Who are the Internet Psychos?

  I have seen a growing and stupiud trend in the underground, mostly Juggalo, fan base lately.  That is to post surveys like "If you were on a psycho killing spree what song would you be playing?" or "Do you prefer knife, hatchet, or gun?"  Here is my take on any and every single person who posts or answers these surveys, if confronted with the possibility of actually killing someone a vast majority (98+ %) would not have the guts to do it.  I am sick and tired of these people thinking you have to act or claim to be a psycho killer because you listen to our music!  If you listen to the music and dig it, that is great.  But if you honestly think any of the lyrics that ICP, Twiztid, etc have in a song is actually anything they have ever done you are a complete moron!  Their music is entertainment.  Nothing more and nothing less.

 For me the music is a way to release certain emotions that I have no other outlet for.  It helps me battle anger and depression.  It has helped me through so much and these kinds of displays do nothing but devalue the music and what it helps people through.  It also helps the outside world to say "See they are all degenerates."  That is why when we have shows and Gatherings the cops are always there and in some cases shut it down.  In life peoples first impression can make or break what they think of an entire group of people.  Why would we as a fringe group want to further push that negative image?

  ICP and Psychopathic have done a lot recently to help change that perception.  With toy drives and other charity events they are showing us what we need to do to help fix the FBI and gang label problem.  Why is it that they get mocked and made fun of for doing it?  People say they are getting soft or bitching out, I disagree.  They couldn't be any better an example for the fans to follow.  There is nothing wrong with being a socially responsible person in society.  People will never look at our fan base any differently unless we give them something different to look at. 

  Don't get me wrong there are a ton of groups in local communities that are doing good work and trying to make positive changes.  But if you go on Facebook and browse through Juggalo groups you will find a large population of these "Internet Psychos" and that is what some people see first.  I personally try very hard to change peoples ideas when I am in public.  I don't flip off cops and yell fuck the police.  I wear the hatchet proud while acting like a productive citizen.  You know how many times I have been harassed or arrested for wearing the clothes or chain?  Not once.  The cops have so many other things to be concerned with that what someone is wearing or listening to on their iPod makes no difference.  If you do the things I said then you more than likely will get hassled.  If you draw attention to yourself no matter what you have on you will be harassed, period.

  When it comes down to it the fact is we are the ones making us look bad.  We are the ones continuing to make people think negative of us.  We are the ones who can ultimately change these things.  As a united group we need to do the right things, act like productive citizens, and try our best to improve our communities.  Until we do those things all anyone will see is a bunch of "Internet Psychos."


MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Juggalo Family?

So this is my first post of 2014.  The reason behind this is simple, I have been busy working music reviews over at Faygoluvers!  I have tried to post at least one per week and for the most part have done well with it.  Now lets get to the crux of this post and why now is the time for it to get posted, Juggalo family.

For those who don't know I was introduced to ICP back in 1997 shortly after Milenko was pulled from the shelves.  I knew from the first track I heard that I was a Juggalo.  It wasnt something I learned, became, took a test for, or any of that.  When I heard the songs I knew I had been a Juggalo all along.  I felt a sense of belonging.  I found a group of people just like me.  We don't fit in with other people.  We are outcasts.  We don't apologize for who we are.  When I would go to shows I would feel like I was home.  Everyone treated everyone else with respect.  Regardless of our social class or background, if you had any merch on, or anything.  We didn't need a list of rules.  We didn't call ourselves gang bangers.  We didn't cause havoc, tag shit, or destroy property.  We managed to go to shows and have a blast without cops harassing us.  We could hold a Gathering every year without worry of people dying, FBI showing up, or someone getting robbed.  Well things have changed greatly in the past 17 years.

I am a member of quite a few groups on Facebook that contain "old school" and "Kid" Juggalos.  More and more I am seeing a division in our group.  Things are popping up like the 13 Juggalo Commandments, Juggalo code, etc.  A lot of people think unless you know these by heart and follow them religiously you are not a Juggalo and thus not Family.  This is complete crap.  There is also a group of people that believe we are in a gang because of songs like Gang Related and groups like Psychopathic Rydas.  These people also miss the point.  The music we listen to is ENTERTAINMENT!  Nothing more, nothing less.  The Psychopathic Rydas are a group that rips off other rappers beats and puts their own lyrics on them.  Once again, entertainment. 

For the longest time I was not willing to call out these new school family.  I was hoping they would fade away when the novelty of being a "Juggalo" wore off.  Unfortunately that is not happening.  There are people out there that think old school los and lettes have a mandatory requirement to train the new school on how to be a Juggalo.  This also is crap.  No one ever told me how to be a Juggalo.  I never had to learn rules and follow trends.  When I heard the music I knew I had been a Juggalo all along.  For anyone who has called someone a Juggahoe for not knowing all the lyrics to every song, not wearing all the merch, or not paining up for the shows let me clarify something.  You are the one who is wrong.  Being a Juggalo isn't about all of that.  It is about knowing no matter where you go there will be people looking out for you.  When you go to a show you don't have to worry about being robbed, beaten, or killed.  We have a sense of right and wrong and we always look out for each other. 

