Monday, December 24, 2012

End of the year review

Man 2012 has flown by.  As the year winds down I take a look back at this year in my life and realize that so many gears are turning for me right now it is insane.  This will be my final blog of the year but rest assured I will be back in January!  So this is going to be a breakdown of all things that have happened to me personally in music and how things will change slightly next year.

First I became a rap manager to Draztik, Black Project, and Sikone aka Mickey Mangles.  This was my first taste of the music business.  While it has been a huge learning process and Draztik had a few things come up that prevented our business relationship from going further he will always be the guy that got me into the studio to begin my producing and managing.  I have no clue what his plans are from this point forward but I am his homie and am always available if ever he should call.  Sikone is doing his thing out in New Mexico.  He has an album due to be released next year.  I hope to get in the studio and help with that in the new year for sure.  Black Project still has a ton of work to do on their debut album "Highly Classified" as of right now the album might have to be delayed a little bit but I am still pushing for the 4/20 release date.  We have some great collabs on there with Mars and Bukshot as well as a few more artists we can't mention yet.  Both Black Project and Sikone I hope to get out to the Phoenix/Tucson area for some shows in the next year.  Wicked Butterfly Entertainment will be the top entertainment/promotion company here by this time next year, that is the goal.

Next I sent in a sample review to Faygoluvers.net to try and get a spot reviewing CD's and shows for the website.  I got the spot and am loving every minute of it!  I have also been asked and have done several interviews for them and look forward to doing more in the future.  I got nothing but family love to Scottie, Ian and all the Faygoluvers.net staff and fans!

The third thing that happened was I got asked to join American Media Distribution as a freelance reporter!  While my first official assignment isnt until January I hope the coming year will grant me the opportunity to expand my reviews, interviews, and grip on the entertainment community.  That being said I will take that opportunity and say that starting Jan 1, 2013 I will have 2 official music/media blogs.  This one will be maintained for all thing underground.  The other one will be for more mainstream media such as movies, music, and news.  I hope my readers will take a chance on that blog and continue to enjoy my opinions about things other than the underground.  I will most def keep this blog going as I do this for the family and that will never change.  I will get the link to the new blog out as soon as I get that post done Jan 1, 2013.

This year I got to attend the Gathering and it didnt disappoint.  I am hoping to go next year but we will see how things shake out.

I am always willing to sign new acts to Wicked Butterfly Entertainment.  If you are interested hit me up so we can discuss the details of what I offer and what we can do together.  I truely believe that this company is in line to do great things.  I have the effort and dedication to make it happen as long as an artist is willing to let me do the job.

Last but not least I wanted to thank each and every one of you that comes on here, reads my blogs and opinions, and in some cases leaves me feedback.  I love each and every one of you and hope next year to expand not only my own borders fo music but yours as well. 

A Juggalo is not someone who is jumped in, created in a high school, or someone who is claiming it to be faddish.  A Juggalo is born a Juggalo, pure and simple.  Once you realize you are a Juggalo you can stop listening to the music, quit buying the CD's and merch, and renounce the name itself but you will always be family in my book.  Do not let anyone ever tell you you are not good enough or you don't deserve anything because of who you are.

MMFWFL til next year family,

Juggalotus

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Twiztid leaves Psychopathic Records

So we found out today that Twiztid has officially left Psychopathic Records.  The reason why is unknown at this time.  When I heard the news I was not totally surprised yet completely shocked.  I don't know how it is for you guys but for me I had always assumed that ICP would retire and turn the reigns of the company over to Jaime and Paul.  Now I really don't know what to think.

A few years ago I saw a shift at Psychopathic Records.  Alex retired and Billy was tasked to take over.  Since this time I have noticed several things change with the label and the way "business" is being done.  While Alex was in charge the focus was on Family.  Meaning that the ticket prices for shows, merch, the Gathering, etc were all kept at a relatively reasonable cost so more Juggalos could afford to take part in these live events.  Examples of taking care of the Family are:

-$100 to go to the Gathering.  Reasonable cost includes campsite and free swag.

-All albums had 1 version.  Any added tracks would be a free giveaway with your order or made into another complete album and sold for cheap.

-Outside venues artists would occasionally hang our with the fans.  No $100 VIP which didn't include a ticket for the show necessary.

-Merch at Hatchetgear was expensive but not as expensive as now.

Since Billy has taken over we have seen a shift away from Family and the focus move toward profit.  Examples of this include:

-The Gathering now costs $150+ depending on if you want a good campsite or not.  Swag bag is tiny and includes ads for albums coming out and a charm, that's it!

-When ICP releases an album they make at least 3 versions with the only difference being 1 or 2 tracks added to the end.  They know the fans will buy all 3 and are just taking advantage of that fact.

-No more hanging out for free.  Now you pay $100 for an hour of time and that price does not include a ticket for the show.  You might get to hang out for an hour but be lucky to even meet any artist based on how many people show up.

-Hatchetgear is now a luxury item.  No longer can a scrub save up for a few months and get a dope jersey, now it's like saving a months rent to get anything.  And on top of that the quality has greatly declined.

You might be asking why I am bringing this up, well I firmly believe these changes have led to Twiztid leaving Psychopathic Records.  They have always been more concerned with the fans than any artist on the label.  They have always taken time out to sign autographs, tell jokes, and general be a face for the company.  It was said to me not long ago "To even talk to Violent J is like talking to a mob boss.  No one gets close to him unless he calls em."  That really made me start to listen to what was being said by former artists, friends of artists, and other who have dealt with Psychopathic Records.  The theme of the opinions were all similar:

Joe Bruce micro-manages everything and nothing get done, recorded, etc without his approval.

