Stir Crazy

MC Eiht
One of the original "gangsta" rap artists from the West Coast, MC Eiht helped make the city of Compton, located near Los Angeles, a well-known center for rap and hip-hop culture. Fellow Compton rapper Ice Cube called the gangsta genre "reality rap" for the style's descriptions of brutal street life, urban alienation, autobiographical rage, and action-movie fantasies. After Ice Cube and his group N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude) brought Compton street life to mainstream America, Eiht followed suit with his act, Comptons Most Wanted (CMW). He recorded three albums as Comptons Most Wanted, then earned top billing for his subsequent four records. We Come Strapped marked Eiht's major breakthrough. The 1994 album went gold album, selling about 621,000 copies in all. Moreover, the record entered the Billboard R&B album chart at number one, holding the spot for five weeks, and the pop album chart at number five. After the release of two not so well-received albums, Eiht signed with a new label, Hoo Bangin', and returned with Section 8, redeeming his reputation as a rap star.

In addition to recording as Comptons Most Wanted and MC Eiht, the rap artist has appeared on several best-selling movie soundtracks, including Boyz N The Hood, Menace II Society, Tales From The Hood, New Jersey Drive, and The Show. Lending his face to the silver screen as well, Eiht played a cameo role in John Singleton's Academy Award-nominated Boyz N The Hood and played the part of A-Wax in the critically-acclaimed Hughes Brothers film Menace II Society. For the role, Eiht received an award at the First Annual Source Magazine Awards for best acting performance in a film or for television.

MC Eiht, born Aaron Tyler in 1970 to hardworking parents, watched his mother and father separate at an early age. After the breakup, Eiht's father left the family and moved to Oklahoma, while his mother settled in Compton, California, near Los Angeles. Spending most of his childhood in the low-income neighborhoods of Compton, Eiht first attended a Catholic school before being expelled. As a result of the expulsion, Eiht was forced to go to school within the Compton public school system, considered one of the worst school districts in the state. In fact, the California state legislature later ended up taking over the district in 1996 to try and make improvements.

Like many urban rap artists, Eiht first experienced street life by joining a gang and dealing drugs in his teens, although he admitted that he never excelled as a criminal. "I wanted to be on the streets so much that I started gangbanging and selling crack just because everybody else was doing it," remembered Eiht, as quoted by Solomon Moore in a feature for Blaze magazine. "If you was from the hood, that's what you did." But after siring a son and not selling enough crack to feed his baby, Eiht came to the realization that he needed to find a new direction in life. "I was gettin' high one night... and the shit just came to me. I started rappin'. It was just like a wake-up call."

Around this time, a group called N.W.A. had just succeeded in taking the gangsta genre, or reality rap, to the mainstream. Also formed in Compton, N.W.A. included several rap artists who later achieved success as solo acts, namely Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, the late Eazy-E, and MC Ren. These rap stars would put their city and their West Coast sound on the map, sell millions of records, and raise political and social concerns over the gangsta genre's use of rhymes that describe violence, misogyny, and sociopathic behavior.

Taking cue from N.W.A, Eiht formed a rap group with some of his neighborhood pals, including Unknown DJ, DJ Mike T, DJ Slip, and the Chill MC, called Comptons Most Wanted. They made their initial mark in 1989 with the release of two singles: "Rhymes Too Funky" and "This is Compton." For their first album in 1990, It's a Compton Thang!, only three of the original members participated, one of which was Eiht. Though not an especially hardcore rap album, the record gave the group some street credibility with the track "One Time Gaffled Em Up," and the single "Growin' Up in the Hood" captured the hopeless desperation of street life and was commissioned for the movie Boyz N The Hood. Eiht also made a cameo appearance in the film.

