Joseph Utsler
Encyclopedia
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
(a.k.a Violent J) and their former manager, Alex Abbiss. Also along with Bruce, Utsler is the co-founder of the professional wrestling promotion
Juggalo Championship Wrestling, where he currently acts as color commentator
.
, as Jagged Joe, and John Utsler, as Master J, formed the group JJ Boys and released the single titled "Party at the Top of the Hill
" under the name of JJ Boys, but the group did not pursue a serious career in music. The following year, the trio reemerged as Inner City Posse, using the stage names Violent J, 2 Dope, and John Kickjazz, and began performing at local night clubs. After releasing several albums, the group hired record store owner Alex Abbiss as their manager, who established the Psychopathic Records
record label with the group in 1991. Later that year the group released the self-produced EP
entitled Dog Beats
.
appeared to him—an image that would become the basis for the Dark Carnival mythology detailed in the group's Joker's Cards series. These stories each offer a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways" of listeners before "the end consumes us all." Insane Clown Posse has a dedicated following, often referred to by the group as Juggalo
s and Juggalettes.
John Utsler left the group in 1992, and Insane Clown Posse has since been composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the murderous, wicked clowns
Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. The duo perform a style of hardcore hip hop
known as horrorcore
, and is known for its dark, violent lyrics and elaborate live performances. Insane Clown Posse has earned two platinum
and five gold albums. According to Nielsen SoundScan
, the entire catalog of the group has sold 6.5 million units in the United States and Canada as of April 2007.
(Fuck The Fuck Off!), in 2006.
. The group consisted of Psychopathic Record's employees and friends; Joseph Bruce (Golden Jelly), Joseph Utsler (Gold D), Robert Bruce (Golden Gram), Billy Bill (Gold Double B), Alex Abbiss (Gold Rocks), Mike E. Clark
(Gold Digger), Rich Murrell (Golden Warrior), Frank G (Golden Frank), Keith (Gold Teeth), Josh (Rold Gold), Kelly Eubanks (Gold Spud), Fink the East Side G (Golden Toby), and Matt Mackalantie (Gold Spakalantie). Their only LP, Gimme Them Fuckin' Nuggets Bitch, Or I'll Punch Your Fuckin' Face, was recorded in 1995 in a span of one week, and was not publicly released. Golden Goldies was a project put together by Insane Clown Posse for entertainment purposes only. To add more humor to the album, each artist was given only five minutes to write their verses, and had only one take to record them, which resulted in some artists messing up their lines, and lyrics containing "some very strange things." The group held only one live performance, which occurred at the record release party for Insane Clown Posse's Riddle Box.
and Paul Methric
of Twiztid
, and Chris Rouleau
. Each member is said to "act as a 'petal' of the lotus," and it was announced that there would be six members. After switching between two different "sixth members," Marz and Anybody Killa
, Dark Lotus decided to keep the group to only five.
. The group's current lineup consists of Bruce (Bullet), Utsler (Full Clip), Methric (Foe Foe), Spaniolo (Lil' Shank), Rouleau (Cell Block) and David Hutto
(Yung Dirt).
Psychopathic Rydas reuses the beats of popular rappers within the genre without paying to license the original songs or requesting permission from copyright owners to use the music, effectively making their albums bootleg
s and resulting in the releases becoming difficult to find in some markets.
(Mr. Spade) and Utsler (Mr. Club). The group made appearances on Insane Clown Posse's The Wraith: Shangri-La
and Esham's Acid Rain
and Repentance before releasing their debut album, Furious
, in 2005. Following Esham and Lavel's departure from Psychopathic Records in October 2005, the group disbanded.
, new school hip hop
, and gangsta rap
, including the artists Run–D.M.C., Ice-T
, Rodney O & Joe Cooley
, Afrika Bambaataa
, Esham
, N.W.A, Ice Cube
, Awesome Dre, and Geto Boys
. Allmusic reviewer David Jeffries has prasied Utsler, writing that "Shaggy 2 Dope has always seemed to be 75 percent of [Insane Clown Posse]'s talent".
, and created two backyard wrestling rings for their made up promotion Tag Team Wrestling, later renamed National All-Star Wrestling. The trio staged National All-Star Wrestling's first show, NAW Wrestling Extravaganza, in front of friends and family. Among others, the show featured Bruce wrestling under the moniker Darryl "Dropkick" Daniels, and Joey Utsler wrestling as both Rhino, and the masked NAW World Champion White Tiger. Utsler stopped wrestling after becoming involved in gang life and forming Inner City Posse.
and Sabu
, two other first-timers with whom they became very good friends. Bruce wrestled as Corporal Darryl Daniels, and Utsler occasionally managed him. After a short run in the business, both Bruce and Utsler realized their dislike for the backstage politics, and decided to take up a career in music, taking the names of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope.
Utsler returned to wrestling in the independent circuit
in 1996, under the name Sewer Dwella. From 1996 to 1998, Utsler was involved in a rivalry with Hector Hatchet
in Insane Championship Wrestling. He continued to compete in several independent promotions for the next two years, including Future Wrestling Alliance and NWA Mid American Wrestling.
Utsler appeared in Xtreme Pro Wrestling
at 2001's XPW Redemption, where he and Vampiro defeated Damián 666 and Halloween. The following week, after Joseph Bruce suffered a real-life injury from a sloppy clothesline, Utsler and Bruce left the company. On October 5, 2002, he and Bruce wrestled in Ring of Honor
and defeated Oman Tortuga and Diablo Santiago. Utsler was later made a playable character in both Eidos Interactive
's video games Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
and Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood
as Shaggy 2 Dope. To help promote the games, he competed in a series of matches for Backyard Wrestling in 2003 and 2004.