Joe Bruce is an asshole and tough to deal with.

Now I have no direct knowledge of this but if a majority of people who deal with the label have the same opinion something must be true in it.  I have always liked ICP and their music but felt they were making Twiztid play second fiddle.  Take Abominationz vs Mighty Death Pop.  TMDP had a single, music video, and tons and tons of promo material months before the release.  Abominationz had a few small promos, word of mouth and Twiztid self promoting.  I firmly believe that Abominationz was the superior album by far and deserved more promotion and a much bigger tour set up.  The same thing happened with W.I.C.K.E.D. Twiztid years ago became the better of the two groups and showed that the student has surpassed the master.  Why then would ICP not take a back seat and let Twiztid shine?  I can only guess Ego.  They have to be the biggest and most promoted group, in their eyes.  Twiztid has earned this opportunity to shine.

So when the news came out today I sat for an hour thinking about how I feel.  Here is what I decided:

-Twiztid deserves a chance to shine and be more heavily promoted.

-If ICP and Psychopathic do nothing to change the course, they will be closing their doors within 5 years.  They just lost one of the biggest money making groups.  The other side is that Twiztid makes up a huge part of Dark Lotus and Psychopathic Rydas and those two groups can no longer exist either.

-Blaze will surely follow Twiztid's lead.  They are long time homies and I fully expect Blaze will leave the hatchet as well.

-I will support both Twiztid and Psychopathic records.  They both hold a special place in my life and I will not choose sides.

-The shape of the underground has shifted and I am excited to see what is to come.

Family I don't know what side you fall on, but I would hope you show support for both groups.  They have both done a lot to earn and keep our respects.  Lets not let this event shatter our Family.  We all need to stand tall in the face of whatever is coming and bond together.  I will wear the hatchet til the day I die with pride.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

New interview series

I wanted to take a few miutes and let you all know about the work I am doing with Faygoluvers.net.  A few months ago I was asked to send in a review of the Mighty Death Pop as a try out for a spot reviewing CD's on Faygoluvers.  I sent it in and a few days later was asked to join the team!  To say I was excited would be an understatement.  Well over the past several months I have done a lot of CD reviews including Twiztid's Abominationz which has gotten the most views ever for an album review on the site.  A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to interview Potluck at the Abominationz tour stop here in Tucson.  Now I had been trying since May to get an interview with those guys and our schedules didn't really line up until then.  The interview itself was around 20 min long and that got me thinking.

So this upcoming weekend at Kung Fu Vampires Love Bites tour stop in Mesa, AZ I will sit down with the man himself.  This will be the second interview I do for Faygoluvers.  Since the first one was 20 min I decided that this one will be 20 min as well.  This being my second of what I hope will be many interviews I made the decision to call my interview series "20 Min with..."  So all of my interviews will be about 20 min, give or take, and be in a continuous series to set mine apart from the other guys on the site.

So be on the lookout for that interview this weekend and keep checking the album review section over on www.faygoluvers.net for all of my most current album reviews, many of which are from underground artists you may not have heard of before but will still dig.  My reviews are my honest opinion of the album and I tend to not sugarcoat anything.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Twiztid Abominations Tour review

  It has been like 20 days since my last post on here, but I have been hella busy and trying to do a lot for Faygoluvers!  On Nov 17, 2012 Twiztid rolled through Tucson, AZ on their Abominationz tour and I was there to interview Potluck and check it out!  Here is what went down and how I think the show went.

My wife and I left the house and got to The Rock about 20 min before the doors opened.  Twiztid had tweeted out earlier in the day the venue was tiny but having never been there I had no idea.  I do gotta give a shout out to the Potluck Street Team leadership as they supplied my ticket for the show!  Anyway the doors opened and when we got inside I could see what Mono was talking about, the place was tiny!  I think it maybe could hold 300-400 people if they were packed in wall to wall.  We checked out the merch booth and saw some cool stuff but didn't have any $$ to get anything this time.  Then it was showtime.

The first group up was Cultivate Creative Sounds or CCS Crew, a local staple here in Tucson.  I have to say that my experience with Faygoluvers has been a blessing and a curse.  It has been a blessing because I am getting to hear a ton of music from smaller acts and it has shaped my ear if you will to be more astute, a curse cause it has made me listen to music different and be more skeptical of new groups I haven't heard.  That being said I was cautiously optimistic when they went on stage.  My wife and I were blown away.  These guys knew how to put on an energetic show that kept the crowd into it and definitely set the show off on the right foot.  After their set we went and talked to them and set up an interview with them for later in the night.  I will have that interview posted here in the next few days.  They definitely gave me a good feeling about the music scene here in Tucson.

Next up was Potluck and I was very excited, I love these guys.  Let me say I have now seen them twice live and they have yet to disappoint me.  They did a ton of classics like "Stoner Bitch", "Hotbox Anthem", and "STFU" while adding newer flavor like "Pot City".  They threw down a hella tight set and made themselves available after for autographs, pics, etc.  I hit em up and got to sit down with them for an interview!  You can see that here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAzn66C8mD8&feature=plcp.

While we were in back talking with them Lil Wyte went on stage and did his set.  We missed all but the end of his set so I can't say if he did well or not.  The crowd seemed to really like his set though.