Comptons Most Wanted released Straight Checkn 'Em the following year. This time around, DJ Slip and Unknown DJ joined Eiht on the album (Chill MC went to serve jail time half way through the recording process). On the largely overlooked gangsta classic, Eiht began to find his cool yet deadly voice on tracks such as "Compton's Lynchin" and "Def Wish," the rap that started a supposed rivalry between Eiht and another Compton rap artist named DJ Quik. As years passed, the tension eventually subsided. "The whole DJ Quick situation is some he said/she said shit, strictly negative," Eiht explained to John Rhodes in a 1999 interview for the Launch: Discover New Music website. "I'm at the point in my career where I'm just trying to stack some chips, maintain my hustle, and just kick it. I stay away from all the drama." The group released Music to Driveby in 1992, which, in truth, lacked the provocative nature implied by the album's title. In some of the songs, Eiht lacked the lyrical quality of the group's previous release. For example, he led an attack on women in "Hoodrat" and made an unconvincing attempt with the blues-styled track "Niggaz Strugglin." Nonetheless, Eiht proved his skill at storytelling with "Hood Took Me Under," a song that continued the hopelessness of "Growin' Up in the Hood."

Eiht received his first major break in 1993 when played the role of A-Wax in the acclaimed Hughes Brothers film Menace II Society. For the platinum-selling movie soundtrack, Eiht contributed a stunning single entitled "Streiht Up Menace." Both the role and the song strengthened his profile. In April of 1994, Eiht received the award in the category of best acting performance at the First Annual Source Magazine Awards. Until this point, Eiht had only earned an underground following for his eerie-sounding rhythmic style and undaunted tales of street realism.

Like his heightened public image, Eiht's music improved as well. He received top billing for the next album, We Come Strapped, released in 1994. As Comptons Most Wanted was reduced to a duo consisting of Eiht and DJ Slip, the record was released under the name MC Eiht Featuring CMW. Eiht's greatest success until that time, the gold album that sold about 621,000 copies entered the Billboard R&B album chart at number one, holding the spot for five weeks, and the pop album chart at number five. "People said Jay-Z was the first rapper to hold the number one spot for five weeks, but it's not true," Eiht said to Moore, setting the record straight. "I held the spot for five weeks back in 1994, back when Boyz II Men was on the charts.... So Jay-Z's the second rapper."

Critics attributed much of We Come Strapped's success to the fact that both Eiht and DJ Slip took a dramatic new direction in style to create a record that sounded unique from their past efforts. DJ Slip, for one, experimented with more spacious, largely sample-free music dominated by synthesizers and a loud bass, while Eiht slowed his delivery and increased his lyrical dramatics. The most noted tracks included "Take 2 With Me," "Compton Cyco," and "All for the Money." With We Come Strapped, the duo "achieved a nearly cinematic scope, an apex of reality in music," concluded the Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. But despite the album's achievements, Eiht claimed that his label, Epic Street, offered him little support. Although he believed that We Come Strapped could go platinum, Epic stopped promoting the album early and shuffled Eiht off to the recording studio. The label offered him a $1.125 million contract for four additional albums, as well as two releases he owed Epic under his prior contract. After slashing his budget in half, Epic's attorneys started calling Eiht to persuade him to sign the deal. Eiht finally obliged, although with hesitation. "As far as sales and royalties, they [Epic] made sure that I didn't get a dime. So basically, I just started giving them mediocre shit," he told Moore.

Consequently, Eiht claimed that he never intended for his next two albums to reach the level of We Come Strapped and simply set out to fulfill his obligation to Epic. Although 1996's Death Threatz yielded some noteworthy tracks, such as the potent and hostile "Run 4 Your Life" and the toned down "Late Nite Hype Part 2," a seductive expression of violence, the album and its 1997 follow-up, Last Man Standing, failed to impress rap enthusiasts. Eiht himself confessed that overall, the songs on those two albums seemed mediocre as compared to his previous hit record. "The lyrics were boring, the beats plodding, the inspiration lacking," wrote Moore in agreement.

Desperate to find another record company, around 1998 Eiht signed with Time Warner. However, the United States legislature and the news media had just come down hard on gangsta rap, and Eiht's new label wanted the rap artist to tone down his lyrics and take a new direction with his music. But Eiht would have no part of such a suggestion. "MC Eiht's direction is the street. Period," the committed rapper told Moore. "That's like trying to tell Cube how to make records. You can't tell no vet how to make a record! We know how to make records for the fans who buy our music." As a result, Eiht never released a record for Time Warner, and the label eventually cut ties with the rap artist. "As everybody knows, Atlantic/Time Warner can't put out gangsta shit. They let Ice-T go; they let the who Death Row deal go. If they ain't gonna put out Tupac, they sure ain't gonna put me out."