Family is Family, period.  No matter how "down" someone is or isn't if they support the movement they are family in my book. 

We need to stop the in fighting.  The world hates us enough without us making it worse.  When we go to the Gathering we should not destroy everything we touch.  We should take care of the site, each other, and the towns that welcome us (Because they are getting fewer every year).  We saw this years Gathering have to be moved after it was announced because the community didn't want "Gang members" in their town.  The same town that welcomes Hells Angels every year didn't want Juggalos.  Let that sink in.  The Hells Angels.  A murderous biker gang.  Notorious for murder, rape, and many other things is more welcome than us.  Why is that?  Simple, they respect other people and try to make positive changes in communities that welcome them in.  Why can't we be the same way?  One reason, the new school has embraced the gang tag, cause problems, and make no effort to improve anything. 

Instead of us against the world and us against us we should embrace positivity.  Make positive changes.  Make an effort to change our community and help them understand we are just fans of a certain type of music.  Nothing more.  We need to stop destroying shit.  Stop saying Fuck the police every time you see a cop roll by.  Stop trying to make a statement.  Once we embrace the positive we will see positive in return.  In the most recent interview on Faygoluvers with ICP Joe Bruce said "When Twiztid left that was the end of the family era."  I couldn't agree more. 

I do expect a ton of hate for this post and I welcome any discussion you want to throw at me.  I love the Juggalo Family.  I want my kids and grand kids to bump the wicked shit if they choose.  I want to see Gatherings happening when I am an old man.  I do think without change we will become a dying breed.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Peeling off the masks in the Underground

I don't think this blog will come as a surprise to most that frequent here. But in recent months, ever since Twiztid left Psychopathic Records, there have been numerous reports, interviews, emails, and lawsuits that are exposing a side of the label I think most of us didn't want to ever see. The side of the label that is focused on money, lust, and mob style tactics.

A report was released last week of a lawsuit from a former "in-house" legal Counsel/publicist claiming that many employees within Psychopathic Records engaged in prolonged sexual harassment, intimidation, and creating a hostile work environment. Having read the lawsuit here are the highlights:

1. She was consistently called a bitch by everyone around her including Billy.

2. She was consistently subject to unwanted sexual advances from Dirty Dan and others.

3. Sugar Slam created a hostile work environment due to her jealousy toward the woman suing them.

4. Dirty Dan gave a glass dildo upon finding out she had recently separated from her boyfriend.

5. She was asked to cover up wage issues being investigated by the US Labor board.

6. She was asked to act unethically in a legal capacity to cover up many things within the organization.

Now those are the major issues in the lawsuit. It is 17 pages long and filled with a ton of fluff such as "I was always being flirted with" type comments. But looking at those six issues I can say if they are true there is a serious issue within the label. Yet another sign things are sliding downhill quicker than anyone in Psychopathic wants to admit. Then a few days later it came out that many vendors from this year’s Gathering either hadn’t been paid or the checks they were given would not clear the bank. The total of those debts is around $300,000. Are we really seeing that Psychopathic is broke? Maybe or maybe not but either way it doesn't look good at this point.

So I log in today and see yet another story about the business dealings in the label in the form of two anonymous emails sent to testdummy22 from someone he says is in the inner circle of the label and a very reliable source. Those 2 emails state:

ANONYMOUS MESSAGE SENT TO: TestDummy 22 from ?????, (A EMPLOYEE AT PSYCHOPATHIC RECORDS, AND A VERY RELIABLE SORCE) TESTDUMMY 22 *Some of this e-mail was cut out to protect the identity of sender* I gotta be honest man, I'm deeply disapp...ointed in this company. I had hooked up with Mike Clark down in Detroit at the fowling warehouse. We had a long conversation that night about Psychopathic and at one point Mike was almost in tears telling me about how he believed they were brothers (Him,Joe and Joey) and when it came down to it Joe tossed their friendship in the trash and chose to steal millions of dollars from him. The money he was referring to was from the first 5 cards and associated Eps that he was was tricked into signing away all his publishing on. Fucking devastating right? What if you made millions and someone stole it from you? How would you feel? I was fucking floored that they would do that to him but it doesn't surprise me because its the music business and he was naive to the workings of the music business. They fucked Mike HARD and it hurt him, he's still bitter today make no mistake. The only reason he does shit with them anymore is because he has to make money and he loves the juggalos. At the GOTJ last year and he was literally sobbing because the potential for what this movement could have been in the hands of people who cared could have been massive. Mikes just going through the motions now, his heart is not with ICP anymore. Mike isn't a problem, he's fine the way he is, its everyone else thats the problem. I mean, Joe doesn't exactly pick Mikes best stuff and at the end of the day EVERYTHING you hear out of Psychopathic is a product of Joe Bruce is some way shape or form. Mike still makes great shit, but Joe don't know how to pick it and in my opinion he actually picks some of the worst beats I have ever heard regardless of who the producer is.