Then it was time for me to interview Potluck.  We went outside the venue and found a spot under a streetlight.  Did the interview for about 20 min and during that time Hed PE came on stage.  We caught the end of their set and while it did have people moshing and had decent metal I did not enjoy the Liberal interludes Jerod put in.  I remember a time when Anarchists hated all government and fought the man, not sided with one or the other parties or affiliations.  Kind of a let down but the crowd was digging it.

Then it was time for the headliners, Twiztid.  We worked our way like 2 rows back from the stage middle.  They came out and kicked it off with Bad Side off Abominationz.  They worked a lot of classics in their set and added 5 tracks from the new album, "Bad Side", "Unstoppable", "Rep That Wicked", "This is your Anthem", and "LDLHAIBCSYWA"  This set was not quite as good as the one they had for the American Psychos tour but it was still hella cool.  The boys know how to set the crowd off and make the show hype as hell.

When the show was over we left and headed home.  All in all another great show.  My one complaint was the crowd.  This had to be one of the worst crowds I have ever seen a show with.  The venue being small was bad enough but it isn't like the extra 3 inches someone would get from crushing my wife and I was going to make Twiztid stop the show and be like "Hey come on stage with us you are so flipping cool"  The crowd was rude, self absorbed, pushy, and willing to do things like pull my wife's hair to get her out of the way to get closer to the stage.  For those that follow my blog you know that I am a huge supporter of the Fam, but I draw the line when the fam intentionally hurts another to "get closer" to the stage in a club where Twiztids sweat would hit you no matter where you were!  The crowd was a lot of younger Juggalos and I think that was the problem.  I have found as the years have gone by that younger Juggalos have less respect for the traditions of the Family.  They feel entitled to everything from spot in the crowd to basic respect.  They think being a Juggalo is a fad or something cool to do, they don't understand we as Juggalos/Juggalettes look out for one another and make sure no one gets hurt.  I am hoping it was an isolated experience but fear it isn't.  That alone did not take away from the fact the show was the bomb.  Twiztid did it again and I cannot wait  for their next album, tour, or whatever they are gonna do.

That's it for me fam.  Lets remember what being a Juggalo or Juggalette means and show love at these shows.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Monday, November 5, 2012

Changes, Moves and making moves

Sorry I have been away for a minute!  Just moved to Tucson and getting grounded here.  This month we got some big things coming up over at Faygoluvers.  I have posted a ton of new reviews.  But I will be doing a special interview with none other than Kung Fu Vampire and it will be posted over on Faygoluvers.net the first week of Dec!  Black Project is on schedule to get their album "Highly Classified" released on 04/20/2013.  There will be some great featured artists on there so you wanna check it out.  Also will be posting my reviews for the Twiztid and Kung Fu Vampire shows this month here on the blog!  So there are big things happening, stay tuned for more to come!!

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

My response to the removal of the Gang label



So I was asked recently to post a blog regarding the FBI labeling us a gang.  Back in November of 2011 I did respond to the release of the list, http://juggalosupport.blogspot.com/2011/11/fbi-and-juggalos.htmlAfter reading the recent post by Dmize I feel as though I need to write and expansion to the first blog.

The who, what, where, and when are all self explanatory.  Then we come to the why.  This is where I feel the need to add onto this post.  He say “what makes a juggalo "gang affiliated"... there is that small bunch of apples that give us that bad name, but the question on everybodys mind is, why include the whole subculture???”  I agree completely that a few bad apples has spoiled an otherwise peaceful group of people.  He goes on further to state “when these bad apples go out, and commit their crimes, they scream and claim "juggalo" just as a west sider or latin king would represent his set while committing a crime. so as you can see. many bad apples scream juggalo while committing crimes... that got the entire "juggalo family" added to the list. now... do the math.. from one city. to other cities. to state. to nation.....
Juggalo will not be removed from that until it is able to be proven were not all sociopathic assholes that cause shit for people.” 
This is where my opinion differs.  Just because someone commits a crime and claims a certain group of people does not give the government or anyone the right to classify that group of people as a gang.  Throughout history crimes have been committed in the name of things.  During the Crusades terrible things were done in the name of God, yet no religions are on the gang list.  Radical Islam commits crimes and horrific acts in the name of Allah, yet they are not on the gang list.  The Arian Brotherhood, Satanists groups, KKK, Black Panthers, etc all commit crimes while claiming their affiliations but yet none of them made the list.  These group actively advocate violence and disorder in our cities and towns.  When it comes to Juggalos, we are a group of people with a common interest in music.  For the most part we do not commit violent crimes similar to MS 13 or the Latin Kings yet we are being mentioned in the same breath with them because of a few “bad apples.”
He ends the post by asking “HOW DO WE FIX THE PROBLEM!???!!?”
To me the answer is simple.  If you are a true Juggalo/Juggalette and the idea that you are included on the gang list pisses you off, stop doing and committing crimes!   And if you do get caught or arrested for something remember it is not cool or fashionable to scream Juggalo at the top of your lungs to cover up your bad decisions.  If you fall into the category I am in being an old school Juggalo or Lette, act right and show the new generations what the movement is all about.  Don’t tag “Fuck the FBI” “Wicked Clowns” or “Juggalo” on things, tagging is a crime.  Don’t sell drugs, use drugs, or give the authorities any reason to arrest you.  That is why so many of us have a bad name.  Am I saying don’t do those things because I oppose them, no I do not.  But if you are driving in your car with ounces of weed and paraphernalia don’t be mad at the cops when you get searched and arrested!  It is not the cops fault you made a bad choice.  They have a job to do as well.  With the exception of a few “mall cops” I have had police pose questions about my hatchet jerseys.  My answer is always the same “It represents a record label out of Detroit” I have not been arrested or labeled a gang banger because of my music or clothes I choose to wear.  If you respect the authorities they will respect you back.
We will never be removed from the gang list if we continue to perpetuate the image the rest of the world wants to see.  As we approach the holidays I suggest Juggalos and Juggalettes everywhere contact local charities and see if you can volunteer to help.  When you go to help wear a jersey or charm.  Don’t hide the fact you are a juggalo!  Once we start to get positive publicity things will change.  Psychopathic records has for the past few years done these things.  From the toy drive to the free performance at the shelter they are setting the example.  Follow their example and things will change.

