the millennium approached, Insane Clown Posse's vision only became larger and clearer. Juggling music and wrestling, ICP also advanced their film interests. They released a full-length motion picture called Big Money Hustlas', featuring appearances by such notables as Rudy Ray Moore (Dolomite), The Jerkey Boys, Harland Williams, WWF's Mankind, Fred "Rerun" Barry, The Misfits.. just to name a few. The only ones more excited at the start of this new era than the masses of Juggalos are Insane Clown Posse themselves and the people behind them at Psychopathic Records. Ten years of tireless dedication is coming to a head, right now. |