And:

ANONYMOUS MESSAGE SENT TO: TestDummy 22 from ?????, (A EMPLOYEE AT PSYCHOPATHIC RECORDS, AND A VERY RELIABLE SORCE) TESTDUMMY 22 Here's the reality of Psychopathic. It's not a business, its a hustle. ... I noticed Kuma is not really talked about in the juggalo community, First of all Kuma is Joe's bitch, I don't know if you know that or not? Kuma wears all hats at psychopathic and basically fails at all of them. When I first met Kuma I thought he was a super cool genuine dude and he had me believing that for the majority of my time at psychopathic,but as time went on and I started to question his abilities is when I started seeing a drastic change in his attitude towards me. Kuma is the source of all things generic at Psychopathic. He's the reason everything comes out like watered down cheap rip offs, he's the reason the informercials suck, he's responsible for the worst videos in ICP history and thats why Joe is using outside directors and producers now, i'm not just being a dick i'm being honest, Kuma is the source of suck but they refuse to fire him because he's loyal and he rides that dick HARD. Ok, so, Eric Heiden is the only special effects guy at psychopathic and he calls Kuma out on not being able to his job in front of Billy and Rob. Billy and Rob decide instead of firing Kuma they will remove him from the video department, fire me and stick him in the lotus pod. I honestly feel deep sorrow for the fans at this point because the future of this label is pretty much completely abandoned. It obvious they don't give a fuck and honestly Big Hoodoo is just a way for Joe to make himself feel better about Twiztid leaving the label, thats all. I wouldn't be surprised if he only lasted one or two records tops. You said it yourself, when were juggalos most happy? That was when ICP, Twiztid,Lotus,Blaze were rocking out. That will never happen again bro, it's over.

Now with that out there let me just say if the first email is true, which wouldn't surprise me, I am truly disappointed they would do Mike Clark like that. I do feel that Mike Clark supports the fans and has nothing but love for the movement. I also think that we are seeing that Violent J and Billy have a firm grip on everything and everyone under Psychopathic, they have given into greed and arrogance, and they have become everything they claim to despise in the business.

I think things like this point to more and more reasons why Twiztid walked away.  Although they are unable to say anything about their release publically I would not be surprised if once the timeframe of that silence is over we see the final pieces fall from the masks J and Billy have worn for so long.

I have long said that Alex leaving changed the entire dynamic of the label. It went from a movement that meant something to a gross exploitation of a dedicated and rabid fan base. I am going to get hate mail for this post and I expect it. Don't misunderstand me, I support ICP and all other artists on the label but I do not support the business tactics that Billy and Joe have instituted to make millions. I respect what they built, what they have done independently, and the movement they started. But having done business with certain members within the label I can attest that the mob tactics are used to get things out of people. Threats are made to ensure they make money even if they do nothing to earn or deserve that money. They will threaten not only the person they have the dispute with but also their wives, husbands, and children to get paid. The reason the FBI began to investigate them was extortion, wage payment issues, and illegal activities similar to street gangs. As long as they and their fans continue to act like thugs we will never shake this stigma.

I am saddened by the state of the record label. I am even more saddened by the fact Joe has become everything he hated. I sincerely hope He and Billy realize this is the wrong path to be on and can save what all of us have come to love. If not I know Twiztid, Strange, Mad Insanity and Subnoize are poised to take over the underground and make us proud.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

2013 Gathering of the Juggalos thoughts

So the Gathering of the Juggalos went back “Underground” this year.  The event has been going on since Wed Aug 7 as people started lining up to get into the grounds.  Well on Monday Aug 5 there were several people who overdosed and had to be taken to the hospital; mind you this was before anyone was allowed to be there except the crew setting everything up!  Having gone to the event last year I saw more drugs available than anywhere else I have ever been.  This should have been a sign of things to come.  The apparent drug causing the problems is a designer drug called 25I.  The street name for the drug is N-Bomb, Smiles, and 25I.  It is similar to LSD in its effect on people. 

News breaks Friday that someone was found dead in their tent of apparent overdose.  The cause was initially reported as 25I but has also been reported as a Heroin overdose.  No matter what the cause this is absolutely horrible news.  Why you ask?  Well it is simple, the public at large is finding any way possible to label us delinquents and shut the Gathering down.  Drugs have expanded way out of control and last year I saw people who were obviously “professional” dealers who were only there to make money off dumb ass Juggalos who did not even remember their experience at the Gathering because they were wasted the entire time.  Drugs are out of control at this event.  Why is this important to me?  I GIVE A CRAP that’s why!  People need to go out there and enjoy themselves but this is getting ridiculous.  We have now lost Family because of this problem.  I suggest we as Family get this under control.  This is our Mecca (as Violent J said today). 