(ECW)'s second pay-per-view
(PPV) program, Hardcore Heaven. The duo went to Florida to discuss the ECW program's content with Van Dam, Sabu, and Paul Heyman
. Heyman was pleased that Bruce and Utsler were former wrestlers, which meant that they could surprise the crowd by taking bumps. Heyman also favored the idea of using Insane Clown Posse, because it was unlikely that anyone knew of the relationship the group had with Van Dam and Sabu. Heyman presented his idea to Bruce and Utsler, who agreed to participate. Insane Clown Posse opened the ECW program by performing songs and exciting the crowd. Then Van Dam and Sabu, the main villains
at the time, attacked Bruce and Utsler. The top fan favorite
, The Sandman
, came in and saved them by chasing away Van Dam and Sabu with his signature Singapore cane
.
wrestling collection Outrageously Violent Wrestling from Japan. The duo decided to create a compilation of their favorite matches, recording their own sports announcing under the personas named "Handsome" Harley Guestella a.k.a "Gweedo" (Utsler) and Diamond Donovan Douglas a.k.a. "3D" (Bruce). The compilation video was released nationwide under the title ICP's Strangle-Mania. The video's success allowed Bruce and Utsler to host their own wrestling show, ICP's Strangle-Mania Live, to a sold-out performance at St. Andrew's Hall. The main event featured Insane Clown Posse versus The Chicken Boys, who were played by two friends of Bruce and Utsler. With local wrestling booker Dan Curtis, other wrestlers such as Mad Man Pondo, 2 Tuff Tony
, Corporal Robinson, King Kong Bundy
, and Abdullah the Butcher
were also booked on the show to wrestle in the same death match style as shown in ICP Strangle-Mania.
to perform the entrance theme for the wrestling group The Oddities. The WWF also wanted Bruce and Utsler to appear on their SummerSlam
pay-per-view (PPV) program in August 1998 and rap live while The Oddities entered the ring. Once the duo arrived at the arena, they realized their wrestling dreams had come true; they had been contacted by wrestling's top company and were now set to appear on their PPV program at the company's most historic venue, Madison Square Garden
. Bruce and Utsler were assigned to the locker room with Stone Cold Steve Austin
and The Undertaker, who were to wrestle during the main event that night. The duo immediately felt the animosity of the locker room that had previously driven them away from wrestling. Insane Clown Posse performed and was asked to return for the live broadcast of Monday Night Raw
the following night. At the broadcast, Bruce and Utsler requested for more than just a rapping role; they wanted to wrestle. McMahon favored the idea and allowed them to participate.
Insane Clown Posse was put in a feud with The Headbangers
. In the first wrestling match, The Headbangers were stiff, throwing real punches and kicks. In the rematch, a move was planned where The Headbangers would be flipped over by Bruce and Utsler. When the time came to flip over, however, The Headbangers refused to move, forcing Insane Clown Posse to genuinely flip them over and begin throwing punches. Realizing that the match was getting too heated, McMahon ended the feud after that match. Bruce and Utsler were put into other matches along with The Oddities. Vince Russo
told Bruce and Utsler to "make it seem like you don't know anything about wrestling, and you guys keep choking and digging into their eyes".
During this time, Bruce and Utsler had no contract with WWF. They, however, did have an agreement that the WWF would occasionally play Insane Clown Posse commercials, and in return, Bruce and Utsler would wrestle for free. Bruce and Utsler knew that airtime cost significantly more than any monetary compensation they would receive and were thus satisfied with the agreement. The duo were told they were to suddenly turn on The Oddities in their match against The Headbangers, then join them in beating up the group. They were also informed that their commercial would air the very next week, which had still not aired after three months of being involved with the WWF. The next week Insane Clown Posse and The Headbangers had a match with Steve Austin. After the match, Bruce and Utsler contacted Abbiss to inquire about the commercial and were informed that it was not aired. Given that McMahon failed to uphold his promise to air Insane Clown Posse's commercial, Abbiss recommended that Bruce and Utsler terminate their agreement with the WWF.
in Detroit. Two days after the show, Curtis was found dead in his apartment, due to a sudden diabetic problem. The "Hellfire Wrestling" tour was subsequently canceled.
with Violent J. The duo formed two stables. The first stable, The Dead Pool, consisted of Insane Clown Posse, Vampiro
, and Raven
; the second consisted of Insane Clown Posse, Vampiro, Great Muta
, and Kiss Demon
, known as The Dark Carnival.
On August 9, 1999, Insane Clown Posse made their WCW debut on Monday Nitro
in a six-man tag team match. Insane Clown Posse and Vampiro defeated Lash LeRoux, Norman Smiley
, and Prince Iaukea
. At Road Wild 1999, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Billy Kidman, and Eddie Guerrero
defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse. Insane Clown Posse continued to wrestle on Monday Nitro, defeating Public Enemy
one week, and losing to Konnan
and Rey Mysterio, Jr. another. At Fall Brawl 1999, the tag team of Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, and Billy Kidman again defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse. On September 13, Insane Clown Posse defeated Lenny Lane
and Lodi
. Shaggy 2 Dope then went on a solo run for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
.
On the August 23, 2000 episode of WCW Thunder
, Great Muta, Vampiro, and Insane Clown Posse beat Tank Abbott
and 3 Count
. Five days later, on Monday Nitro, Insane Clown Posse and Vampiro defeated 3 Count, and the following week, Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Juventud Guerrera
beat Insane Clown Posse. On September 25, Mike Awesome
defeated Insane Clown Posse in a Handicap Hardcore match. The ending showed Awesome performing his signature Awesome Bomb on 2 Dope on top a bus. Shaggy was stunned and accidentally fell off the top of the bus.
s to become the first ever JCW Tag Team Champions
. The event was taped and released as JCW, Volume 1. Commentary was provided by Bruce and Utsler under their '3D' and 'Gweedo' announcing personas. In 2000, Insane Clown Posse was involved in a rivalry with The Rainbow Coalition (Big Flam, Bob, and Neil). That April, the duo teamed with Vampiro to defeat The Rainbow Coalition. Insane Clown Posse defeated the Coalition again when they teamed with Evil Dead
, and the match that was featured on JCW, Volume 2.
Later that April, Utsler fell off the top of a Steel Cage and broke his nose and cheekbone, as well as injuring his neck. As a result, his wrestling appearances were limited, and he received neck surgery four years later. In 2003, Insane Clown Posse defended, and retained, their JCW Tag Team Championships against Kid Cock (a parody of Kid Rock
) and Feminem (a parody of Eminem
). The match was featured on JCW, Volume 3. Utsler continued to wrestle for JCW, which could only be seen at live events until the 2007 start of JCW SlamTV!.
