The Ringmaster
Encyclopedia
Ringmaster is the second studio album
by American
hip hop
group Insane Clown Posse
, released on January 28, 1994, by Psychopathic Records
. Recording sessions for the album took place in 1993 at The Tempermill Studio. The album is the second Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival
mythology. The album's lyrics describe the leader of the Carnival, who serves as one of the judges of one’s soul in the afterlife
, as being created from the listener’s own evils.
The album was the first Insane Clown Posse album which was composed solely by producer Mike E. Clark
, who would work with the group throughout much of their career. It features guest appearances by Capitol E and Jumpsteady
. Ringmaster was reissued by Island Records
in 1998 and earned a gold certification
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA).
in which "spirits in a traveling carnival
appeared to him," Insane Clown Posse created the mythology of the Dark Carnival
. The Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead await to be judged, was planned to be elaborated through a series of stories
called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways"
of listeners before "the end consumes us all."
Following the release of the first Joker’s Card, Carnival of Carnage
, the group began to build a local following. To increase interest and popularity, they produced a mass amount of promotional material such as demo packages
, flyer
s, and fan club
newsletter
s. The group also released their first EP
, Beverly Kills 50187
, in 1993. When they felt the building anticipation for the second Joker’s Card, the duo began work on Ringmaster.
with Mike E. Clark
producing and mastering the album. Jumpsteady
and Capitol E appear as guests on the album.
, the fictional mythology of the concept album
series used in much of their discography. The Dark Carnival is a concept of the afterlife
in which souls are sent to a form of limbo
while waiting to be sent to heaven
or hell
based on their individual actions
. These concepts are related by Insane Clown Posse in a series of albums called the six Joker's Card
s. Each of the six Joker's Cards relate to a specific character — an entity of the Dark Carnival — that tries to "save the human soul" by showing the wicked inside of one's self.
Ringmaster is the overseer
of the Carnival of Carnage. He 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 Card issues a warning against the neglect of our basic morals.
" by Rage Against the Machine
.
According to the group's mythology, the Ringmaster is the leader 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 album tells morality tales
as the Ringmaster character takes the listener through exhibits of the Carnival, as in such songs as "Murder Go Round", "Wagon Wagon", and "House of Mirrors."
Wicked Clownz featuring themselves and the Ringmaster character. The comic was written by Bruce, illustrated by Joseph Utsler
, and printed in Canada
. Seven weeks before the release of the album, the pressing company produced 10,000 CDs
and 10,000 cassettes
that were filled with misprints. The company doubled the groups order for free to make up for the mistake, and presented the group with a total of 40,000 units.
In 1995, Insane Clown Posse signed a contract with the short-lived Jive Records
subsidiary label Battery Records
, which funded the production of a music video
for the song "Chicken Huntin'". Joseph and Robert Bruce
developed their own concept for the video, but the director changed their plans, and the final concept instead featured Insane Clown Posse performing actions which Joseph Bruce later described as "[Some of] the stupidest thing[s] I had ever heard of." Because the group and the label were disappointed with the video, it was not publicly released at the time, although it later appeared on Shockumentary in 1997 and again on Psychopathic: The Videos
in 2007.
said that Ringmaster has "more focus on [the] Ringmaster [character], which means that the album hits harder and makes a bigger impression."
such as St. Andrews Hall
and the State Theater
. Because members Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler made reference to the Detroit-produced soft drink Faygo
in their songs, they "figured it would be cool to have some on stage with [them]." During a concert in 1993, Bruce threw an open bottle of Faygo at a row of concertgoers who were giving them the finger
. After receiving a positive response, Bruce and Utsler have since continued to spray Faygo onto audiences. A subsequent national tour increased sales of the album, earning Ringmaster a gold certification.
Jive Records produced a remix of the song "Chicken Huntin'" which was rejected by Insane Clown Posse, leading the group to produce its own remix, which appeared on their next album Riddle Box. The song "Mr. Johnson's Head" was re-recorded in 1997 and was intended to be featured on the group's fourth studio album The Great Milenko
. The idea was later scrapped and the re-recording was released on Insane Clown Posse's compilation album Forgotten Freshness Volumes 1 & 2. Later that year, the duo signed with Island
/PolyGram Records, which reissued Ringmaster in 1998.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
, released on January 28, 1994, by Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....