MMFWFL,
Juggalotus


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Perception vs Reality

  It has been a little while since I had a serious topic to discuss, but today we get back to voicing opinions about topics to help up and coming artists.  I have found as I grow into my position as a manager I am finding very different types of rappers/artists.  The first group is the group who have never lost sight of where they stand in the business.  They constantly hustle, constantly strive to improve themselves, never forget what they went through to get to where they are in the business, and always try to remember that there are other people who may not be as far along that might need help.  They are aware they may be a medium fish in a small pond and are not afraid of giving a little to smaller fish to help them grow.  Then we have the second group.  This group hustle when it benefits only them, have a view that they are more important than they are, think the world owes them something because they may be starting to make waves, and are consistently regarded as a pain to work with or and asshole. 

Group one has a lot of characteristics that I find desirable.  My first experience with this group was when I was booking and promoting the T.O.N.E-Z show in April of this year.  I had 6 openers and 2 headliners.  Most of the headliners fall into group one.  They were hustling tickets til the day of the show.  Even the day of the show they were at the mall or out trying to get more fans out to the show.  Most of them knew the bigger the crowd the better the show.  After the show two of the openers hit me up for management services because they knew a good manager can make your career move further.  Yes a manager does charge fees and very rarely puts and monetary funds into the acts themselves, the manager puts time and effort into making collabs happen, making merch discounts happen, finding shows for the artist to perform at and spending their own time and energy to get your name known outside of your town or city.  Because of the time and effort involved in making all these things happen the manager normally takes a monthly fee and gets a percentage of all merch sold, appearance fees, etc.  The first group also realized that as they get more popular they might be asked to collab with newer artists.  This can be a positive and negative for all parties involved.  The positives are that the new artist is getting a known artist on a track that may or may not make them famous, but the money involved can be quite high.  The known artist takes the most risk.  If they are not selective and just do all the collabs that come along because someone is paying them they risk overexposure and weakening their standing by having their name on sub-par tracks.  Artists in the first group are willing to take some risks to help further their career or other artists careers.  For newer artists (1-4 years in the business and a few mixtapes or debut album for sale) who are beginning to get asked to collab on tracks my advice would be to do the collabs for free or a max of like $50 for a verse or hook.  Doing this will get your name more known, get you some money for it, and allow newer artists to help both of your careers.  For more established artists (4-6 years in the business and at least a few CD's being sold on the market) I would say no more than $200 for a verse and $100 for collabs.  Of course artists can make their own choices but should definitely consult your manager for their advice.  The artists in this group will also rely on their manager for business decisions.  If they want to collab with more known artists they should tell their manager and let him/her work out the details.  If you want a music video made tell your manager and let them work out the details.  By doing this you will allow yourself less stress and more time to worry about what is the most important, writing lyrics, creating beats, and recording your next hot track.  A good manager/artist relationship is one where the artist focuses on music and the manager handles the business side of the house.  For all these reasons the first group gets my respect and continued support.

Group two is the group I will only work with until they prove they belong in group two.  Artists/promoters/bookers/etc all have similar characteristics. Here is the list to watch out for:

-  Egotistical, they have an inflated sense of self.  This means they may have no cd's on the shelf, no exposure outside of a small geographic area, and limited stage or recording experience but still want to charge $200 for a verse or hook because they "deserve it"

-  Not trustworthy, They think everyone else in the business is fake or not real.  They constantly talk negative about people and have no loyalty to anyone but themselves. If someone can't get them money or fame they will do everything in their power to make that person fail.

-  Two Faced, they will say all the right things to your face to make sure you think they are your friend but as soon as you are not around they bad mouth you.

- Self promoting, refusing to work with anyone they feel "isn't in their league" or is "below them"  May have a very limited following but feel the need to price their merch or collabs way to high because they feel it is owed to them.

Now don't get me wrong I feel most artists need a little ego to make sure they produce great music, but too much ego is a bad thing!  Self promotion is also a good thing as long as you don't lose your head.  People in group two will want to be pampered and waited on hand and foot.  They want other people to tell them how great they are and kiss up to them.  They don't think a manager deserves anything if they haven't put money into the artist.  They feel like no other artist is anywhere near their skill level so they will not work or do shows with most of them.  To them the rap world owes them something even if they have done nothing to earn it.  If you are an artist and after working with most people they don't want to work with you again, you might want to rethink what you are doing.  If you gained a fan base that is so faithful they will buy anything you are selling, don't take advantage of them at every turn to make a buck.

