Dark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
Encyclopedia
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 Insane Clown Posse in a series of albums called the six Joker's Card
s. Other artists within the Psychopathic Records
label have also contributed to the mythology through various songs and albums. In 2009, the first of a second set of Joker's Cards was released.
had, after the foundation of Insane Clown Posse, in which spirits in a traveling carnival
appeared to him. The group decided to incorporate the dream into their newly created persona. The spirits, they decided, would be revealed in a series of albums called the six Joker's Cards, each relaying a message or moral story. The character Bang! Pow! Boom!
was created in 2009. The group discussed the character's creation and relation to the Dark Carnival with Robert Bruce
before its release. Though the group originally intended to make the character separate from the six Joker's Cards, it was later revealed to be the first of a set of six new Joker's Cards.
, 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 Ringmaster, the second Joker's Card, is the overseer
of the Carnival of Carnage. He leads "the phantoms of the dead" that take the form of the Carnival. The creatures fiercely tear doomed souls from their living bodies and drag them down into Hell. The Ringmaster himself is created through one's own sin
s, and is one of several who will judge whether a soul is worthy to enter heaven or doomed to eternal hell.
The third Joker's Card, the Riddle Box, is another entity used to determine fate. Upon death, a soul enters a dark chamber containing a jack-in-the-box
on an old wooden table. The front of the box has a "painted question mark faded with time," representing the mystery of your own afterlife. As the handle is turned, a melodic tune begins to play, and when the music stops, the choice is made. The pure see a vision of God, warming their souls as they enter eternal peace. The wicked see an immense fog seeping from the box, "stripping their sanity, as they witness an image of hell, spawned and formed from their own evil; a hideous reflection of their demented souls." The floor falls from underneath them, casting the doomed into the bottomless pit of Hell. The fate determined by the Riddle Box can be found by looking deep within yourself, and can be changed with righteous actions.
The Great Milenko
, the fourth Joker's Card, is an Illusionist
and a Necromancer, though acting on dead minds rather than dead spirits. His purpose is to try to trick individuals into greed and other such sins. He takes out the worst in an individual and creates powerful illusions in an attempt to cause them to become hedonistic and greedy. The Great Milenko is present within every person, and an honorable individual must fight his magic in order to make it to heaven.
The fifth Joker's Card, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers
, focuses on the 9 circles of Hell, and the morality
of man as he is torn between righteousness
and evil
. Jack "the sinister" and Jake "the just" emerge from the smoke of a candle. The Jeckel Brothers juggle
pulsating blood-covered balls representing the mortal life of the dead. For every sin committed, another ball is added. Jack throws Jake curves in an attempt to see a ball drop, and if a soul witnesses Jake drop one of the balls, he will be damned to hell. Souls who see Jake successfully complete the act ascend to heaven.
The face of the sixth Joker's Card is "The Wraith"—or simply, Death
. The card featured two "exhibits", Shangri-La
and Hell's Pit, which were each given its own album. The Wraith: Shangri-La revealed that the hidden message of Insane Clown Posse's music was always to follow God and make it to Heaven. Hell's Pit toured where those who do not atone for their sins nor follow the ways of Shangri-La are sent, illustrating the horrors of hell itself.
is the first Joker's Card of a "second deck." The entity is a continuous explosion used to clear the carnival grounds when they become too crowded with evil souls. At the 2010 Hallowicked concert, it was announced that the second new Joker's Card would be The Mighty Death Pop!
stand against, including pedophilia
, racism
, bigotry
, domestic violence
, and sexual abuse
. The themes of the Dark Carnival focus on death, morality, heaven and hell.
According to Joseph Bruce, the reason that Insane Clown Posse's lyrics featured profanity and references to violence and sex was because "That's the stuff that people are talking about on the streets. [...] You have to interest them, gain their trust, talk to them and show you're one of them. You're a person from the street and speak of your experiences. Then at the end you can tell them God has helped me out like this and it might transfer over instead of just come straight out and just speak straight out of religion."
Joseph Bruce also states that "The ending of the Joker Cards, the way we looked at it, was death. Heaven and hell. That's up to each and every juggalo
[to decide]. We're not an ultra religious group. I don't go to church or anything. I like to believe in God."
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 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...
's discography. It 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. Other artists within the 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....
label have also contributed to the mythology through various songs and albums. In 2009, the first of a second set of Joker's Cards was released.
Creation
The concept of the Dark Carnival was inspired by a dream 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,...
had, after the foundation of Insane Clown Posse, 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. The group decided to incorporate the dream into their newly created persona. The spirits, they decided, would be revealed in a series of albums called the six Joker's Cards, each relaying a message or moral story. The character Bang! Pow! Boom!
Bang! Pow! Boom!
Bang! Pow! Boom! is the 11th studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. Released on September 1, 2009 by Psychopathic Records, it was the group's second album with producer Mike E. Clark since his return to Psychopathic Records, and the first album to focus on the Dark Carnival...
was created in 2009. The group discussed the character's creation and relation to the Dark Carnival with Robert Bruce
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...
before its release. Though the group originally intended to make the character separate from the six Joker's Cards, it was later revealed to be the first of a set of six new Joker's Cards.
Overview
Bruce describes the Dark Carnival as "a place where you have all the evil souls that are going to be going to hell." It features multiple rides and attractions which assist in this purpose, which are the focus of multiple albums and songs within the group's discography. Each of the Joker's Cards relate to a specific character — an entity of the Dark Carnival — that tries to "save the human soul" by showing the wickedness inside of one's self. Bang! Pow! Boom! was introduced in 2009 as the first of a set of six new Joker's Cards.First deck
The first Joker's Card, Carnival of CarnageCarnival of Carnage
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...