. Recording sessions for the album took place in 1993 at The Tempermill Studio. The album is the second Joker's Card in the group's Dark Carnival
Dark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
mythology. The album's lyrics describe the leader of the Carnival, who serves as one of the judges of one’s soul in 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...
, as being created from the listener’s own evils.
The album was the first Insane Clown Posse album which was composed solely by producer Mike E. Clark
Mike E. Clark
Mike Earl Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan currently signed to Hatchet House.Clark is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums...
, who would work with the group throughout much of their career. It features guest appearances by Capitol E and Jumpsteady
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...
. Ringmaster was reissued by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in 1998 and earned a gold certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA).
Background
Following a dream by group member 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,...
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," Insane Clown Posse created the mythology of the Dark Carnival
Dark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
. The Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead await to be judged, was planned to be elaborated through a series of stories
Morality play
The morality play is a genre of Medieval and early Tudor theatrical entertainment. In their own time, these plays were known as "interludes", a broader term given to dramas with or without a moral theme. Morality plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personifications of...
called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways"
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...
of listeners before "the end consumes us all."
Following the release of the first Joker’s Card, Carnival of Carnage
Carnival 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...
, the group began to build a local following. To increase interest and popularity, they produced a mass amount of promotional material such as demo packages
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, flyer
Flyer (pamphlet)
__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....
s, and fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
s. The group also released their first 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...
, Beverly Kills 50187
Beverly Kills 50187
Beverly Kills 50187 is the first EP by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released in 1993 by Psychopathic Records. It is the first "sideshow" entry in the group's Dark Carnival saga...
, in 1993. When they felt the building anticipation for the second Joker’s Card, the duo began work on Ringmaster.
Recording
Ringmaster was recorded at The Tempermill Studio in Ferndale, MichiganFerndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
with 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...
producing and mastering the album. Jumpsteady
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 Capitol E appear as guests on the album.
Joker's Cards
Ringmaster is the second Joker's Card in Insane Clown Posse's Dark CarnivalDark Carnival (Insane Clown Posse)
The Dark Carnival is the mythology of the concept album series used in much of Insane Clown Posse's discography. It is a concept of the afterlife in which souls are sent to a form of limbo while waiting to be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their individual actions. These concepts are related by...
, the fictional mythology of the concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
series used in much of their discography. The Dark Carnival is a concept of the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
in which souls are sent to a form of limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
while waiting to be sent to heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
or hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
based on their individual actions
Divine Judgment
Divine judgment means the judgment of God or other supreme beings within a religion. The concept is prominent in Abrahamic religions, most significantly in the Last judgment.-Objective and subjective judgment:...
. These concepts are related by Insane Clown Posse in a series of albums called the six Joker's Card
Joker (playing card)
Joker is a special type of playing card found in most modern decks, or else a type of tile in some Mahjong game sets.-Name:It is believed that the term "Joker" comes from a mispronunciation of Jucker, the German/Alsatian name for the game Euchre. The card was originally introduced in about 1860 for...
s. Each of the six Joker's Cards relate to a specific character — an entity of the Dark Carnival — that tries to "save the human soul" by showing the wicked inside of one's self.
Ringmaster 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 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 Card issues a warning against the neglect of our basic morals.
Samples
"My Fun House" samples the bass line of the song "Bullet in the HeadBullet in the Head (song)
"Bullet in the Head" was a single released by political rap metal band Rage Against the Machine from their debut album in 1992. A fan favourite and one of the album's heaviest tracks, "Bullet in the Head" refers to the band's belief that the government uses media to control the population, drawing...
" by Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
.
Lyricism
When writing lyrics for the album, the group realized that they were defining the direction for future Joker’s Cards and what their group could become. Joseph Bruce explains that they "wanted to make a statement, to direct our energy. We wanted to mix comedy and horror, and hold it up like a mirror to a city full of gangsters and scrubs like us."According to the group's mythology, the Ringmaster is the leader 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 album tells morality tales
Morality play
The morality play is a genre of Medieval and early Tudor theatrical entertainment. In their own time, these plays were known as "interludes", a broader term given to dramas with or without a moral theme. Morality plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personifications of...
as the Ringmaster character takes the listener through exhibits of the Carnival, as in such songs as "Murder Go Round", "Wagon Wagon", and "House of Mirrors."