I know I am relatively new to the business but I know who I will and will not work with ever again.  My past blog posts have exposed some people from both groups.  I didn't do it to start beef or make anyone fail in the business.  I did it to make other managers/promoters/bookers aware of the people I have come across that they might wanna look out for.  There is a huge movement right now in the underground rap scene that people are taking notice of.  This movement is made up of people like me with similar feelings on how things should be done.  So if you think I am alone in this I can guarantee you I am not.  Things are changing for the better.

That is all I have right now.  If you have any input please feel free to comment!

MMWFL,

Juggalotus


Saturday, September 1, 2012

Huge news!

  This week has been awesome for me and all of my performers.  First off I found out I am getting a new job in Tucson, AZ.  What does this mean for my music ventures?  It simply means that Wicked Butterfly Entertainment is expanding our wings to cover Arizona now too!  So for those AZ Juggalos and Underground artists be ready cause we are coming out there and taking over!!  Second, Black Project will finally be exposed to the world in the form of their debut album, Highly Classified, on 4/20/2013.  This album will be fifteen tracks and contain five tracks with exclusive features.  I can say we will have a collab with none other than that underground hustla Mars.  I confirmed this week we will also have a song featuring a guy who is blowing up thanks to a little EP you might have heard of, Underground Avengers, Bukshot will make an appearance!  There are 3 other artists we are in negotiations with at the moment and until I have confirmation I have to keep those Highly Classified.

  Wicked Butterfly Entertainment is proud to be a few of the featured acts at this years Slaughterfest in Albuquerque, NM on Sept 28 and 29.  Thanks to Bloodshot for making that happen.  I can promise you we are bringing that straight West Texas fire.  I really don't think you all are ready for the flavor we are bringing.  Draztik the Terrible will be representing on day one.  Black Project and Sikone will be holding it down on Day two!  So come check it out if you are in the area, I promise you will not be disappointed.

  Sikone will have his debut album sometime in the near future.  The album will be called Powerfull.  As of right now it is unknown exactly what will come out of the reborn Sikone but I can say he is always unpredictable and never disappoints.

  Draztik the Terrible is slated to release Between Heaven and Hell on Dec 21, 2012.  As of today I cannot say what or who will be on the album but I can say he has been putting in work.  He has been writing, recording, remixing, and doing all he can to make this one of this years hottest releases.

  We have so much flavor coming to your earholes the next 12 months it is unbelievable!  So be on the lookout for all updates here on the blog and on my Twitter and Facebook.

MMFWFL,

  Juggalotus

Saturday, August 25, 2012

ICP Mighty Death Pop Review



Yes it is finally here, my review of ICP's newest release "The Mighty Death Pop!"





 




The Mighty Death Pop Review

Insane Clown Posse

By: Juggalotus


I have the awesome task of reviewing ICP’s newest release, The Mighty Death Pop. Being an old-school Juggalo, I take great pride in giving my most honest assessment of the album and its bonus disks. I’m going to break it down into four parts (one for the main album, and one per each bonus disk), give my impression of each part, and then give each disk a rating. At the end, I’ll give what I think are the top three tracks from each album (not including the black bonus disks).



The main album, The Mighty Death Pop, comprises seventeen tracks and one bonus track of outtakes. Right from the intro, I knew this would not be anything like Bang Pow Boom. While I liked that album, I could tell right away that this one was geared more toward old-school Juggalos. The first six tracks bring back great memories from my intro to ICP back in 2006-2007. The next three are more humorous and intended to lighten the mood. Then we get to my favorite track on the disk, “Hate Her to Death.” This track stands alone as the deepest track on the album, with a very slow but deliberate beat. Next is the only track on the album with guests, called “Screeem!,” featuring Tech Nine and Hopsin. It’s a good track in which all the artists get a chance to shine with their various styles. “Ghetto Rainbows” follows, and I can say that I was VERY apprehensive when it first came on, due to the music alone. As I have listened further, it really works for them, and it’s catchy, although it’s definitely a departure from the norm for ICP. After that, the album becomes somewhat disjointed, however it ends on a very emotional track called “Forever,” which is a fitting culmination to the main album. There is one more track that contains outtakes from the album recording process. All in all, the main album does not disappoint. You can definitely tell that ICP made it with their long-time fans in mind.



MDP Disk Rating: 9/10



The Red Pop set is called Smothered, Covered, and Chunked. It contains ICP’s covers of popular tracks from the past. With collabs on this disk from Fred Durst, Downtown Brown and Lil Wyte, there’s really nothing to complain about. ICP did all of the songs justice, while also making them their own. The remake of the Tears for Fears track, “Shout” is a little weird at first, but it grows on you. Their collab with Fred Durst, “Bitch Betta Have My Money” is dope as hell. The Yo Gabba Gabba track, “Hold Still,” (yes you read that right) is fresh and will make for an interesting concert experience. This disk is fun and has a lot of energy.



SC&C Disk Rating: 8/10



The White Pop set, called Mike E. Clark’s Extra Pop Emporium, is a blend of remixes and outtakes from the main disk. Hands down, my favorite remix is “Chris Benoit.” Ice Cube and Scarface come in with some amazing verses, and the beat Kuma came up with is absolutely killer. My major criticism of this disk is track 3. It’s a remix of “When I’m Clownin, feat. Kreayshawn.” I didn’t know her music prior to this track and I won’t be going out to find any hereafter. Her verse kills one of the better tracks from the main disk, and not in a good way. My other criticism is that the remix of “Ghetto Rainbows, feat. Color Me Badd” should have been the one on the main disk. It sounds so much better than the version that made the album. Mike E. Clark and Kuma do an amazing job of remixing the tracks.