Now the other huge news everyone was waiting for was promised by Violent J to be “The biggest news we have ever released in our career!” and we were promised this life changing news at the seminar today.  Let’s briefly go over what they released at the seminar:

·         Juggalos at the Gathering are the most elite Juggalos on the planet!

·         ICP considers the Gathering the mecca of Juggalo-ism

• He gives us the epitome of news in the Juggalo world
• Psychopathic is resuming the Mighty Death Pop tour right after J’s knee surgery
• Tour will include Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Florida, Texas; Last show of the tour will be Hallowicked
• November dates for the tour in Australia
• ICP theater has 8 episodes (3 of which have aired so far).  If ratings are good, they will get 25 more episodes for season 2!
• They are starting the 3rd Joker’s card of the new deck after Hallowicked!
• Planning of the 3rd card will be more precise
• It will be available on CD!  The rumor that it would only be on digital is “straight bullshit”
• He said the difference between a physical copy of the album and a digital copy is like the difference between porn and a real neden!
• They are bringing back Psychopathic Radio after the Gathering!
• Shaggy is off probation (finally!) so they will be touring in Canada!
• On Juggalo day, they will be performing the Great Milenko in its entirety! It will be available on iPPV, and may not be in Detroit!  More Joker’s cards shows are in the works!
• Violent JJ made 3 beats (beatboxing) and they will release it on the Internet
• 6th Joker’s card box set is ready to go!
• Violent J confirmed that Blaze ya Dead Homie did officially leave
• Psychopathic isn’t trying to replace anyone who left, just trying to leave a legacy of great artists!
• They want to do more concept music like Wizard of the Hood or solo albums like Shaggy’s Fuck the Fuck Off
• They said that Twiztid told Psychopathic they were leaving via text message
• They then announced that Axe Murder Boyz and Boondox  are officially back on the label!
• Everyone was handed a ticket before the seminar started, without knowing what it was about.  They then started talking about the  Chronicles of the Dark Carnival series that was filmed for SyFy years ago.
• They said that the end product they got back had a “little twinge of suck”.  Jumpsteady said it was SO BAD that it came full circle and ended up being entertaining again!
• They said it would ONLY be available for Juggalos who were in attendance at this year’s Gathering!

Now with that in mind what could possibly have been the huge earth shattering news? 

ICP is touring Australia? 

AMB and Boondox have resigned with Psychopathic?

Blaze leaving the label?

Are any of those the Biggest news ever?   NO.  So I take this list of news as just that, news.  ICP once again pulled the wool over Juggalos eyes to sell tickets and get people in the door.  As I have discussed before ICP is all about the bottom line.  They don’t care about the Family any more.  They knew the lineup this year, while great underground acts were on the set list, was not enough to sell enough tickets.  So J tells us all they are going to drop devastating, huge, Juggalo world changing news.  And we get nothing.  Then we are told there is a mystery seminar after ICP that I think everyone including me thought would be Twiztid.  Nope Twiztid and Blaze bounced and the seminar became AMB and Boondox.  Don’t get me wrong Boondox dropping some good news that I am pumped about but really why not give Twiztid a seminar? 

How many times are we going to see the fan base abused by this label and do nothing about it.  When Twiztid left I didn’t want to “take sides” and I still support the music Psychopathic, Twiztid and Blaze put out there.  I think J and Shaggy need to seriously look at what has happened.  Alex left and it has been a steady decline into money and ego. 

People will read this and some will agree while others disagree.  I will take heat for saying these things but I know people out there who view it the same way (testdummy22 and I see eye to eye on a lot) and that is ok.  I have opinions and so does everyone else.  The one thing about me that never changes (whether it is CD reviews, Event reviews, my blog and opinions, or anything else I do) is that I am honest and will say what I believe to be the truth. 

I still rep the hatchet and will always support the underground movement.  This years Gathering has shown me that the Mecca for the Family is on life support.  Attendance was down, we had a death, and we saw a glimmer of hope that things were ok with the ending of the Lotus set (which quickly went away when J told the family Twiztid left via text. That was a low blow if you ask me), and the police getting a “financial” advance from the “organizers” (Psychopathic) which let them buy new equipment for the force.

I love my Family and hate to feel like this whole movement has been shifted in the wrong direction.  I hope things will change and we will see Juggalos return and rebuild what has been lost.  I hate to say I feel that movement is now with Twiztid but that is how I see it. 

Let’s hear your opinions people, I welcome everyone’s thoughts!

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

14th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos

So the 14th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos tickets went on sale today.  In looking at the costs several things came to mind.  Holy crap that is expensive and what is going to draw the Family this years.  So let's take my reaction to each individually.  I will give my experience from last years gathering in my analysis.