Release and promotion
To help promote the album, Insane Clown Posse created the comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
Wicked Clownz featuring themselves and the Ringmaster character. The comic was written by Bruce, illustrated by Joseph Utsler
Joseph Utsler
Joseph William "Joey" Utsler is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, professional wrestler and actor. Utsler is known as Shaggy 2 Dope of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow Insane Clown Posse rapper Joseph Bruce and...
, and printed in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Seven weeks before the release of the album, the pressing company produced 10,000 CDs
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and 10,000 cassettes
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
that were filled with misprints. The company doubled the groups order for free to make up for the mistake, and presented the group with a total of 40,000 units.
In 1995, Insane Clown Posse signed a contract with the short-lived Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
subsidiary label Battery Records
Battery Records (dance)
Battery Records was a dance sublabel of Jive Records active for a short time in the mid-nineties unrelated to the current hip hop label also part of the Jive/Zomba family...
, which funded the production of a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "Chicken Huntin'". Joseph and 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...
developed their own concept for the video, but the director changed their plans, and the final concept instead featured Insane Clown Posse performing actions which Joseph Bruce later described as "[Some of] the stupidest thing[s] I had ever heard of." Because the group and the label were disappointed with the video, it was not publicly released at the time, although it later appeared on Shockumentary in 1997 and again on Psychopathic: The Videos
Psychopathic: The Videos
Psychopathic: The Videos is a DVD collection of remastered music videos released by Psychopathic Video. The film features videos by the artists Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid, Boondox, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Esham, Axe Murder Boyz, Anybody Killa, and Psychopathic Rydas.- Content :The collection contains...
in 2007.
Reception
Ringmaster sold 40,000 units locally, and, following a national release, became the first Insane Clown Posse album to be certified Gold. In The Great Rock Discography, Martin Charles Strong gave the album four out of ten stars. The album received one star out of five in The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
said that Ringmaster has "more focus on [the] Ringmaster [character], which means that the album hits harder and makes a bigger impression."
Legacy
Ringmaster's popularity enabled Insane Clown Posse to sell out larger nightclubs across their hometown of Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
such as St. Andrews Hall
St. Andrews Hall
Saint Andrew's Hall is a Detroit music venue and concert hall. Formerly the meeting place for the Saint Andrew's Society of Detroit and never a church, the building is now a host of live bands and DJs .-History:...
and the State Theater
The Fillmore Detroit
The Fillmore Detroit is a mixed-use entertainment venue operated by Live Nation. The Detroit Music Awards are held annually at The Fillmore Detroit in April. Built in 1925, the Fillmore Detroit was known for most of its history as the State Theatre, and prior to that as the Palms Theatre...
. Because members Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler made reference to the Detroit-produced soft drink 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 their songs, they "figured it would be cool to have some on stage with [them]." During a concert in 1993, Bruce threw an open bottle of Faygo at a row of concertgoers who were giving them the finger
Finger (gesture)
In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
. After receiving a positive response, Bruce and Utsler have since continued to spray Faygo onto audiences. A subsequent national tour increased sales of the album, earning Ringmaster a gold certification.
Jive Records produced a remix of the song "Chicken Huntin'" which was rejected by Insane Clown Posse, leading the group to produce its own remix, which appeared on their next album Riddle Box. The song "Mr. Johnson's Head" was re-recorded in 1997 and was intended to be featured on the group's fourth studio album 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 idea was later scrapped and the re-recording was released on Insane Clown Posse's compilation album Forgotten Freshness Volumes 1 & 2. Later that year, the duo signed with Island
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
/PolyGram Records, which reissued Ringmaster in 1998.
Track listing
Personnel
- Violent J – vocals
- 2 Dope – vocals, turntables
- JumpsteadyRobert Bruce (rapper)Robert Bruce is a former American rapper, Psychopathic Records don, and professional wrestler, and currently works as a paramedic in Detroit, Michigan.Bruce is most commonly known by his stage name Jumpsteady...
– guest vocals - Capitol E – guest vocals
- Mike E. ClarkMike E. ClarkMike Earl Clark is an American record producer and DJ from Detroit, Michigan currently signed to Hatchet House.Clark is best known for his work with Insane Clown Posse, for which he has produced nine studio albums...
– turntables, production
Certifications
| Country | Certification (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Gold |