Carnival of Carnage
Encyclopedia
Carnival of Carnage is the debut album by American hip hop
group Insane Clown Posse
, released on October 18, 1992, by Psychopathic Records
. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1991 to 1992 at Miller Midi Productions and The Tempermill Studio. The album is the first Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival
mythology. The album's lyrics describe the Carnival of Carnage as a representation of the violence that occurs within the ghetto
s, which takes the form of a traveling carnival to enact the same brutality on the upper class
.
Carnival of Carnage was the first album on which Insane Clown Posse collaborated with producer Mike E. Clark
, who would work with the group throughout much of their career. It features guest appearances by popular Detroit rappers Esham
and Kid Rock
. The album features the only recorded appearances of member John Kickjazz, who left the group prior to the album's release. Although the album did not initially sell well, it became eligible for gold certification
by the RIAA
in 2010.
, Joseph Utsler
, and John Utsler formed a hip hop group in 1990. Under the stage names Violent J, 2 Dope, and John Kickjazz, the group began performing at local night clubs under the name of their gang, Inner City Posse. By late 1991, the group had invested more money into production than was covered by returns. They decided that their gangsta rap
style was the cause of the problem: Most emcees at the time used similar styles, making it difficult for Inner City Posse to distinguish itself stylistically. Referring to local rapper Esham
's acid rap style, Bruce suggested the band adapt this genre, in a bid to have Detroit represent acid rap, much as Los Angeles
represented gangsta rap. The group agreed, but not to copying the style of Esham closely. Instead, they suggested using horror-themed lyrics as an emotional outlet for all their negative life experiences. They were also unanimous in deciding not to rap openly about Satan
, which Esham often did.
After the change in musical style, the group decided that it needed a new name. Utsler suggested keeping the "I.C.P." initials to inform the community that Inner City Posse was not defunct, an idea to which the group agreed. Several names were considered before Bruce recalled his dream of a clown running around in Delray
, which became the inspiration for the group's new name: Insane Clown Posse
. The other members agreed, deciding that they would take on this new genre and name, and would all don face paint due to the success of their former clown-painted hype
man.
. The group finished recording the album with Clark at The Tempermill Studio in Ferndale, Michigan
. Clark mastered his part of the album at Rythmatic Studio, and continued to work with the group throughout their career.
Original group member John Kickjazz appeared on the songs "Your Rebel Flag," "Psychopathic," "Blacken' Your Eyes," "Wizard of the Hood," "Red Neck Hoe," and "Taste." "Carnival of Carnage" was originally recorded by Esham
at Hells Doors Studio, but he pronounced "carnage" as "carnicks" and refused to redo it. The final version of the song was recorded by Joseph Bruce over a reversed recording of the original.
Awesome Dre was originally going to do a verse on "Taste." While Insane Clown Posse waited in the studio for him to arrive, Esham suggested that he appear on the track instead for the same amount of money, and the group allowed him to record a verse. Esham was paid $500 for his appearance. Kid Rock
demanded a hundred more than Esham, and was paid $600 to appear on "Is That You?" He showed up to record the song intoxicated, but re-recorded his vocals and record scratching the following day.
, the fictional mythology of the concept album
series used in much of their discography. The Dark Carnival is a concept of the afterlife
in which souls are sent to a form of limbo
while waiting to be sent to heaven
or hell
based on their individual actions
. These concepts are related by Insane Clown Posse in a series of albums called the six Joker's Card
s. Each of the six Joker's Cards relate to a specific character — an entity of the Dark Carnival — that tries to "save the human soul" by showing the wicked inside of one's self.
This Joker's Card is a representation of the ghetto
s and the violence that occurs within them. It takes the form of a traveling carnival which releases the same brutality on those who have ignored the inner cities' cries for help. The Card issues a warning against the upper-class and government's negligence toward the lower classes. The cover of Carnival of Carnage was drawn by Joseph Utsler, who would later create artwork for the rest of the albums in the Joker's Cards series.