EPP Disk Rating: 8/10



The Black Pop set, titled Freaky Tales, is an hour long sex-rap inspired by Too Short’s song of the same name. The biggest problem with this one is that more than sixty minutes of hearing about J and Shagg’s sexploits was, at least for me, about fifty minutes too long. Too Short kept his track to eight minutes, and that was just about perfect. This disk is ICP going over all the hoes they have been with and the special “features” of each girl. I was able to listen to about 35 minutes of it before it got stale and repetitive. I went to track 2, which was the outtakes, hoping for some good humor, but found none. I feel like this disk should have been left off the release, but others out there might enjoy the novelty.



FT Disk Rating: 2/10



Track listing:

MAIN ALBUM:

1. Intro

2. The Mighty Death Pop

3. Night Of The Chainsaw

4. Chris Benoit

5. The Blasta

6. Kickin’ Kickin’

7. Bazooka Joey

8. Shooting Stars

9. Juggalo Juice

10. Hate Her To Death

11. SKREEEM!! feat. Tech N9ne and Hopsin

12. Ghetto Rainbows

13. When I’m Clownin’

14. Dog Catchers

15. Daises

16. Where’s God?

17. Forever



RED POP (Smother, Covered, and Chunked):

1. Prelude feat. Psychopathic Family

2. Jump Around

3. Shout feat. Blaze Ya Dead Homie

4. Ain’t No Future In Yo Frontin

5. Hold Still feat. Downtown Brown

6. Bitch Betta Have My Money feat. Fred Durst

7. Night Of The Living Baseheads

8. Beautiful (Indestructible)

9. Mind Playin’ Tricks feat. ABK and Lil Wyte

10. State of Shock

11. Love For Dem Gangsters feat. Cold 187um

12. Guess My Religion



WHITE POP (Mike E. Clark’s Extra Pop Emporium):

1. Traveling Circus

2. Chris Benoit (Kuma’s Crub remix feat. Ice Cube and Scarface)

3. When I’m Clownin’ (Kuma’s Clownin’ Remix feat. Kreyshawn)

4. Lost In The Music feat. Swollen Members

5. Up Ya Ass (outtake)

6. Ghetto Rainbows (Soft Ass R-N-B remix feat. Color Me Badd)

7. Birthday Party (outtake)

8. Scrubstutite Teachers feat. Twiztid and Willie D

9. Playin’ In The Woods (outtake)

10. Pass It To The Sky feat. Kottonmouth Kings

11. Shugston Brooks 1959-2004 (outtake)

12. Night Of The Chainsow (Joe Strange remix feat. Three Six Mafia)

13. Forever (Extended Geto Mix feat. The Geto Boys)

BLACK POP (Freaky Tales):

1. Freaky Tales

My Top 3 Tracks:

Main Album

1. Hate Her to Death
2. Night of the Chainsaw
3. Where’s God?

Red Pop bonus disk

1. Bitch Betta Have My Money, feat Fred Durst
2. State of Shock
3. Guess My Religion 


White Pop bonus disk

1. Chris Benoit Remix, feat Ice Cube and Scarface 

2. Birfday Party 
3. Night of the Chainsaw remix, feat Three 6 Mafia



Length:

Main Album- 62:14

Red Pop- 54:00

White Pop- 53:45

Black Pop- 60:15

Record Label:

Psychopathic Records

Release Date:
08/14/2012


There you have it. My own personal opinion of all of the albums included in the release. Take it for what it is.


MMFWFL,

Juggalotus







Saturday, August 18, 2012

Kingz of the street Aug 3, 2012

  I was in attendance at the Kingz of the street show at the 12052 Event Center in Amarillo, TX on Aug 3, 2012.  Why is this review so late you might ask, well I went to the Gathering of the Juggalos and didn't get time to post it prior to leaving!  Anyway the show turnout was much better than the last few shows I have attended, but that was due to it being a different promoter.  The promoter seemed to have done a great job getting people out to the show.

First up on the stage was a new young rapper named Pastor J.  He put on a good stage show even though he was really young.  The set was enjoyable but not memorable. 

Next we had Concrete Connection, otherwise known as Mr. 806 and his crew.  They did their normal set and the crowd really seemed to dig it.  I was indifferent as it was not my genre of choice.  But that being said they always are enjoyable to watch.

The next group I cannot remember their name and honestly cannot remember their performance.  I guess that says all you need to know about it.

Then we got to Ill literate Productions and the Balaholic family.  They had issues with to many people talking on the mic at once.  They tended to walk over each others vocals which made for a disjointed and kinda annoying set.  When they were not talking over each other they did well.

After that we had a little down time before getting to our hosts for the night Worldz Kollide.  Rezerect and his crew absolutely killed it.  They got the crowd hella hype and definitely made the show pop from that point forward.

Second to last in the night was Black Project.  They performed old classics and a few new tracks.  One of the new tracks was called Dig Your Grave and it was dope as hell.  They had some audio problems but overall it was a good show.

The night ended with Sir Johnson and his crew on the stage.  To be honest I had to leave to get home so I missed a majority of their performance.  But knowing Sir Johnson the show ended on a high note.

  Thats it.  For the first show I have attended by this promoter I have to say I am looking forward to working with them again.  The show was dope and I had a really good time.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Friday, August 17, 2012

Update of upcoming events, blogs, etc.

