Insane Clown Posse's Gathering of the Juggalos video
For devoted followers of the Insane Clown Posse and the signees to their Psychopathic Records label, the annual Gathering of the Juggalos is the highlight of every year. But for people who simply like to think about what ICP means in the 21st century (and who are steadily amused by their ability to construct viral-ready videos), the day that the Gathering of the Juggalos informercial hits the Internet represents the best part of the calendar.
The 13th annual Gathering goes down August 8-12 at a camp site in the group’s adopted haven of Cave In Rock, Ill., (or “Illinoise” to the folks talking about it in the video below). This year’s lineup is suitably eclectic, featuring the awkwardly-named members of ICP’s label roster (Anybody Killa, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Twiztid, the Psychopathic Ridas and the like), a smattering of metal bands (P.O.D., Mushroomhead, Fear Factory, Soulfly), a bunch of hip-hop legends and former superstars (Geto Boys, Warren G, DMX, Master P, Raekwon), and, of course, Kottonmouth Kings (who still manage to defy any and all categories). There are also a number of parties, carnival games, seminars, wrestling events, and a barbecue that features cheeseburgers being hurled at you from the stage.
Check out the video below, though be warned: The language is especially salty, and it’s also a whopping 23 minutes long. Still, it’s worth it.
The best thing about the Gathering is that the ICP universe is perhaps the most purely socialist body in America. Outside of Shaggy 2 Dope and Violet J themselves, nobody is considered any greater or more important than anybody else, which is why there is neither rhyme nor reason to the order in which the acts for the festival are unveiled. Master P and DMX both had multiple platinum albums less than a decade ago, but they are relegated to the middle of the video and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a dude named Prozak and the apparently controversial girl-group Millionaires.
Also, as a wrestling fan, that’s a pretty incredible lineup (shout out to Carlito and John Morrison, who were both once thought of as the future of WWE), and I can’t wait for the camera phone footage of the legendary Ric Flair saying things like, “Ladies and gentlemen, Static X! Woo!”
Insane Clown Posse will also be using the Gathering to premiere their new album, The Mighty Death Pop, which will arrive in three different versions, each one with its own bonus album. While that sort of stuff is nothing new (Justin Bieber’s Believe had something like a dozen different variations depending on where you picked it up), the idea that fans of ICP will be able to get a brand new album plus a bunch of b-sides, a covers collection, and a 60 minute song about girls they’ve had sex with makes me a little bit jealous. After all, if Afghan Whigs did that, I know exactly what the top four picks on my year-end best-of list would be.
What do you think of this year’s Gathering lineup? Anybody out there ever been and want to compare it to past years? Whoot-whoot in the comments below.
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