's "The Wizard", from their 1970 debut album
, in his production of "Never Had It Made." Joseph Bruce samples several clips from the film The Wizard of Oz
in "Wizard of the Hood
." The song "Psychopathic" features a sample of "More Bounce to the Ounce
" by Zapp
and "Halloween theme" from the Halloween film franchise
. The song "Redneck Hoe" features a sample from "City, Country, City" by WAR
throughout the album. Many of his lyrics were derived from his experiences of growing up in a poor family that was neglected by the government. He and his brother Robert
used to escape from their poverish reality by gathering themselves in a forest called "Picker Forest". Joe cites "Picker Forest" as a strong influence on the Dark Carnival
mythology which began with this album. The themes of the Dark Carnival also derived from a dream Bruce had shortly after the group adopted it's new name, in which spirits in a traveling carnival
appeared to him.
"Red Neck Hoe" and "Your Rebel Flag" stem from the group's anti-bigotry
philosophy, based on various experiences witnessed by Bruce. As a teenager, he had briefly lived in Bonnie Doone, North Carolina
, a trailer park town just outside of Fort Bragg
, where his brother Robert had been staying with the U.S. Army. There, Joseph witnessed firsthand the hatred and open racism directed toward African American
citizens, as well as the minorities serving in the Army, and became disgusted and infuriated with the actions that took place. "Wizard of the Hood
" was originally written by Bruce sometime in the late 1980s. The first recorded version of the song appeared on the Intelligence and Violence
EP under the name "Wizard of Delray." The Carnival of Carnage version is derived from a 1991 recording which appeared on the EP Dog Beats
.
featuring tracks from Carnival of Carnage was pressed on vinyl
in hopes that DJ
s would play the songs in Detroit-area nightclubs.
gave the album three out of five stars, comparing the group's performance on the album to "a third-rate Beastie Boys
supported by a cut-rate Faith No More
, all tempered with the sensibility that made GWAR
cult heroes—only with [...] more sexism and jokes that are supposed to be street, but wind up sounding racist", but stating that the album would appeal to fans of the group. In The Great Rock Discography, Martin Charles Strong gave the album four out of ten stars. The album received one star out of five in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, in which Ben Sisario
panned it, along with the rest of the group's discography as "gangsta-inspired wigga
posturing".
s, and the positive response resulted in the group using the word thereafter. The word has been the subject of criticism from both Sisario and Erlewine, who suggested the term is similar to the racial slur jigaboo. In 1997, Twiztid
released a cover of the song "First Day Out" on the duo's debut album, Mostasteless
. In 1998, the album was reissued by Island Records
without the tracks "Blackin' Your Eyes" and "Night of the Axe." The original version continues to be sold by Psychopathic Records
. By 2010, the album had sold well enough to become eligible for gold certification
by the RIAA
. In the Aqua Teen Hunger Force
episode "Juggalo", Bruce and Ustler appear as themselves during a trial after Master Shake commits suicide. George Lowe
asks "Mr. 2 Dope" to read lyrics from "Blackin' Your Eyes".
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
, released on October 18, 1992, by Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....
. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1991 to 1992 at Miller Midi Productions and The Tempermill Studio. The album is the first Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival
Dark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
mythology. The album's lyrics describe the Carnival of Carnage as a representation of the violence that occurs within the ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
s, which takes the form of a traveling carnival to enact the same brutality on the upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
.
Carnival of Carnage was the first album on which Insane Clown Posse collaborated with producer Mike E. Clark
Mike E. Clark
Mike Earl Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan currently signed to Hatchet House.Clark is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums...
, who would work with the group throughout much of their career. It features guest appearances by popular Detroit rappers Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
and Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
. The album features the only recorded appearances of member John Kickjazz, who left the group prior to the album's release. Although the album did not initially sell well, it became eligible for gold certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 2010.
Background
Joseph BruceJoseph Bruce
Joseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
, Joseph Utsler
Joseph Utsler
Joseph William "Joey" Utsler is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, professional wrestler and actor. Utsler is known as Shaggy 2 Dope of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow Insane Clown Posse rapper Joseph Bruce and...
, and John Utsler formed a hip hop group in 1990. Under the stage names Violent J, 2 Dope, and John Kickjazz, the group began performing at local night clubs under the name of their gang, Inner City Posse. By late 1991, the group had invested more money into production than was covered by returns. They decided that their gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
style was the cause of the problem: Most emcees at the time used similar styles, making it difficult for Inner City Posse to distinguish itself stylistically. Referring to local rapper Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
's acid rap style, Bruce suggested the band adapt this genre, in a bid to have Detroit represent acid rap, much as Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
represented gangsta rap. The group agreed, but not to copying the style of Esham closely. Instead, they suggested using horror-themed lyrics as an emotional outlet for all their negative life experiences. They were also unanimous in deciding not to rap openly about Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
, which Esham often did.
After the change in musical style, the group decided that it needed a new name. Utsler suggested keeping the "I.C.P." initials to inform the community that Inner City Posse was not defunct, an idea to which the group agreed. Several names were considered before Bruce recalled his dream of a clown running around in Delray
Delray, Detroit
Delray is a neighborhood and former incorporated village, located on the south side of Detroit, Michigan. It is isolated from other areas of Detroit by industrial warehouses and Interstate 75...
, which became the inspiration for the group's new name: Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
. The other members agreed, deciding that they would take on this new genre and name, and would all don face paint due to the success of their former clown-painted hype
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
man.
Recording
Carnival of Carnage began recording at Miller Midi Productions in Detroit, Michigan with Chuck Miller producing and mastering the album. Miller charged the group US$6,000 to produce the songs "Red Neck Hoe," "Psychopathic," "Your Rebel Flag," and part of "Night of the Axe." Seeing that they were being overcharged, Alex Abbiss made his first major managerial move by finding another producer, Mike E. ClarkMike E. Clark
Mike Earl Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan currently signed to Hatchet House.Clark is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums...
. The group finished recording the album with Clark at The Tempermill Studio in Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
. Clark mastered his part of the album at Rythmatic Studio, and continued to work with the group throughout their career.
Original group member John Kickjazz appeared on the songs "Your Rebel Flag," "Psychopathic," "Blacken' Your Eyes," "Wizard of the Hood," "Red Neck Hoe," and "Taste." "Carnival of Carnage" was originally recorded by Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
at Hells Doors Studio, but he pronounced "carnage" as "carnicks" and refused to redo it. The final version of the song was recorded by Joseph Bruce over a reversed recording of the original.
Awesome Dre was originally going to do a verse on "Taste." While Insane Clown Posse waited in the studio for him to arrive, Esham suggested that he appear on the track instead for the same amount of money, and the group allowed him to record a verse. Esham was paid $500 for his appearance. Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
demanded a hundred more than Esham, and was paid $600 to appear on "Is That You?" He showed up to record the song intoxicated, but re-recorded his vocals and record scratching the following day.
Joker's Cards
Carnival of Carnage is the first Joker's Card in Insane Clown Posse's Dark CarnivalDark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
, the fictional mythology of the concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
series used in much of their discography. The Dark Carnival is a concept of the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
in which souls are sent to a form of limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
while waiting to be sent to heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
or hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
based on their individual actions
Divine Judgment
Divine judgment means the judgment of God or other supreme beings within a religion. The concept is prominent in Abrahamic religions, most significantly in the Last judgment.-Objective and subjective judgment:...
. These concepts are related by Insane Clown Posse in a series of albums called the six Joker's Card
Joker (playing card)
Joker is a special type of playing card found in most modern decks, or else a type of tile in some Mahjong game sets.-Name:It is believed that the term "Joker" comes from a mispronunciation of Jucker, the German/Alsatian name for the game Euchre. The card was originally introduced in about 1860 for...
s. Each of the six Joker's Cards relate to a specific character — an entity of the Dark Carnival — that tries to "save the human soul" by showing the wicked inside of one's self.
This Joker's Card is a representation of the ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
s and the violence that occurs within them. It takes the form of a traveling carnival which releases the same brutality on those who have ignored the inner cities' cries for help. The Card issues a warning against the upper-class and government's negligence toward the lower classes. The cover of Carnival of Carnage was drawn by Joseph Utsler, who would later create artwork for the rest of the albums in the Joker's Cards series.