So the past month has been hectic as all heel.  But the bright side for you guys is I have plenty of reviews for you.  The next few months we have a few shows coming up, a CD release in Dec, 2 new CD's by Black Project and Sikone beginning, and an all new Photo shoot for Wicked Butterfly!

Here is what we have coming this week:

1.  My review of the Kingz of the Street show in Amarillo from Aug 3, 2012
2.  My review of the 2012 Gathering of the Juggalos
3.  My review and tryout for Faygoluvers of ICP's new CD The Mighty Death Pop!

So this next week will be hella busy.  But be on the look out for the first review today or tomorrow.  The CD review will be out this week.  And my Gathering review will be up as soon as I can write it!

Wanted you all to know what was coming.

MMFWFL,


Juggalotus

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Night of the Wicked in Amarillo review

  With our hopes high and our energy up Wicked Butterfly Entertainment left Friday morning from Clovis, NM headed for Albuquerque and Night of the Wicked.  Black Project, Draztik and I drove the long 4 hours getting into town around 2 pm or so.  Not being due to the venue until 8 we checked into the hotel and chilled out all afternoon.  It was nice for us all to have time to hit the pool and hot tub and just hang out. It is the first time we as a company have had to do that.  Around 7:45 pm we headed out to The Orchid Chamber for the show.

  When we arrived we met up with Dmize, who was promoting the show.  Got our hand stamps put on and then it was time for things to kick off.  Now this review will be different as I will not be going so in depth with the performances as I have in the past. 

First up was a group called HMSM or Horror Movie Style Musick.  The group was 3 people, 2 guys and 1 girl, and they were all quite young.  This was their second time on stage and it showed.  Their live vocals need a lot of work, understandable due to the limited stage time.  The show mix they had needs to have the levels mastered better.  Overall not to bad for a second show.  But their inexperience showed for sure.

The second group of the night was the Karnie Lunaticz.  For those that heard Psychopathic radios Sugar Slam's Demo Jams they won the bootleg catagory and 2 tickets to the Gathering!  Their show was good.  Great vocals, show mix was done right and their stage presense was very impressive.

Next we had Saint Ekkwall.  I do not remember anything about the set so any review of the performance would be inappropriate on my part.  I do remember during this performance the Albuquerque Police/Fire Dept decided that 10 pm was a great time to perform a fire inspection.  This delayed the show for about 30-40 min.

Native Remedies were next up.  It was a decent set but nothing really stood out as outstanding in my opinion.  Had good energy and did well.

Solo hit the stage next.  The only thing that stood out from this performance was the fact the vocals on the show mix were way too loud and the live vocals were not in time.  This made for a very distracting performance.

Loco Chaos was next.  I do not remember anything about this set either so once again I cannot give an honest review.

Next was Cryogenikstyles.  He had a style and sound similar to Eminem or Underrated.  His set was way more than the 15 min we were alloted.  I don't know if it was technical difficulties or not but the distortion on his mic was way to high.  That coupled with the fact he held the mic to close to his mouth made it really difficult to hear the lyrics he was spitting.  His flow sounded good but the lyrics I could not make out.

Draztik the Terrible was next.  He also was featured on Psychopathic radio's demo jams and he also won 2 tickets in the semi-pro catagory.  He has made it a point in recording that his show mix not have the primary vocals on it, this allows for a 100% honest performance, but can also be very painful if there is any equipment issues.  That being said, during his first track the mic kept cutting out, which had him distracted.  Between the first and second track the DJ turned the volume down and announced to the crowd that who ever brought the wireless mics the batteries were dying.  When the show mix was turned back up it was about halfway into the first verse.  This threw Draztik for a loop and he never really recovered.  With the rest of his set having mic issues the set was lost.  He lost his breath several times and really seemed off his game.

Born Wicked was up next.  Their show mix had the vocals on it still and I feel it saved the set from the same downfall Draztik had.  Kano held his mic almost all the way up to his mouth and his vocals were still very muted coming through the speakers.  Corerupt's mic was not pickeing up his vocals for most of the set but it was saved by having the show mix vocals on it.  Their second to last track was a track called "Bounce".  This song was live as hell.  It had the crowd up on their feet which hadn't really happened all night.  I personally feel that should have been the last track for their set because the one that followed brought the crowd down off that high.  All in all a great set even with the technical difficulties.

Nmaniaks hit the stage next.  This group was 2 guys and a girl as well.  One of the guys looked like he came straight off the set of jersey show (track suit and all), the other had a standard rap look and the girl was in massive heels and a nice tight outfit.  Their set was not impressive.  The girls rap skills need a lot of work.  The 2 guys tried to bring a gangster sound to the stage and to me it seemed forced and fake.  Their flow was ok but their show mix needed a lot of work on levels.

Black Projects performance started very rocky.  They chose to use a wired mic due to the issues the wireless were having.  The volume on one mic was minimal and the other was way to high.  Halfway through their first track they stopped to adjust the levels.  Once both mics were the same volume they restarted their set.  About 3/4 way through their set the levels were jacked up again.  They kept going and just traded the mic that was working back and forth.  This set was a huge step down from the previous shows I have seen.  It was however not due to their abilities but the technical issues they had to deal with.

Shovelo was next.  I did not stay for the whole set because I was in a meeting with my guys.  What I did hear didn't blow me away.

Dmize finished the night.  Unfortunately I was unable to see his set because I was giving a few people from the show a ride home at the venues request.  I was told one of the speakers stopped working during his set and they had to stop and restart his set as well.