Here is the info directly from the most recent Hatchet Herald:

Running from February 1st until March 1st, when you purchase your Ticket from juggalogathering.com for $175 you will receive a free exclusive Gathering of the Juggalos t-shirt! That freshness can actually be seen in the picture above. This t-shirt combo will only run in the first month for the early bird ticket buyers. If you wait until after March 1st to get your ticket it will still be $175 but no t-shirt freshness. A ticket to The Gathering of the Juggalos will get you free parking in the parking lot outside of the grounds and access into The Hatchet Landings. This includes all the shows, all the concerts, all the madness, and free camping!

This was my personal experience last year with this package.  We got into the parking lot fairly quickly.  Then we realized we had to pack all our gear into Hatchet Landings, with out a cart of some kind this took us about 9 trips and a ton of lifting and hauling.  Had we known this we might have put out the $$ for a car pass.

Next is the car pass option.  Here is what it includes besides the ticket and entry:
Car Passes are available for $100. While there is free parking for everyone at The Gathering of the Juggalos outside of the grounds, if you would like to bring your vehicle into The Hatchet Landings then you will need to purchase a Car Pass.
      As a side note, once your vehicle is parked at your campsite that is where it has to stay. For the safety of your fellow ‘Los and ‘Lettes you CAN’T drive around the grounds of The Juggalo Gathering unless it is an emergency situation. This is simply so you can have the convenience of having your car at your campsite and camp out in it if you want.

So with this option and an extra $100 you get the pleasure of not hauling your gear by foot and having more security for you things (a few people got caught stealing last year).  I think $100 is excessive though.

Then we get to those who want to bring in RV's:

If you’re looking to bring in something bigger than a vehicle, an RV or a trailer, then the RV Pass for $150 is for you. It gives you the same sort of access as a Car Pass, but for a larger class vehicle. Same as before, when you park your RV or trailer at your campsite, that’s where it has to stay until you’re ready to pack up and leave The Gathering.

So $50 more on top of the car pass for a larger space.  I saw a lot of RV's getting tagged and damaged.  Nothing extra with it.

Finally they offer Big Ballas campsites:

Finally, for everyone who wants the top dog experience at The Gathering of the Juggalos we suggest the Big Ballas Campsites. The Big Ballas Campsites are a designated area for you to camp that will include an electrical outlet and a water source for your convenience. A Big Ballas Campsite will run you $400. These spaces are limited and there hasn’t been a year of the Gathering when they haven’t sold out quick as shit. So, we suggest if you’re even remotely interested with goin’ in on this site with your homies that you pool your cheddar and get to gettin’ before they’re gone.

This is the most expensive and really only adds water and electric to your rv spot.  So for $400 you get an RV slot with utilities.  Thats it.  Last year many of the Ballas sites had a ton of issues with the utilities and I would say this option is not worth the money for that reason alone.  All of the last three options do not include your ticket so that makes the total cost this:

Camping no car: $175 and a lot of footwork
Car Camping: $275
RV Camping: $325
Big Ballas: $575

Now keep in mind that none of these include the gas and food money.  You are welcome to cook at your campsite but last year if you sold food to fam at a discount so they would'nt have to pay the $7-9 for a plate you were told to stop or be kicked out of the Gathering.  The vendors at the Gathering know this and charge way to much for food, ie a slice of pizza $5.  Then we get to the merch tent.  The first day the lines are insane but the deals are pretty good.  Then after that it is back to the same as buying on Hatchetgear minus shipping.  So at least they didn't raise prices there.

Now on to my second reaction, what is going to draw the Family to the event.  All the years we have had seminars from ICP, Twiztid, Blaze, ABK, etc.  This year will Twiztid be allowed that courtesy?  Perfromances have always had Twiztid headline a night.  Will they get that this year?  Will they even be at the Gathering?  I would say yes to being there but I don't know to anything else.  I guess as the lineup is announced we will see what Psychopathic will pull out of their hat. 

Please don't misunderstand, I went last year and had an absolutely kick ass time.  It was an experience I will never forget.  But that being said, Psychopathic has gotten greedy and forgotten what brought them to the dance, The Family.  In the beginning the Gathering was our yearly release and while it cost a little bit it didn't put us in debt.  I can't tell you how many Los and Lettes I saw on the way out last year with signs asking for rides to all over the US because they had spent their last dollar just to get there.  More and more people snuck in last year than ever before.  Why?  Simple most of us do not have $600-1000 to blow on the Gathering.  I hate that Psychopathic has become this way.  I love the music and principals we stand for but hate seeing the exploitation of the fans.  Twiztid left and has since stood up and reclaimed the Family.  All of their shows still have the magic.  They preach the principals I stand for.

Anyway that is my take on the big announcement today.