, 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 Ringmaster, the second Joker's Card, is the overseer
Ringmaster (circus)
The ringmaster is the most visible performer in the modern circus, and among the most important, since he stage-manages the performance, introduces the various acts, and guides the audience through the entertainment experience. In smaller circuses, the ringmaster is often the owner and artistic...
of the Carnival of Carnage. He leads "the phantoms of the dead" that take the form of the Carnival. The creatures fiercely tear doomed souls from their living bodies and drag them down into Hell. The Ringmaster himself is created through one's own sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
s, and is one of several who will judge whether a soul is worthy to enter heaven or doomed to eternal hell.
The third Joker's Card, the Riddle Box, is another entity used to determine fate. Upon death, a soul enters a dark chamber containing a jack-in-the-box
Jack-in-the-box
A jack-in-the-box is a children's toy that outwardly consists of a box with a crank. When the crank is turned, it plays a melody, often "Pop Goes the Weasel". At the end of the tune there is a "surprise", the lid pops open and a figure, usually a clown or jester, pops out of the box...
on an old wooden table. The front of the box has a "painted question mark faded with time," representing the mystery of your own afterlife. As the handle is turned, a melodic tune begins to play, and when the music stops, the choice is made. The pure see a vision of God, warming their souls as they enter eternal peace. The wicked see an immense fog seeping from the box, "stripping their sanity, as they witness an image of hell, spawned and formed from their own evil; a hideous reflection of their demented souls." The floor falls from underneath them, casting the doomed into the bottomless pit of Hell. The fate determined by the Riddle Box can be found by looking deep within yourself, and can be changed with righteous actions.
The Great Milenko
The Great Milenko
The Great Milenko is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on June 25, 1997, by Hollywood Records, in association with Psychopathic Records...
, the fourth Joker's Card, is an Illusionist
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
and a Necromancer, though acting on dead minds rather than dead spirits. His purpose is to try to trick individuals into greed and other such sins. He takes out the worst in an individual and creates powerful illusions in an attempt to cause them to become hedonistic and greedy. The Great Milenko is present within every person, and an honorable individual must fight his magic in order to make it to heaven.
The fifth Joker's Card, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers
The Amazing Jeckel Brothers
The Amazing Jeckel Brothers is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on May 25, 1999, by Island Records, in association with Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1998 to 1999. The album is the fifth Joker's Card in the...
, focuses on the 9 circles of Hell, and the morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
of man as he is torn between righteousness
Righteousness
Righteousness is an important theological concept in Zoroastrianism, Hinduism , Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
and evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
. Jack "the sinister" and Jake "the just" emerge from the smoke of a candle. The Jeckel Brothers juggle
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
pulsating blood-covered balls representing the mortal life of the dead. For every sin committed, another ball is added. Jack throws Jake curves in an attempt to see a ball drop, and if a soul witnesses Jake drop one of the balls, he will be damned to hell. Souls who see Jake successfully complete the act ascend to heaven.
The face of the sixth Joker's Card is "The Wraith"—or simply, Death
Death (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
. The card featured two "exhibits", Shangri-La
The Wraith: Shangri-La
The Wraith: Shangri-La is the eighth studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on November 5, 2002, by Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 at multiple recording studios throughout the United States. The album is the first of two...
and Hell's Pit, which were each given its own album. The Wraith: Shangri-La revealed that the hidden message of Insane Clown Posse's music was always to follow God and make it to Heaven. Hell's Pit toured where those who do not atone for their sins nor follow the ways of Shangri-La are sent, illustrating the horrors of hell itself.
Second deck
Bang! Pow! Boom!Bang! Pow! Boom!
Bang! Pow! Boom! is the 11th studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. Released on September 1, 2009 by Psychopathic Records, it was the group's second album with producer Mike E. Clark since his return to Psychopathic Records, and the first album to focus on the Dark Carnival...
is the first Joker's Card of a "second deck." The entity is a continuous explosion used to clear the carnival grounds when they become too crowded with evil souls. At the 2010 Hallowicked concert, it was announced that the second new Joker's Card would be The Mighty Death Pop!
The Mighty Death Pop!
The Mighty Death Pop! is the 12th studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. Scheduled to be released in 2012, it will be the group's third album with producer Mike E. Clark since his return to Psychopathic Records, and the second album to focus on the Dark Carnival since the...
Themes
The Dark Carnival acts as a way to remind people of the repercussions of their individual actions "in a language that today's world will understand and listen to." It denounces actions that members Bruce and Joseph UtslerJoseph 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...
stand against, including pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, 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...
, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, and sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. The themes of the Dark Carnival focus on death, morality, heaven and hell.
According to Joseph Bruce, the reason that Insane Clown Posse's lyrics featured profanity and references to violence and sex was because "That's the stuff that people are talking about on the streets. [...] You have to interest them, gain their trust, talk to them and show you're one of them. You're a person from the street and speak of your experiences. Then at the end you can tell them God has helped me out like this and it might transfer over instead of just come straight out and just speak straight out of religion."
Joseph Bruce also states that "The ending of the Joker Cards, the way we looked at it, was death. Heaven and hell. That's up to each and every juggalo
Juggalo
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:...
[to decide]. We're not an ultra religious group. I don't go to church or anything. I like to believe in God."