I had really high hopes for our first trip into Albuqeurque.  Unfortunately I was really disappointed at all of the technical issues everyone had.  I hope all of us will be invited out again for a future show and hope that the tech issues will have been resolved.  I do feel all 3 groups from the West Texas area did the best they could and definitely represented for their cities!  Much love and respect to all the performers and Dmize.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Thursday, July 26, 2012

We invade tomorrow night!



Yes you heard that right Tomorrow night in Albuquerque, NM the entire Wicked Butterfly crew will be performing at The Orchid Chamber!  This is New Mexico's first chance to see the full lineup all in the same night. I am talking Draztik the Terrible, Black Project Productions, and Sikone!  This show promises to be an event for the ages.

  As I said in my last blog this is not just a music event it is a bridging of the divide.  New Mexico and West Texas have a huge amount of talent to share.  This is a great chance for any underground fan in Albuquerque to check out what we have going on out here.  It is also a great chance for us to make new Homies and see what you all are doing over there.  So come on out and enjoy great music and maybe find some new stuff to jam.

  A special thanks must go out to Dmize for inviting us all out there.  If you don't know who he is click the link and check him out!

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Bridging the divide

  At the beginning of the month I signed Black Project Productions and Sikone to Wicked Butterfly Entertainment as you may know, if not check out my other posts for that news!  Anyway a few days after signing them I got a text from Dmize in Albuquerque, NM about a show he was putting on call Night of the Wicked.  He asked if Draztik the Terrible would perform at the show.  As I was answering I got another text from 806 Outlaw asking if I could get them on the show as well.  So once I asked Dmize he said it was all good and all of the artists I had could come do the show!  How does any of this apply to the title of my blog?  Well it is simple, 806 told me he had been trying to get a show in Albuquerque for about 2 years with no success.  As I asked some questions it became clear there had been issues in the past and very few Texas underground rappers had been welcomed into that city.  The war of words had prevented great music from being shared across borders.  It became a feud the likes of the Hatfield's and McCoy's.  Because of petty egos rappers had been shut out of certain markets.  So the title Bridging the divide means just that.  This show on Friday night will be all of our opportunity to leave petty differences aside and enjoy a night of music together.

  I do not care what kind of "beef" someone might have with another performer.  We should all be professionals and adhere to a thing called professional courtesy.  That means we can all be on the same show and not have to hang out or anything.  We can all perform, get some love, and then go our separate ways.  I am asking every artist on the ticket to please treat this night as a celebration of all of our accomplishments, because if we plan to make moves and put the SW on the map we all need to support one another professionally!  I can tell you as the manager of all the artists on Wicked Butterfly we are coming there to blow the roof off the place.  We will make a mark with our performances and nothing else.  We will not be there to start any problems and hope you all will do the same.  We don't have to like each other to co-exist. 

  As I have told my guys Success is the best revenge.  That simply means talk is cheap and if you succeed your enemies can't say anything.  I know we can make this show live as hell.  I know each and every artist on there puts on a show.  I know we can make it a fun night with zero issues.  This is our chance to make people see we are not all wanna be thugs and criminals.

Let's all do the right thing this weekend.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus


Friday, July 20, 2012

Who is Sikone?

 
  Sikone aka Mickey Mangles has officially signed with Wicked Butterfly Entertainment!  Yes that is two major announcements in two days!  First Black Project Productions and now Sikone.  I have been asked on several occasions who is Sikone?  My answer is always the same; I am still trying to figure it out!

  Known by his trademark Joker style tattoos and verbal skills, Sikone quickly made a name for himself in the West Texas rap community.  In 2005 Sikone started off writing songs for his guitar.  In 2008, the Lubbock, TX legend himself, S.I.N  went out of his way to find Sikone.  He had heard from several different people Sikone could produce bad-ass freestyles in both Spanish & English.  So after listening to several of these freestyles, he asked if Sikone would do a feature for his album.  That combination hit the radio & the streets pretty damn hard.  After that S.I.N. helped Sikone put out his first mix tape "Back from the Dead Again" in 2009.  In 2010 S.I.N.’s Brother Mr. Phil came to Lubbock, TX from Austin, TX & began producing the duo.  This was the beginning of the group Tierrosos.  They dropped their first album the same year but have produced nothing since then.  Sikone was tired of being idle in music and ended up working with a group called The Jokaz in 2011. He signed with them under the alias Mickey Mangles.  The group made the decision to change their name from The Jokaz to S.M.K (Sik Made Killas). To this day it is still unclear how everyone ended up in the group.  S.M.K. really made a name for themselves in both Texas and New Mexico and will be heading out on the National Blackout tour this summer.  In July 2012 Sikone aka Mickey Mangles signed onto Wicked Butterfly Entertainment for his management needs.  Once he returns from the Blackout tour his current Sikone persona will be laid to rest.  In late 2012 we will see the reemergence of Sikone with Wicked Butterfly Entertainment and total devastation is sure to ensue.  You can be sure of one thing and one thing only; there is nothing but world domination on the horizon!

   The next year is going to be huge for Sikone, Black Project Productions, and Draztik.  Look for releases by all 3 in the next 12 months.  Also be on the lookout because these guys will be hitting the road in West Texas/New Mexico.  The next performance you can catch the entire Wicked Butterfly Crew at is "Night of the Wicked" in Albuquerque, NM on July 27, 2012.  Come by the Orchid chamber and check them out!

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus