What Is A Juggalo?03:17 Feb 23 2011
Times Read: 593
By Kaycee Nilson
May 7, 2005
There is a sub-culture in our world thanks to a musical group called Insane Clown Posse, or ICP, as they are more commonly known. Along with ICP, there are other groups called Twizted, Dark Lotus, Esham, Jump Steady, Blazed, Psychopathic Rydas and ABK. All these groups are signed Psychopathic Records, a record company out of Detroit, Michigan.
Their music is misunderstood by some adults, and to a lot of adults, the music is nothing more than loud noise punctuated with obscenities. But unlike other adults, I’ve taken the time to truly listen to each of the artists in the Psychopathic line-up and I have to say that the best album I have heard is “The Great Milenko” by ICP. In fact, this has to be one of my favorite albums in this genre.
There is a song on “The Great Milenko” that really caught my attention and I listened and listened to it until I understood what it was about. The song is “Under The Moon.” It’s about a girl who got raped and her boyfriend who killed the guy that did it. The girl promised to wait for him, but as his prison term went on, she didn’t visit, didn’t call, and didn’t write to him. This left the young man to think that his girlfriend moved on with her life, found a new man, got married and probably forgot why her boyfriend went to jail in the first place. The pain of the boyfriend is evident as the song goes on and rightfully so. He went through something traumatic for her and all of a sudden she had left him cold.
This sub-culture of fans of ICP call themselves Juggalos and Juggalettes. Many of them feel pain and neglect from their parents and they feel that the only family they have is each other. They range in age from pre-teen to young adult, and have problems ranging from abuse, divorce, and mental illness to flat out neglect. By banding together, they feel that this is the only way they can have something that is semi-normal in their lives.
Most cannot talk to their own parents and find it cool when they find out that I am “Down with the Clown.” They also have found it easy to open up to me and talk to me about everything from what color they are about to color their hair to problems with boy/girl friends. Many pf them have taken to calling me “Mom” and I find it a great honor that they have taken me into their confidence.
To have something musical that you can use to relate not only to your own teenager, but to other teenagers as well, is something that cannot be explained. It starts with music and it expands into a more personal relationship. Even when my teenager isn’t home, her friends will call and ask me for advice. To me, that is better then the Chips-A-Hoy cookies with extra chips, or the Oreos with the chocolate cream centers.
To be able to relate to this group of teenagers, and to be taken in as a juggalette is one of the greatest honors anyone can be bestowed with. But heaven help you if you don’t know “The Hatchetman.”
I just got off the phone with one of my daughter’s friends, and it wasn’t about problems. We had a conversation about NASCAR and cars in general. He was surprised that someone who was a mother and a female would be able to talk about posi-traction. It really shocked him, and probably bonded us together more than just music, clothes, and jewelry.
It was a pleasant change to have a conversation with someone that knew as much as I do about automobiles and my favorite sport, NASCAR. I think that he had as much fun as I did talking to someone about subjects other than music, even though both of us were “Down with the Clown.” He likes “Hell’s Pit,” The latest “Joker’s Card”, or album from ICP. But for me, that album left something to be desired.
That’s the great thing about Juggalos and Juggalettes. You don’t have to like the same album, or the same song. But respect each other’s views on each of the “Joker’s Cards” is what it’s all about. Respect for the music, and respect for each other. That’s what binds this sub-culture together. And whether you like the music or not, that’s what life should be about; Respect.
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About the author: Kaycee Nilson has completed her first novel, "Night Falls on Chicago." The first two chapters can be viewed at http://www.KayceeNilson.com.
Besides writing columns for Useless-Knowledge, Kaycee is currently working on two more novels, "From the Mind of a Vampire", and "I'll Love You Til You Die."
If you have enjoyed what you read, or would like to leave Kaycee a message, please visit her message board at http://www.KayceeNilson.com/Board
Email: Kaycee@kayceenilson.com
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