PPV. The duo were shown partying in the crowd alongside the juggalos in attendance. In the main event of the night, which featured Jeff Jarrett
going against El Leon
, Jarrett and El Leon were fighting in the crowd when Insane Clown Posse sprayed Faygo
in Jarrett's eyes. The following week, Insane Clown Posse were interviewed in the ring by Mike Tenay
. The duo explained that they were fans of TNA, and that they wanted to be a part of the promotion themselves. As they started making kayfabe
negative remarks toward Jeff Jarrett, Glenn Gilberti
and David Young
interrupted. When Gilberti tried to convince the duo to apologize to Jarrett, Insane Clown Posse chased Gilbertti and Young out of the ring before challenging the team to a match for the next week.
On February 4, Insane Clown Posse defeated Glen Gilbertti and David Young. Later that night, Scott Hudson interviewed Insane Clown Posse, and the duo announced that they would face whoever Jeff Jarrett threw at them next in a "Juggalo Street Fight". Insane Clown Posse won against the team of Glen Gilbertti and Kid Kash on February 18. Two weeks later, Insane Clown Posse announced that they would take part in a "Dark Carnival
Match" the next week against Glen Gilbertti and any partner he chooses. The following week, Insane Clown Posse and 2 Tuff Tony took on Glen Gilbertti, Kid Kash, and David Young. "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
made his TNA return, and cost Insane Clown Posse and 2 Tuff Tony the match. During their stint in TNA, Insane Clown Posse brought the company its largest paying crowds in history. After the duo left, they remained close with the company.
On March 17, 2006, Insane Clown Posse hosted and booked TNA's first ever house show
, which took place in Detroit, Michigan
. The duo defeated Team Canada
members Eric Young
and Petey Williams
.
, teaming with the Rude Boy to defeat the team of Corporal Robinson
, Zach Gowen
, and Breyer Wellington. Utsler received surgery on his neck the following year, leaving him unable to wrestle for two years. At Pro Wrestling Unplugged's 2006 event "Cuffed & Caged: Last Man Standing," Utsler managed Team JCW (Nosawa
, 2 Tuff Tony
, Violent J, Mad Man Pondo, and Raven
) in a War Games match
against Team PWU (Trent Acid
, Corporal Robinson, Johnny Kashmere
, Pete Hunter, and Gary Wolfe) with manager Tod Gordon
.
Since fully recovering from his neck surgery in 2007, Utsler has continued to appear as Shaggy 2 Dope at various promotions in the independent circuit.
to defeat Trent Acid and The Young Alter Boys w/ Annie Social the Nun.
At the 2008 Hallowicked After-Party, Utsler joined the group Juggalo World Order
. On November 9, the Juggalo World Order (Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, 2 Tuff Tony, and Corporal Robinson) "invaded" Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Turning Point
PPV by purchasing front row tickets to the event. They proceeded to promote their faction by flashing their JWO jerseys, which each member had on, before being removed from the building.
At Bloodymania III
, Juggalo World Order (Corporal Robinson, Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, and Sid Vicious) defeated Trent Acid and the Alter Boys (Tim, Tom, Terry, and Todd). In 2010, Utsler (as Shaggy 2 Dope) became the full time color commentator
of Juggalo Championship Wrestling with his broadcast partner Kevin Gill.
and half Cherokee
. Due to his Native American
descent, he does not celebrate Thanksgiving
. He was married on May 7, 2004, but the two later divorced. With his ex-wife, Utsler has three children, twin boys Isaac and Cyrus and daughter Mahala. He is the middle of three brothers, John and Mike. Older brother John, formerly known as John Kickjazz, was a part of Inner City Posse and was also briefly a member of Insane Clown Posse. Younger brother Mike performs as Tre Pound in the hip hop group Chop Shop.
Like his band mate Joseph Bruce
, Utsler has had numerous run-ins with the law, having been arrested multiple times since he was a teenager. He's suffered from depression and anxiety throughout his career. Utsler has been admitted to multiple drug rehabilitation centers
due to alcoholism and pill addiction. On the September 1, 2009 edition of The Howard Stern Show, he stated that he had recently quit using pills and drinking because he was close to getting cirrhosis
of the liver. As of 2011, Utsler is three years sober.
Utsler designed the Psychopathic Records logo, called the Hatchetman, as well as drew numerous Insane Clown Posse album covers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper, record producer, 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...
, professional wrestler and actor. Utsler is known as Shaggy 2 Dope of the hip hop 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...
. He is the co-founder of the record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
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....
, with fellow Insane Clown Posse rapper Joseph Bruce
Joseph 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,...
(a.k.a Violent J) and their former manager, Alex Abbiss. Also along with Bruce, Utsler is the co-founder of the professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
Juggalo Championship Wrestling, where he currently acts as color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
.
Early career (1989–1991)
In 1989, Joseph Utsler, as Kangol Joe, 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,...
, as Jagged Joe, and John Utsler, as Master J, formed the group JJ Boys and released the single titled "Party at the Top of the Hill
Party at the top of the hill
Party At The Top Of The Hill is a single released in 1989 by the JJ Boys. The single is the first recording of John Utlser, Joseph Utsler, and Joseph Bruce, the latter two of which went on to form the duo Insane Clown Posse.-Background:...
" under the name of JJ Boys, but the group did not pursue a serious career in music. The following year, the trio reemerged as Inner City Posse, using the stage names Violent J, 2 Dope, and John Kickjazz, and began performing at local night clubs. After releasing several albums, the group hired record store owner Alex Abbiss as their manager, who established 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....
record label with the group in 1991. Later that year the group released the self-produced EP
Extended 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...
entitled 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 :...
.
Insane Clown Posse (1991-present)
In late 1991, Inner City Posse changed their style, look, and name. Joseph Bruce recalled a dream of a clown running around in Delray, which became the inspiration for the group's new name: Insane Clown Posse. Upon returning home that night, Bruce had a dream in which spirits in a traveling carnivalTraveling 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—an image that would become the basis for the Dark Carnival mythology detailed in the group's Joker's Cards series. These stories each offer a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways" of listeners before "the end consumes us all." Insane Clown Posse has a dedicated following, often referred to by the group as 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:...
s and Juggalettes.