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

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

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

2012 Hatchet Attacks in Farmington, NM

  So this weekend was the 4^th annual Hatchet Attacks show.  It came to Farmington, NM this year and I was lucky enough to not only be in attendance with my son for his first show but was able to take part in the setup of the show itself.  So for those that follow my blog here is everything that I saw happen at the show!

  We left our home in Clovis, NM and started our 8 hour drive across the state to Farmington, NM on Thursday.  We got in about 2 am and along the way we found plenty of Family headed to the show as well.  Friday morning we got up and went to the venue about 12 to start working with the road crew setting up everything in the venue.  When we got there the venue was completely empty.  Throughout the day we move a ton of equipment including the stage, sound and light equipment, wrestling ring, Faygo,  etc.  I worked about 13 hours that day and at the end of the day I was completely exhausted.  But the stage was setup, the lighting was done, and most of the cables were in place.  The next day we arrived at about 10 am and went to work putting the finishing touches on everything.  Throughout the day we encountered many of our favs from Psychopathic including Billy and DJ Clay.  I can say from that experience that DJ Clay is a cool dude.  He was down to earth and didn’t avoid talking to any of us.  We had a little break and then 3 pm rolled around and the doors officially opened.  There ended up being about 6800 Juggalos and Juggalettes in the crowd so the show was the largest I have ever been a part of.

  At 4 pm JCW took center stage.  There were 5 matches in total.  Here is how it broke down:

- Ryda Red, Ryda Blue and Zack Gowen defeated The Freak Squad (Dom, GQ & Joey) via pin
- The Weedman defeated Officer Colt Cabana via pin
- The Necro Butcher defeated Shawn Daivari via pin
- J.W.O. (Kevin Nash & Sean Waltman w/Scott Hall) defeated The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) via pin
- 2 Tuff Tony defeated Kongo Kong via pin to become the new JCW Heavyweight Champion

All of the matches were hype and they put on a great show.  Congrats to 2 Tuff Tony for being the new JCW Champion!

  After that the ring was removed and the show was about to begin.  DJ Clay was on the tables and hosting the show.  First up was Cold 187.  This was my first time to see him or hear his flavor of music.  He put it down for West Coast Gansta rap.  Since I grew up listening to that genre of the music I had a ton of respect for that guy.  He had a section of his show which was a memorial to all of the fallen West Coast rappers in the game.  He started with a cover of Boyz in the Hood by Eazy-E and ended with a combination of Tupac and Nate Dogg.  It was completely West Coast and I absolutely loved it.  After his set DJ Clay gave him a shout out and asked the Juggalos to give him another round of applause to which they booed him, which I thought was pretty shitty considering it was something new and it seemed like most really didn’t give it a chance.

  Next up was Anybody Killa.  His set was hella long and covered everything from his catalog of music.  He killed it as usual and left Juggalos seething for more.  Then came Blaze Ya dead Homie.  He brought that Detroit Gansta shit to New Mexico like never before.  He did all the favorites from Crypt Keeper to Dub Sack.  Toward the end of his set he did a track I had never heard before and can only assume is a new track from him.  It was good and was all about what he would do for a forty.  Then it was time for one of the favorites, Twiztid!  When they came out Madrox was sporting a blond Mohawk and Mono had the many tiny braids.  This should come as no surprise to anyone but they killed it!  They performed most of the favorites we have all come to know and love.  They didn’t do any new material but the energy they had on stage was unmatched all night.

  Finally it was time for the clowns, ICP!  The stage was set and the family was ready to explode.  They hit the stage with Mike E. Clark and blew the roof off of the venue.  Faygo was flying and the dirt floor slowly became a nasty mix of dirt, cow shit, and faygo.  They performed everything from Assassins to the dating game.  Then we all got a taste of the forthcoming Mighty Death Pop.  The track was really hype and I am looking forward to the album which is going to be released on 8-14-2012 at the Gathering of the Juggalos.  In the end Faygo Armageddon hit Farmington and my son was finally indoctrinated into the family.  We were front and center and I can say we both left totally soaked and sticky, and of course I wouldn’t want it any other way. 

  All in all the trip was worth the time and effort.  I got to take part in a ton of stuff most of us never get to see.  If you missed it this year I would suggest you don’t next year.  It was one of the best shows I have been to.  DJ Clay gets my respect for being the host and DJ for the entire 8 hours of music and mayhem.  To all of the fam that was in attendance it should stand as a testament to the family love.  I saw a lot of old school Juggalos there and the vibe made me remember why I love being a part of this family.  There were only 22 arrests mostly for being drunk and disorderly and fighting.  I saw juggalos picking up fallen los in the pit and making sure no one was injured there. 