Samples
Mike Clark samples Johnny "Hammond" Smith's "Big Sur Suite", from Smith's 1974 album Higher Ground, and Black SabbathBlack Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's "The Wizard", from their 1970 debut album
Black Sabbath (album)
Black Sabbath is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released on 13 February 1970 in the United Kingdom, and later on 1 June 1970 in the United States, the album reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart and has been recognised as the first main album to be credited...
, in his production of "Never Had It Made." Joseph Bruce samples several clips from the film The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
in "Wizard of the Hood
Wizard of the Hood (song)
"Wizard of the Hood" is a song by the American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. It is the sixth song on their first album, Carnival of Carnage .-History:"Wizard of the Hood" was originally written by Joe Bruce sometime in the late '80s...
." The song "Psychopathic" features a sample of "More Bounce to the Ounce
More Bounce to the Ounce
"More Bounce to the Ounce" is an influential funk single recorded by the Ohio-based band Zapp, led by singer-songwriter Roger Troutman. Released in 1980 on the Warner Bros. Records label, the song was originally recorded in 1979 while Troutman's group was part of George Clinton's Uncle Jam Records....
" by Zapp
Zapp (band)
Zapp is a soul and funk band formed in 1978 by brothers Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]...
and "Halloween theme" from the Halloween film franchise
Halloween (franchise)
Halloween is an American horror franchise that consists of ten slasher films, novels, and comic books. The franchise focuses on the fictional character of Michael Myers who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his older sister, Judith Myers...
. The song "Redneck Hoe" features a sample from "City, Country, City" by WAR
Lyricism
Joseph Bruce uses elements of political hip hopPolitical hip hop
Political hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music that developed in the 1980s. Inspired by 1970s political preachers such as The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron, Public Enemy were the first political hip hop group...
throughout the album. Many of his lyrics were derived from his experiences of growing up in a poor family that was neglected by the government. He and his brother Robert
Robert Bruce (rapper)
Robert Bruce is a former American rapper, Psychopathic Records don, and professional wrestler, and currently works as a paramedic in Detroit, Michigan.Bruce is most commonly known by his stage name Jumpsteady...
used to escape from their poverish reality by gathering themselves in a forest called "Picker Forest". Joe cites "Picker Forest" as a strong influence on the Dark Carnival
Dark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
mythology which began with this album. The themes of the Dark Carnival also derived from a dream Bruce had shortly after the group adopted it's new name, in which spirits in a traveling carnival
Traveling carnival
A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, but is moved from...
appeared to him.
"Red Neck Hoe" and "Your Rebel Flag" stem from the group's anti-bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
philosophy, based on various experiences witnessed by Bruce. As a teenager, he had briefly lived in Bonnie Doone, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, a trailer park town just outside of Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, where his brother Robert had been staying with the U.S. Army. There, Joseph witnessed firsthand the hatred and open racism directed toward African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
citizens, as well as the minorities serving in the Army, and became disgusted and infuriated with the actions that took place. "Wizard of the Hood
Wizard of the Hood (song)
"Wizard of the Hood" is a song by the American hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. It is the sixth song on their first album, Carnival of Carnage .-History:"Wizard of the Hood" was originally written by Joe Bruce sometime in the late '80s...
" was originally written by Bruce sometime in the late 1980s. The first recorded version of the song appeared on the Intelligence and Violence
Intelligence and Violence
Intelligence and Violence is an extended play by Inner City Posse, self-released by the group in 1990.-Production:The recording group consisted of Joseph Bruce and D-Lyrical, who Bruce later recalled disliking and only working with him for his karaoke machine.The entire album was recorded on a...
EP under the name "Wizard of Delray." The Carnival of Carnage version is derived from a 1991 recording which appeared on the EP Dog Beats
Dog Beats
Dog Beats is a 1991 EP by Inner City Posse, later to be known as Insane Clown Posse. It was the first record ever released by Psychopathic Records.- Production :...
.
Release
Just weeks prior to the release of their album, John left the group because he felt that it was "taking up too much of [his] life." When Bruce and Utsler attempted to call a meeting to talk about the issues, John did not attend. Carnival of Carnage was released on October 18, 1992, with distribution within a 120 miles (193.1 km) radius of Detroit. Carnival of Carnage sold 17 copies on its release date. The number would become a reoccurring theme in Insane Clown Posse's work throughout much of the following decade. A condensed extended playExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
featuring tracks from Carnival of Carnage was pressed on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in hopes that DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s would play the songs in Detroit-area nightclubs.
Reception
Although Carnival of Carnage was not reviewed at the time of its release, later reviews of the album have been unfavorable. Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
gave the album three out of five stars, comparing the group's performance on the album to "a third-rate Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
supported by a cut-rate Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, all tempered with the sensibility that made GWAR
Gwar
Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
cult heroes—only with [...] more sexism and jokes that are supposed to be street, but wind up sounding racist", but stating that the album would appeal to fans of the group. In The Great Rock Discography, Martin Charles Strong gave the album four out of ten stars. The album received one star out of five in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, in which Ben Sisario
Ben Sisario
Ben Sisario is an American journalist and author in New York City.-Writing career:Sisario is a staff reporter for the New York Times, covering music and culture. He is author of The Pixies' Doolittle , a book in the 33⅓ series about the Pixies album of the same title...
panned it, along with the rest of the group's discography as "gangsta-inspired wigga
Wigger
Wigger is a pejorative slang term for a white person who emulates mannerisms, language, and fashions associated with African-American culture, particularly hip hop in the United States or the Grime/Garage scene in Britain. The term is a portmanteau of either wannabe or white and nigger...
posturing".
Legacy
During a live performance of the song "The Juggla" in 1993, Bruce addressed the audience as JuggaloJuggalo
Juggalo or Juggalette is a name given to fans of Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang, and characteristics.-History:...
s, and the positive response resulted in the group using the word thereafter. The word has been the subject of criticism from both Sisario and Erlewine, who suggested the term is similar to the racial slur jigaboo. In 1997, Twiztid
Twiztid
Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Warren, Michigan. The group is composed of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, who perform under the respective personas of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child...
released a cover of the song "First Day Out" on the duo's debut album, Mostasteless
Mostasteless
Mostasteless is the first album by Twiztid. Released on November 25, 1997, it was the first album on Psychopathic Records by an artist other than the label's founders, Insane Clown Posse, although an extended play by Project Born had previously been released on the label...
. In 1998, the album was reissued by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
without the tracks "Blackin' Your Eyes" and "Night of the Axe." The original version continues to be sold by Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....
. By 2010, the album had sold well enough to become eligible for gold certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. In the Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Aqua Teen Hunger Force , retitled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 in 2011, is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network late night programing block, Adult Swim, as well as Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4 Canada's ADd block in Canada...
episode "Juggalo", Bruce and Ustler appear as themselves during a trial after Master Shake commits suicide. George Lowe
George Lowe
George Lowe is an American voice actor/comedian.He is perhaps best known for his role as the voice of Space Ghost on the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, a role which he played for all 110 episodes spanning fourteen years before the series ended in 2008, along...
asks "Mr. 2 Dope" to read lyrics from "Blackin' Your Eyes".
Track listing
Personnel
- Violent JJoseph BruceJoseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
– vocals - 2 DopeJoseph UtslerJoseph William "Joey" Utsler is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, professional wrestler and actor. Utsler is known as Shaggy 2 Dope of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow Insane Clown Posse rapper Joseph Bruce and...
– vocals, scratching - John Kickjazz – vocals
- Nate The Mack – guest vocals
- Kid RockKid RockRobert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
– guest vocals, scratching - Capitol E – guest vocals
- JumpsteadyRobert Bruce (rapper)Robert Bruce is a former American rapper, Psychopathic Records don, and professional wrestler, and currently works as a paramedic in Detroit, Michigan.Bruce is most commonly known by his stage name Jumpsteady...
– guest vocals - EshamEshamRashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
– guest vocals, production - Mike E. ClarkMike E. ClarkMike Earl Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan currently signed to Hatchet House.Clark is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums...
– production - Chuck Miller - production