John Utsler left the group in 1992, and Insane Clown Posse has since been composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the murderous, wicked clowns
Evil clown
The image of the evil clown is a development in popular culture, in which the playful trope of the clown is rendered as disturbing through the use of horror elements and dark humor.-Background:...
Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. The duo perform a style of hardcore hip hop
Hardcore hip hop
Hardcore hip hop, also referred to as hardcore rap, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Schoolly D, Spoonie Gee, Boogie Down Productions, and Kool G Rap, it is generally characterized by anger, aggression and...
known as horrorcore
Horrorcore
Horrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...
, and is known for its dark, violent lyrics and elaborate live performances. Insane Clown Posse has earned two platinum
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,...
and five gold albums. According to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, the entire catalog of the group has sold 6.5 million units in the United States and Canada as of April 2007.
Solo career (1994-present)
In 1994, Utsler released his first solo album, Fuck Off!, containing only four tracks. His second planned solo album, Shaggs The Clown, was never released due to sampling issues. After almost 12 years of promotion, Utsler released his second solo album, F.T.F.O.F.T.F.O.
F.T.F.O. is the second solo album of American rapper Shaggy 2 Dope. Released in 2006, it is his first full-length solo release.- Reception :F.T.F.O. sold 14,000 copies in its first week in stores.-Track listing:...
(Fuck The Fuck Off!), in 2006.
Golden Goldies (1995)
Golden Goldies was a comical group whose lyrics focused solely on goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. The group consisted of Psychopathic Record's employees and friends; Joseph Bruce (Golden Jelly), Joseph Utsler (Gold D), Robert Bruce (Golden Gram), Billy Bill (Gold Double B), Alex Abbiss (Gold Rocks), 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...
(Gold Digger), Rich Murrell (Golden Warrior), Frank G (Golden Frank), Keith (Gold Teeth), Josh (Rold Gold), Kelly Eubanks (Gold Spud), Fink the East Side G (Golden Toby), and Matt Mackalantie (Gold Spakalantie). Their only LP, Gimme Them Fuckin' Nuggets Bitch, Or I'll Punch Your Fuckin' Face, was recorded in 1995 in a span of one week, and was not publicly released. Golden Goldies was a project put together by Insane Clown Posse for entertainment purposes only. To add more humor to the album, each artist was given only five minutes to write their verses, and had only one take to record them, which resulted in some artists messing up their lines, and lyrics containing "some very strange things." The group held only one live performance, which occurred at the record release party for Insane Clown Posse's Riddle Box.
Dark Lotus (1999-present)
Formed in 1999, Dark Lotus consists of Bruce and Utsler of Insane Clown Posse, Jamie SpanioloJamie Spaniolo
James Spaniolo is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Spaniolo is most commonly known as Jamie Madrox of the rap group Twiztid. He is also a member of the two supergroups Dark Lotus and Psychopathic Rydas...
and Paul Methric
Monoxide Child
Paul Robert Methric is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Methric is most commonly known as Monoxide Child of the rap group Twiztid. He is also a member of the two supergroups Dark Lotus and Psychopathic Rydas.-Early life:...
of 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...
, and Chris Rouleau
Blaze Ya Dead Homie
Chris Rouleau, also known as Blaze Ya Dead Homie, is an American rapper from Romeo, Michigan. His stage persona is that of a reincarnated gang member killed in the late 1980s, and his music is a fusion of gangsta rap and horrorcore.-Biography:...
. Each member is said to "act as a 'petal' of the lotus," and it was announced that there would be six members. After switching between two different "sixth members," Marz and Anybody Killa
Anybody Killa
James Lowery, also known as Anybody Killa, or ABK, is a Native American rapper from Detroit, Michigan whose stage persona is that of a Native American warrior. He is signed to Psychopathic Records.-Biography:...
, Dark Lotus decided to keep the group to only five.
Psychopathic Rydas (1999-present)
Psychopathic Rydas formed in 1999, and consists of Psychopathic Records-associated rappers performing under alternate stage names in the style of mainstream gangsta rapGangsta 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...
. The group's current lineup consists of Bruce (Bullet), Utsler (Full Clip), Methric (Foe Foe), Spaniolo (Lil' Shank), Rouleau (Cell Block) and David Hutto
Boondox
David Hutto is an American rapper from Covington, Georgia. Hutto is most commonly known as Boondox, whose stage persona is that of a killer scarecrow. He is currently signed to Psychopathic Records.-Biography:...
(Yung Dirt).
Psychopathic Rydas reuses the beats of popular rappers within the genre without paying to license the original songs or requesting permission from copyright owners to use the music, effectively making their albums bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
s and resulting in the releases becoming difficult to find in some markets.
Soopa Villainz (2002-2005)
Formed in 2002, Soopa Villainz consisted of Lavel (Mr. Heart), Bruce (Mr. Diamond), EshamEsham
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...
(Mr. Spade) and Utsler (Mr. Club). The group made appearances on Insane Clown Posse's The Wraith: 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 Esham's Acid Rain
Acid Rain (album)
Acid Rain is the third compilation album by Esham. Released in 2002, it is the first of three albums by the rapper released on Psychopathic Records, followed by the studio albums Repentance and A-1 Yola.-Track listing:...
and Repentance before releasing their debut album, Furious
Furious
Furious is the debut album of Soopa Villainz released in 2005. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard "Top Independent Albums" chart, #42 on the "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums" chart and #92 on the Billboard 200.-Track listing:...
, in 2005. Following Esham and Lavel's departure from Psychopathic Records in October 2005, the group disbanded.
Style and influences
Utsler's music is influenced by old school hip hopOld school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
, new school hip hop
New school hip hop
The new school of hip hop was a movement in hip hop music starting 1983–84 with the early records of Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J. Like the hip hop preceding it, it came predominately from New York City. The new school was initially characterized in form by drum machine led minimalism, often tinged...
, and 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...
, including the artists Run–D.M.C., Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
, Rodney O & Joe Cooley
Rodney O & Joe Cooley
Rodney O & Joe Cooley are noted west coast hip hop pioneers from Los Angeles, California, best known for tracks such as "Everlasting Bass" and "This is for the Homies." DJ Cooley was highly influential in Miami Bass music; Latin emcees Jonny Z and SPM did their own version of it, which they called...
, Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, 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...
, N.W.A, Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, Awesome Dre, and Geto Boys
Geto Boys
Geto Boys is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys earned notoriety for its lyrics which included misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia...
. Allmusic reviewer David Jeffries has prasied Utsler, writing that "Shaggy 2 Dope has always seemed to be 75 percent of [Insane Clown Posse]'s talent".
Beginning (1983-1986)
Utsler began wrestling alongside his brother John and his friend Joseph Bruce. The three got involved in backyard wrestlingBackyard wrestling
Backyard wrestling , and also referred to as yarding or backyarding is a controversial underground recreation based on the usually untrained practice of professional-style wrestling in a typically low budget environment between predominantly 12 to 30 year old males. Some practitioners have attended...
, and created two backyard wrestling rings for their made up promotion Tag Team Wrestling, later renamed National All-Star Wrestling. The trio staged National All-Star Wrestling's first show, NAW Wrestling Extravaganza, in front of friends and family. Among others, the show featured Bruce wrestling under the moniker Darryl "Dropkick" Daniels, and Joey Utsler wrestling as both Rhino, and the masked NAW World Champion White Tiger. Utsler stopped wrestling after becoming involved in gang life and forming Inner City Posse.
Independent Circuit (1990, 1996-2004)
In 1990, Joseph Bruce began a career in professional wrestling. Bruce brought Joey Utlser along with him backstage. At their first event, Bruce and Utsler met Rob Van DamRob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Sabu
Sabu (wrestler)
Terry Michael Brunk , better known by his ring name Sabu, is an American professional wrestler best known for his extreme wrestling style...
, two other first-timers with whom they became very good friends. Bruce wrestled as Corporal Darryl Daniels, and Utsler occasionally managed him. After a short run in the business, both Bruce and Utsler realized their dislike for the backstage politics, and decided to take up a career in music, taking the names of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope.
Utsler returned to wrestling in the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
in 1996, under the name Sewer Dwella. From 1996 to 1998, Utsler was involved in a rivalry with Hector Hatchet
Joseph 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,...
in Insane Championship Wrestling. He continued to compete in several independent promotions for the next two years, including Future Wrestling Alliance and NWA Mid American Wrestling.
Utsler appeared in Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion formerly owned by Extreme Associates CEO and director Rob Zicari, who appeared on shows under the name Rob Black. Zicari appeared on-camera as owner alongside his wife Lizzy Borden. The promotion focuses on hardcore wrestling,...
at 2001's XPW Redemption, where he and Vampiro defeated Damián 666 and Halloween. The following week, after Joseph Bruce suffered a real-life injury from a sloppy clothesline, Utsler and Bruce left the company. On October 5, 2002, he and Bruce wrestled in Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
and defeated Oman Tortuga and Diablo Santiago. Utsler was later made a playable character in both Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
's video games Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home
Backyard Wrestling is a video game developed by Paradox Development, and published by Eidos Interactive in 2003 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.- General summary :The goal of backyard wrestling is largely to use the environment to defeat an opponent....
and Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood
Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The Neighborhood
Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighborhood is the second installment in the Backyard Wrestling series and was released on Xbox and PlayStation 2. The licensed soundtrack includes music by Andrew W.K., Kool Keith, the Insane Clown Posse, Bad Brains, Body Count, Six and Violence, Mudvayne and...
as Shaggy 2 Dope. To help promote the games, he competed in a series of matches for Backyard Wrestling in 2003 and 2004.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1997)
In August 1997, Bruce received a telephone call from friends Rob Van Dam and Sabu. They asked if he and Utsler could appear on Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW)'s second pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) program, Hardcore Heaven. The duo went to Florida to discuss the ECW program's content with Van Dam, Sabu, and Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
. Heyman was pleased that Bruce and Utsler were former wrestlers, which meant that they could surprise the crowd by taking bumps. Heyman also favored the idea of using Insane Clown Posse, because it was unlikely that anyone knew of the relationship the group had with Van Dam and Sabu. Heyman presented his idea to Bruce and Utsler, who agreed to participate. Insane Clown Posse opened the ECW program by performing songs and exciting the crowd. Then Van Dam and Sabu, the main villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
at the time, attacked Bruce and Utsler. The top fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, The Sandman
Jim Fullington
James "Jim" Fullington better known by his ring name Sandman, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling , where he developed into a "Hardcore Icon"...
, came in and saved them by chasing away Van Dam and Sabu with his signature Singapore cane
Shinai
is a weapon used for practice and competition in kendo representing a Japanese sword. Shinai are also used in other martial arts, but may be styled differently from kendo shinai, and represented with different characters....
.
ICP's Strangle-Mania Live (1997)
Being avid wrestling fans, Bruce and Utsler owned, and were fascinated by, the death matchHardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
wrestling collection Outrageously Violent Wrestling from Japan. The duo decided to create a compilation of their favorite matches, recording their own sports announcing under the personas named "Handsome" Harley Guestella a.k.a "Gweedo" (Utsler) and Diamond Donovan Douglas a.k.a. "3D" (Bruce). The compilation video was released nationwide under the title ICP's Strangle-Mania. The video's success allowed Bruce and Utsler to host their own wrestling show, ICP's Strangle-Mania Live, to a sold-out performance at St. Andrew's Hall. The main event featured Insane Clown Posse versus The Chicken Boys, who were played by two friends of Bruce and Utsler. With local wrestling booker Dan Curtis, other wrestlers such as Mad Man Pondo, 2 Tuff Tony
2 Tuff Tony
Tony Borcherding , better known by his ring name 2 Tuff Tony, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style...
, Corporal Robinson, King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
, and Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
were also booked on the show to wrestle in the same death match style as shown in ICP Strangle-Mania.
World Wrestling Federation (1998)
In 1998, Insane Clown Posse were asked by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
to perform the entrance theme for the wrestling group The Oddities. The WWF also wanted Bruce and Utsler to appear on their SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1998)
SummerSlam was the eleventh annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 30, 1998 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York....
pay-per-view (PPV) program in August 1998 and rap live while The Oddities entered the ring. Once the duo arrived at the arena, they realized their wrestling dreams had come true; they had been contacted by wrestling's top company and were now set to appear on their PPV program at the company's most historic venue, Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Bruce and Utsler were assigned to the locker room with Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
and The Undertaker, who were to wrestle during the main event that night. The duo immediately felt the animosity of the locker room that had previously driven them away from wrestling. Insane Clown Posse performed and was asked to return for the live broadcast of Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
the following night. At the broadcast, Bruce and Utsler requested for more than just a rapping role; they wanted to wrestle. McMahon favored the idea and allowed them to participate.
Insane Clown Posse was put in a feud with The Headbangers
The Headbangers
The Headbangers is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Mosh and Thrasher, best known for their work in the World Wrestling Federation...
. In the first wrestling match, The Headbangers were stiff, throwing real punches and kicks. In the rematch, a move was planned where The Headbangers would be flipped over by Bruce and Utsler. When the time came to flip over, however, The Headbangers refused to move, forcing Insane Clown Posse to genuinely flip them over and begin throwing punches. Realizing that the match was getting too heated, McMahon ended the feud after that match. Bruce and Utsler were put into other matches along with The Oddities. Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
told Bruce and Utsler to "make it seem like you don't know anything about wrestling, and you guys keep choking and digging into their eyes".
During this time, Bruce and Utsler had no contract with WWF. They, however, did have an agreement that the WWF would occasionally play Insane Clown Posse commercials, and in return, Bruce and Utsler would wrestle for free. Bruce and Utsler knew that airtime cost significantly more than any monetary compensation they would receive and were thus satisfied with the agreement. The duo were told they were to suddenly turn on The Oddities in their match against The Headbangers, then join them in beating up the group. They were also informed that their commercial would air the very next week, which had still not aired after three months of being involved with the WWF. The next week Insane Clown Posse and The Headbangers had a match with Steve Austin. After the match, Bruce and Utsler contacted Abbiss to inquire about the commercial and were informed that it was not aired. Given that McMahon failed to uphold his promise to air Insane Clown Posse's commercial, Abbiss recommended that Bruce and Utsler terminate their agreement with the WWF.
Hellfire Wrestling (1998)
While involved with the WWF, Insane Clown Posse brought Dan Curtis with them. After leaving the WWF, Curtis suggested that Insane Clown Posse start its own promotion while continuing with its music. He convinced the duo to coordinate another Strangle-Mania Live show, to be followed by an eighty-city "Hellfire Wrestling" tour. Curtis booked the talent and wrote the scripts. Strangle-Mania Live sold out the Majestic TheaterMajestic Theater (Detroit, Michigan)
The Majestic Theatre is a theatre located at 4126-4140 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008....
in Detroit. Two days after the show, Curtis was found dead in his apartment, due to a sudden diabetic problem. The "Hellfire Wrestling" tour was subsequently canceled.
World Championship Wrestling (1999-2000)
Utsler then went on to wrestle a long stint in World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
with Violent J. The duo formed two stables. The first stable, The Dead Pool, consisted of Insane Clown Posse, Vampiro
Vampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson , better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working as a wrestler and a consultant for Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Hodgkinson is semi-retired and is a member of the citizen crime patrol organization Guardian Angels, acting as...
, and Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
; the second consisted of Insane Clown Posse, Vampiro, Great Muta
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
, and Kiss Demon
Dale Torborg
Dale Christian Torborg is an American baseball trainer and former professional wrestler. He is the son of former Major League Baseball manager Jeff Torborg. He is currently the conditioning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox....
, known as The Dark Carnival.
On August 9, 1999, Insane Clown Posse made their WCW debut on Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
in a six-man tag team match. Insane Clown Posse and Vampiro defeated Lash LeRoux, Norman Smiley
Norman Smiley
Norman Anthony Smiley is a British professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling...
, and Prince Iaukea
Michael Haynes III
Michael Hayner is a professional wrestler best known as Prince Iaukea in World Championship Wrestling. Haynes has also made a career performing and coordinating stunts for major motion pictures...
. At Road Wild 1999, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Billy Kidman, and Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse. Insane Clown Posse continued to wrestle on Monday Nitro, defeating Public Enemy
The Public Enemy (professional wrestling)
The Public Enemy was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge. The duo competed in many promotions, including Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , National Wrestling Alliance , and the World Wrestling Federation...
one week, and losing to Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
and Rey Mysterio, Jr. another. At Fall Brawl 1999, the tag team of Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, and Billy Kidman again defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse. On September 13, Insane Clown Posse defeated Lenny Lane
Lenny Lane
Leonard "Lenny" Carlson is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Lenny Lane. During his time tenure in WCW, he was a one time Cruiserweight Champion....
and Lodi
Brad Cain
Bradley "Brad" Cain is an American professional wrestler, author and personal trainer, better known by his ring name, Lodi...
. Shaggy 2 Dope then went on a solo run for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
.
On the August 23, 2000 episode of WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder was a professional wrestling show produced by World Championship Wrestling which aired on TBS from January 8, 1998 to March 21, 2001...
, Great Muta, Vampiro, and Insane Clown Posse beat Tank Abbott
Tank Abbott
David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...
and 3 Count
3 Count
3 Count was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling which formed in 1999. The group consisted of Shane Helms, Shannon Moore and Evan Karagias and they were given a boy band gimmick. For a brief time, Tank Abbott was added to the group as a manager and...
. Five days later, on Monday Nitro, Insane Clown Posse and Vampiro defeated 3 Count, and the following week, Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
beat Insane Clown Posse. On September 25, Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
defeated Insane Clown Posse in a Handicap Hardcore match. The ending showed Awesome performing his signature Awesome Bomb on 2 Dope on top a bus. Shaggy was stunned and accidentally fell off the top of the bus.
Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (1999-2006)
On December 19, 1999, Bruce and Utsler created their own wrestling promotion, Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (now known as Juggalo Championship Wrestling). That night, the duo defeated the team of two Doink the ClownDoink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
s to become the first ever JCW Tag Team Champions
JCW Tag Team Championship
The JCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Nine teams, comprising a total of eighteen wrestlers, have held the JCW Tag Team Championship, combining for a total of thirteen title reigns....
. The event was taped and released as JCW, Volume 1. Commentary was provided by Bruce and Utsler under their '3D' and 'Gweedo' announcing personas. In 2000, Insane Clown Posse was involved in a rivalry with The Rainbow Coalition (Big Flam, Bob, and Neil). That April, the duo teamed with Vampiro to defeat The Rainbow Coalition. Insane Clown Posse defeated the Coalition again when they teamed with Evil Dead
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...
, and the match that was featured on JCW, Volume 2.
Later that April, Utsler fell off the top of a Steel Cage and broke his nose and cheekbone, as well as injuring his neck. As a result, his wrestling appearances were limited, and he received neck surgery four years later. In 2003, Insane Clown Posse defended, and retained, their JCW Tag Team Championships against Kid Cock (a parody of 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...
) and Feminem (a parody of Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
). The match was featured on JCW, Volume 3. Utsler continued to wrestle for JCW, which could only be seen at live events until the 2007 start of JCW SlamTV!.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004, 2006)
On January 21, 2004, Utsler appeared alongside Bruce on an episode of the weekly NWA Total Nonstop ActionTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
PPV. The duo were shown partying in the crowd alongside the juggalos in attendance. In the main event of the night, which featured Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
going against El Leon
Germán Figueroa
Germán Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known as Nuevo Gran Apolo, or simply Apolo. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council...
, Jarrett and El Leon were fighting in the crowd when Insane Clown Posse sprayed Faygo
Faygo
Faygo or Faygo Pop is a soft drink brand headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. It is distributed in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Central Southern regions of the United States...
in Jarrett's eyes. The following week, Insane Clown Posse were interviewed in the ring by Mike Tenay
Mike Tenay
Michael William "Mike" Tenay is a professional wrestling play-by-play announcer currently employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Prior to signing with TNA in 2002, he had a notable tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1994-2001...
. The duo explained that they were fans of TNA, and that they wanted to be a part of the promotion themselves. As they started making kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
negative remarks toward Jeff Jarrett, Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilbertti is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Disco Inferno. He is also a former road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and David Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
interrupted. When Gilberti tried to convince the duo to apologize to Jarrett, Insane Clown Posse chased Gilbertti and Young out of the ring before challenging the team to a match for the next week.
On February 4, Insane Clown Posse defeated Glen Gilbertti and David Young. Later that night, Scott Hudson interviewed Insane Clown Posse, and the duo announced that they would face whoever Jeff Jarrett threw at them next in a "Juggalo Street Fight". Insane Clown Posse won against the team of Glen Gilbertti and Kid Kash on February 18. Two weeks later, Insane Clown Posse announced that they would take part in a "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...
Match" the next week against Glen Gilbertti and any partner he chooses. The following week, Insane Clown Posse and 2 Tuff Tony took on Glen Gilbertti, Kid Kash, and David Young. "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
Monty Brown
Monty Brown is an American professional wrestler and former National Football League linebacker, also known as Marcus Cor Von. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled on its ECW brand under the ring name Marcus Cor Von...
made his TNA return, and cost Insane Clown Posse and 2 Tuff Tony the match. During their stint in TNA, Insane Clown Posse brought the company its largest paying crowds in history. After the duo left, they remained close with the company.
On March 17, 2006, Insane Clown Posse hosted and booked TNA's first ever house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
, which took place in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The duo defeated Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
members Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
and Petey Williams
Petey Williams
Peter "Petey" Williams III is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time X Division Champion and a former captain of Team Canada. Williams Currently Wrestles for Lucha Libre USA...
.
Independent Circuit (2004-present)
On December 12, 2004, Utsler and Bruce competed in the event A Night of Appreciation for SabuA Night of Appreciation for Sabu
A Night of Appreciation was a professional wrestling benefit show held to raise funds for American professional wrestler Terry "Sabu" Brunk, who had incurred costly medical bills while hospitalized for several months after contracting a mysterious virus that at one point left him temporarily...
, teaming with the Rude Boy to defeat the team of Corporal Robinson
Steve Robinson (wrestler)
Steve Robinson, known by the ring name Corporal Robinson, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style. Robinson has wrestled for various wrestling promotions, including Combat Zone Wrestling, and Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South...
, Zach Gowen
Zach Gowen
Zach Gowen is an American professional wrestler. Gowen has competed for World Wrestling Entertainment on their SmackDown! brand, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, and Breyer Wellington. Utsler received surgery on his neck the following year, leaving him unable to wrestle for two years. At Pro Wrestling Unplugged's 2006 event "Cuffed & Caged: Last Man Standing," Utsler managed Team JCW (Nosawa
Kazushige Nosawa
, better known by his ring names NOSAWA and NOSAWA Rongai, is a Japanese freelance professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent promotions.-Career:...
, 2 Tuff Tony
2 Tuff Tony
Tony Borcherding , better known by his ring name 2 Tuff Tony, is an American professional wrestler best known for his hardcore wrestling style...
, Violent J, Mad Man Pondo, and Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
) in a War Games match
WarGames match
The WarGames match was a gimmick match used originally in the National Wrestling Alliance and later held annually in World Championship Wrestling , usually at their Fall Brawl pay-per-view event in September.-History:...
against Team PWU (Trent Acid
Trent Acid
Michael Verdi was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Trent Acid. Verdi had worked as a tag team wrestler for most of his career, primarily as part of The Backseat Boyz with Johnny Kashmere, in several independent promotions in America, including Combat Zone Wrestling,...
, Corporal Robinson, Johnny Kashmere
Johnny Kashmere
Johnny Kashmere is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of The Backseat Boyz, along with the late Trent Acid...
, Pete Hunter, and Gary Wolfe) with manager Tod Gordon
Tod Gordon
Tod Gordon is the President of Carver W. Reed Co. Inc, a Philadelphia jewelry store and loan office that was established in 1860. He is also the founder of both defunct Professional wrestling promotions Eastern Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling...
.
Since fully recovering from his neck surgery in 2007, Utsler has continued to appear as Shaggy 2 Dope at various promotions in the independent circuit.
Juggalo Championship Wrestling (2007--present)
In 2007, JCW launched SlamTV!. With it came the first broadcast of JCW since the three initial DVDs. Utsler returned as "Handsome" Harley Guestella, and Bruce returned to commentary as Diamond Donovan Douglas. 3D and Gweedo announced in an episode of SlamTV! that Insane Clown Posse had been stripped of the JCW Tag Team Championships because they had not defended the title due to 2 Dope's injuries. Utsler made his in ring return at the first annual Bloodymania, JCW's premier wrestling event, where Insane Clown Posse teamed with SabuSabu (wrestler)
Terry Michael Brunk , better known by his ring name Sabu, is an American professional wrestler best known for his extreme wrestling style...
to defeat Trent Acid and The Young Alter Boys w/ Annie Social the Nun.
At the 2008 Hallowicked After-Party, Utsler joined the group Juggalo World Order
Juggalo World Order
The Juggalo World Order is a professional wrestling stable which wrestles for Juggalo Championship Wrestling...
. On November 9, the Juggalo World Order (Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, 2 Tuff Tony, and Corporal Robinson) "invaded" Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Turning Point
Turning Point (2008)
Turning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on November 9, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fourth event under the Turning Point chronology and first event under the name to...
PPV by purchasing front row tickets to the event. They proceeded to promote their faction by flashing their JWO jerseys, which each member had on, before being removed from the building.
At Bloodymania III
Bloodymania III
Bloodymania III was a professional wrestling event produced by Juggalo Championship Wrestling , which took place at midnight on August 9, 2009 at Hog Rock in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois. Professional wrestling is a type of sports entertainment in which theatrical events are combined with a competitive...
, Juggalo World Order (Corporal Robinson, Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, and Sid Vicious) defeated Trent Acid and the Alter Boys (Tim, Tom, Terry, and Todd). In 2010, Utsler (as Shaggy 2 Dope) became the full time color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
of Juggalo Championship Wrestling with his broadcast partner Kevin Gill.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Diving leg drop
- Signature moves
- BrainbusterBrainbusterA brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her pants, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining...
- Jumping DDT
- Driving clothesline
- Multiple powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
variations- Corner sitout
- Crucifix, sometimes from the top rope
- Running release
- Sitout double underhook
- Brainbuster
- Theme MusicMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Oddities" by Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane 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...
(WWF; 1998) - "Take It" by Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane 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...
(WCW; 1999) - "Assassins (Instrumental)" by Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane 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...
(WCW; 2000) - "Chicken Huntin' (Slaughterhouse Remix)Chicken Huntin'"Chicken Huntin'" is a single by hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse, from their second studio album, Ringmaster. The "Slaughter House Mix", from the group's third studio album, Riddle Box, has become one the duo's most popular songs.-Content:...
" by Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane 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...
(JCW / TNA / Independent circuit; 1999–present)
- "Oddities" by Insane Clown Posse
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- RavenScott LevyScott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
- Raven
- Wrestlers managed
- Corporal Darryl DanielsJoseph 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,...
- Corporal Darryl Daniels
Championships and accomplishments
- Juggalo Championship Wrestling
- JCW Heavyweight ChampionshipJCW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe JCW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship in Juggalo Championship Wrestling. It was established in 1999 at JCW's first show, the taping for the DVD JCW Volume 1, with Evil Dead winning a 20-man battle royal...
(1 time) - JCW Tag Team ChampionshipJCW Tag Team ChampionshipThe JCW Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship in Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Nine teams, comprising a total of eighteen wrestlers, have held the JCW Tag Team Championship, combining for a total of thirteen title reigns....
(2 times) - with Violent J
- JCW Heavyweight Championship
Personal life
Utsler is half PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and half Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
. Due to his Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
descent, he does not celebrate Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
. He was married on May 7, 2004, but the two later divorced. With his ex-wife, Utsler has three children, twin boys Isaac and Cyrus and daughter Mahala. He is the middle of three brothers, John and Mike. Older brother John, formerly known as John Kickjazz, was a part of Inner City Posse and was also briefly a member of Insane Clown Posse. Younger brother Mike performs as Tre Pound in the hip hop group Chop Shop.
Like his band mate Joseph Bruce
Joseph 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,...
, Utsler has had numerous run-ins with the law, having been arrested multiple times since he was a teenager. He's suffered from depression and anxiety throughout his career. Utsler has been admitted to multiple drug rehabilitation centers
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
due to alcoholism and pill addiction. On the September 1, 2009 edition of The Howard Stern Show, he stated that he had recently quit using pills and drinking because he was close to getting cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver. As of 2011, Utsler is three years sober.
Utsler designed the Psychopathic Records logo, called the Hatchetman, as well as drew numerous Insane Clown Posse album covers.
Discography
- Fuck Off! (1994)
- F.T.F.O.F.T.F.O.F.T.F.O. is the second solo album of American rapper Shaggy 2 Dope. Released in 2006, it is his first full-length solo release.- Reception :F.T.F.O. sold 14,000 copies in its first week in stores.-Track listing:...
(2006)
Filmography
- Big Money HustlasBig Money HustlasThe film's music was written by Psychopathic Records producer Mike E. Clark. A soundtrack album was released in 2001, and featured new music from the film, in addition to previously released tracks by Insane Clown Posse and Twiztid, and the theme to the 1976 film The Human Tornado, performed by...
(2000), as Sugar Bear - Bowling Balls (2004), as Shaggy
- Death RacersDeath RacersDeath Racers is an American B movie directed by Roy Knyrim. Released direct-to-video on September 16, 2008, the film stars the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse and wrestler Scott "Raven" Levy.-Plot:...
(2008), as Shaggy 2 Dope - Big Money Rustlas (2010), as Sugar Wolf