  This blog is known as Juggalo support because we as a community need to support one another.  In a previous post I covered why I love being a Juggalo.  In some downer news one of our own was on his way home and got jumped by 14 young “juggalos”.  I think this kind of crap needs to stop.  The movement is about family love.  The longer I have been a part of it the more I see young Juggalos acting stupid.  Now not all of the new generation is like that but there has been a large number who have given new los and lettes a real bad name.  Let’s stop family in fighting and start showing the love again.  And for any young new gen Juggalos that were at the show remember that is what it is all about.

MMFWCL,

  Juggalotus

9 days left!!

What up family!!  We are only 9 days away from complete devistation hitting Lubbock, Tx.  Thats right I said it.  9 days til T.O.N.E-Z and Mars roll through and leave the family in awe of what they just witnessed.  So for those people who have yet to check out my other posts about the show here is the lineup top to bottom:

S.K.S.C.C. killas Doddy B and J Trilla
Worldz Kollide Records
Black Project Productions
Mickey Mangles
Draztik the Terrible
The DRP
T.O.N.E-Z
Mars



I can say if that lineup does not get you out to the show check your pulse man cause you are probably dead.  This show is going to be killer!  Tickets are still available online at http://tickets.frontgatetickets.com/choose.php?a=1&lid=66275&eid=75103

For those ninjas and ninjettes without the option to buy online there are now tickets available at Ralphs Records in Lubbock!  They are located here:  3322 82nd Street Lubbock, TX 79423

If you still can't find em and know any of the openers they all should have a hard copy in their hands for you to pick up as well!!  So there you go 3 different ways for the family to make it out and support local underground artists and see 2 of the undergrounds greatest all in the same night.

Did I forget to mention my girl Special K will be hosting a contest to find the hottest girl in the club?  If you think that is you buy a ticket, come to the show, sign up, and hit the stage!  It's that easy.  A $15 investment and if you win a prize of $100!  It is that easy.

Jakes has a full bar so getting lit will not be a problem. 

So lets see what we got going on Hot music, Family love, Hot girls, Alcohol, and cheap tickets!  This is going to be hot I can garuntee a good time.  Oh and I forgot to mention if you get the VIP tickets you will get to do a meet and greet with T.O.N.E-Z the day of the show and he is bringing free stuff for you all!  Those tickets cost a little more, $25, but they are definitely worth it.  Oh and he is bringing his big Homie Ian from Faygoluvers!

I got nothing but love for the Family always!  Let's make Lubbock feel the love and unity and make this show hype as hell for all the musicians, they definitely deserve it!

MMFWFL,

Juggalotus

Kung Fu Vampire Interview

Ok so the Bay Area Vampire himself Kung Fu Vampire took time to sit downand answer a few questions for the family.  Without further delay here is what he had to say:

Juggalotus:  For the new fan of your music, can you give us a quick breakdown of your career and where it all started?
KFV:  7th grade I was watching two kids rappin’ on the school yard, 1 white 1 black and they had a huge crowd around them flocking and jocking.  Me being a total music fan Hip Hop and metal I would watch. Bu the 2nd time I crowded around that circle I was thinking to myself “these guys suck, I could rap better than them and I don’t rap” So i started rapping and making beats. But prior to that my hip hop 101 began at 5 years old when I use to break-dance, I was damn good and won a contest at 7 years old at the Weinershnitzel across from the ghetto ass apartments we lived in.

Juggs:  What musical influences made Kung Fu Vampire who he is today?
KFV:  The Doors, Metallica, Kurtis Blow, Talking Heads, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Scarface

Juggs:  What music would we be surprised to find on your Ipod?
KFV:  One of my all time favorites, Steely Dan, but my whole theme in life is to expect the unexpected with me, so there is a bunch of stuff on my ipod that would leave your face sideways.

Juggs:  Do you think your music has a positive influence on your fan base?
KFV:  YES: as an outlet for anger and releasing toxins at a concert by sweating in the mosh pit. No: for the fact that I’m no Positive Influence musically. That being said i think it is obvious that we are classy and take pride in family and friends. People are wonderful, i am a humanitarian and a conversation with me after a performance should leave you in good spirits.

Juggs:  Of all the artists in the underground scene who do you think would best translate into a more mainstream fan base?
KFV:  I don’t know if anybody has really come from the underground and made it to mainstream, I know its talked about often but i never see it. Some people get known faster cuz they sound like something familiar that they have heard before. When your sound is cutting edge people don’t identify with you as an artist as quickly so the rise to popularity takes longer, making someone truly underground.

Juggs:  Can we expect to see you hitting the stage at the Gathering in the future?
KFV:  I played the Gathering the last two years and it was better the 2nd time. If they ask me to do it for a third, i will be there.

Juggs:  It is common knowledge that Twiztid loves comic books, are there any favorite comics or guilty pleasures we should know about you?
KFV:  Not a comic reading fan but i like writing graphic novels and short stories. I have had a Kung Fu Vampire comic book on the back-burner for years now.

Juggs:  What artists either main stream or not would you like to work with in the future?
KFV:  I really don’t care anymore about doing songs with people. If anything I wanna work with some of the Funk Legends that are still alive. I’d like to work with Prince as well as maybe Metallica and of course the remaining members of the Doors.

Juggs:  A lot of rappers started in battles. Did you participate in any rap battles growing up?
KFV:  Never Battle rapped, back when I was coming up in the rap scene it was about Freestyle contests, basically showing your skills but now directed at a rapper but just really good lyrics and getting the crowd to love you. I use to kill those left and right for a short period of time but I am mainly an artist who likes to make music to vibe out to for decades to come.

Juggs:  Do you have any superstitions?KFV:  I feel like the world will treat you how you treat the world.  That’s about it. Treat people with respect and fairness.

Juggs:  What advice would you give someone trying to break into the horror core/underground rap genre?
KFV:  The obvious advice would be to not try to break into that scene, just do you and if it’s wicked enough the fans will come to you. Stop trying to imitate ICP, it’s pathetic.  Make up your own shit.

Juggs:  By embracing the Juggalo community your open yourself up for haters. Have you had any experience with that since working with Juggalos?
KFV:  More love than anything, I don’t like Haters but we need them to create balance, I don’t think constant praise is healthy for artists. I get occasional haters that don’t understand my style or unique presentation.

Juggs:  What are your feelings on Juggalos being added to the F.B.I.’s gang list?
KFV:  It’s seriously bad and the FBI is a joke for even doing this. They are really out to lunch on this one.

Juggs:  How did you get hooked up with Twiztid for the Slaughterhouse tour?
KFV:  Monoxide from Twiztid liked my video and music and asked someone to get a hold of me to bring me on the tour.

Juggs:  What can we expect from KFV in 2012?
KFV:  New album, possibly two albums. Huge tours and to expect the un-expected.

Juggs:  Any final thoughts for the Family?
KFV: Stick together, for most of us family and people like us is all you have. Support what I do if you feel it, i represent you and the struggle. I have been making and releasing music for 20 years and just now getting praise, it takes a life time. Stay true to your dreams and slow down on the Faygo, its bad for you, and as a Vampire, I wanna see you Live so we can be friends forever.

Respect,
Kung Fu Vampire


Once again much love going out to KFV for taking time out his busy schedule to hook us up.  It gave us a nice glimpse into his world. 


MMFWCL,
  Juggalotus

2012 Year of the Family

So Juggalo/Juggalettes we made it another year!  Sorry I fell off the map but life got in the way.  So what do we have to look forward to this year?  Here is my list of things I am looking forward to this year:

1.  The Dark Knight Rises!  I have been looking forward to this since it was announced.  Enough said.
2.  The Mighty Death Pop.  Newest ICP album should be out this year.
3.  The Gathering of the Juggalos.  Every year we look forward to it.  Now with the IPPV I can actually see the performances without being there.  That is one of the best additions Psychopathic gave us last year.  One of these years I will make my trip to the Juggalo Mecca.
4.  New Psychopathic Radio.  Wathced the first Twiztid show and it was off the chain. Can't wait to see what is new there this year.  Oh also our friends over at Faygoluvers got a segment on the show as well, much proprs to Scottie and all of the faygoluvers crew.
5.  New music!  Hopefully we get new Twiztid, Blaze, ICP, Boondox, Cold 187 and ABK. Love new music from all of psychopathic.
6.  Psychopathic Psyphers.  3 have been released and the speculation is there will be 10 and an album.  Love the idea behind these and can't wait to see how it turns out.
7.  The latest additionsto Psychopathic Records are Vanilla Ice and the West Coast sensation Cold 187 AKA Big Hutch, formerly of Above The Law! He is being marked as The Psychopathic Assassin!  Can't wait to see where he fits in.
8.  Joe Strange.  Formally Eminem's producer is now a full member of the Psychopathic Family.  We will see what doors it opens for collabs we might not expect.

    Now I am looking forward to the 22nd of this month first and fore most because I and 5 other los and lettes will be hitting up Lubbock, TX to see the Low down and Dirty tour with Boondox!  I would love to sit down with him and catch a quick interview to post here but I am not sure that would even be possible.  If I can figure out how I will definitely post it here.  I plan to update this blog on at least a weekly basis to keep you all up to date or just give shout outs as needed.

   Gotta give a few shout outs right now to Scottie D and Ian over at Faygoluvers hit your site daily and look forward to seeing if we can do some stuff together this year,  Draztik the Terrible Keep moving player and you will find the right studio to record from,  and all the Juggalos and Juggalettes keep your head up and don't let anyone influence how you handle your business.  We might be the outcast or whatever but it is us who can change the image and perceptions everyone else has of our family. 

  I wish you all a wondeful 2012 and look forward to expanding this blog and hopefully being a go to source for local west Texas/New Mexico underground artists.

MMFWCL,
  Juggalotus

Me and my little Juggalo!