Left without record company backing, Eiht spent the year making appearances on other artist's albums from Cypress Hill, an interracial rap trio from a Latin Los Angeles neighborhood, to New York R&B/hip-hop artist Pete Rock's Soul Survivor album. Then, after declining an offer to sign with No Limit Records, home to rapper Snoop Dog, Eiht accepted a record deal with Mack 10 and his new Hoo Bangin' label. As Mack 10 told Moore, "We had this new label ... and I thought I needed somebody who's been around but who still got legs. Eiht ain't no rookie. You can't just tell 'em anything."

With Hoo Bangin' and a restored sense of creative freedom, Eiht returned in 1999 with Section 8, considered his strongest work since We Come Strapped. For the effort, Eiht assembled a cast of well-known producers and rap artists to contribute, including Mack 10, Ice Cube, members of Comptons Most Wanted, Ant Banks, Young Tree, and Binky Mac. "This album provides the same style as always, but much tighter delivery and tracks," Eiht told Rhodes. "I wanted to give everybody nationwide something to feel. Hooking up with Mack 10 was a blessing. He understood my vision from the start, and we just clicked." Also providing insight into Eiht's personal experiences growing up on the streets of Compton, the album boasted such performances as "Living N' tha Streetz," "My Life," and "Days of '89."

by Laura Hightower
MC Eiht's Career

Moved to Compton, CA; formed Comptons Most Wanted, c. 1989; released first album, It's a Compton Thang!, 1990; released hit album We Come Strapped, 1994; signed with Hoo Bangin' label c. 1998; released Section 8, 1999.
Famous Works

* Selected discography
* with Comptons Most Wanted
* It's a Compton Thang! , Orpheus, 1990.
* Straight Checkn 'Em , Orpheus/Epic, 1991.
* Music to Driveby , Orpheus/Epic, 1992.
* with MC Eiht Featuring CMW
* We Come Strapped , Epic Street, 1994.
* Death Threatz , Epic Street, 1996.
* Last Man Standing , Epic Street, 1997.
* Section 8 , Hoo Bangin', 1999.
* Compilations
* Menace II Society , (soundtrack), Jive Records, 1993.
* Tales From The Hood , (soundtrack), 40 Acres And A Mule, 1995.
* New Jersey Drive Vol. 1 , (soundtrack), Tommy Boy, 1995.
* Rhyme & Reason , Priority Records, 1997.
* Master P Presents: West Coast Bad Boyz II , No Limit Records, 1997.
* N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton 10th Anniversary Tribute , Priority Records
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Bizzy Bone
Bryon McCane ll (born September 12, 1976), better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone is an American rapper and is a member of the Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. His name within the group was originally 'Layzie Bone' (A name which is now held by Steven Howse) but it was changed due to him always being 'Bizzy' writing down lyrics.

Early life

Bryon Anthony McCane II was born to an African American and Italian/Jewish mother on September 12, 1976. At a young age he witnessed his mother endure abusive relationships while she divorced and remarried several times.

Bryon at the age of 5

(Image provided by Beulah Smith).

This file is a candidate for speedy deletion. It may be deleted after seven days from the date of nomination.

In 1981, at the age of five, Bizzy was abducted by his ex-stepfather along with his little sister and brother. He lived in many homes, apartments, cars and motels and was unaware at first that he had been abducted. He was told that his mother and grandmother had died. He was eventually told this was false and was instructed not to tell anyone about his abduction. He was also physically and sexually abused.

In 1983, his final abduction home was in a town in Oklahoma. A neighbor saw his photo at the end of the made-for-TV movie, Adam and called the police, resulting in his return to his family.

From left to right: Krayzie, Layzie, Flesh, Bizzy, and Wish

Despite this, his childhood remained difficult. His mother had married another man, and Bizzy's new step-father physically abused him to the point of bruises and scabs. Eventually, his mother divorced and put him and his sister in a foster home until she could get her life back together. Beulah Smith took care of the orphaned Bizzy Bone and gave him his first Christmas presents.

In 1989 when he was thirteen, Bizzy was taken out of foster care and moved with his sister to Cleveland, Ohio. During this period he resorted to selling drugs in order to support his family. This came to an end when he met Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone and Layzie Bone, who all lived on the same street. He later appeared on the FOX series America's Most Wanted in 2002,(Hosted by John Walsh, Adam's Father) where he revealed his abusive childhood and molestation. Bizzy Bone also wrote and performed a song on the show entitled A.M.W. in which he thanks Walsh and encourages abused children to come forward. This song has yet to be officially released.

Solo career

Still from the Music video Thugz Cry (Bizzy's first single off of his debut album).

Bizzy Bone started his solo career in 1998. He is best known for his style, combining rapid fire raps and double - sometimes triple - harmony choruses.

His debut, Heaven'z Movie made it obvious that on his own he felt free to explore his psyche and to go to eccentric places. The critically acclaimed album received a positive reception from Bone Thug fans and made it to #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Bizzy established his own record label christened the 7th Sign Regime. When asked why he chose the moniker he stated the 7th sign is when there are no more souls in the cup of the Lord and "I believe we are the last soldiers...Armageddon is at hand and we are living in the rapture as we speak..."

Bizzy Bone became an underground artist and began releasing albums with little or no marketing. The Gift, released on April 7, 2001, peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Independent Albums chart.

In 2002 at a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony performance in New York City, Bizzy was noticeably drunk and walked off-stage halfway through the show. He was let go from the group that night, but Bizzy claimed he had been a solo artist for years and only a guest in the group. He also began giving more interviews around this time, frequently speaking about the 7th Sign Regime.

In 2004 Alpha and Omega was released and fans responded positively to the album, influencing Bizzy to produce his own underground limited-edition album, The Beginning and the End.

The same year he voluntarily became homeless. He began walking from his hometown of Cleveland throughout the state of Ohio for a little over half a year, giving away virtually all of what little money he had left and living in bus stations.

On May 2, 2005, Bizzy Bone made news when he displayed unusual behavior during an appearance on Houston's KPFT radio show, "Damage Control". When asked about it in an MTV interview a few months later he said, "Everybody thought I went crazy, they were questioning my motives and what was going on." He also stated he felt he was being antagonized during the interview and went into defense mode. He later admitted to having a drinking problem that he was working on, and that his family had attempted to have him committed to an asylum. Showing no signs of slowing down, Speaking in Tongues appeared that year along with two mail order-only releases?For the Fans, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and a reunion album with Bone member Layzie Bone titled Bone Brothers. Bizzy's refusal to tour in support of Bone Brothers found him out of favor with the group once again, and the full Bone reunion that had been talked about fell apart.

2006 - present

2006 proved even busier with the albums Thugs Revenge, The Story, and The Midwest Cowboy. Bizzy converted from Christianity to Islam, then back to Christianity only a couple of years later. Continually writing and recording, he released eleven solo albums from 2006 to 2009.

On January 5, 2009, While returning to his room at the Universal Hilton, Bizzy was confronted by several people who beat and choked him before stealing his jewelry, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Currently he is in studio reuniting once again with his fellow bone brethren on the upcoming album The World's Enemy. They released a video for their remix of Jay-Z's Death of Autotune on their YouTube page August 31. He is also working on a solo album which has yet to be titled, scheduled for release in 2010.
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Tech N9ne
Realizing one's own power can be a life-altering experience. Just ask Tech N9ne. After almost 10 years in the business, the heralded Kansas Citylyrical sniper, who has recorded with everyone from 2Pac to Eminem, recognized the impact his music had on fans while touring to support "Anghellic," his critically acclaimed 2001 album.

This realization led Tech N9ne to call his new and most mind-blowing collection to date "Absolute Power". "I found out that I had 'Absolute Power' when I was doing shows for 'Anghellic,'" Tech N9ne explains. "'Absolute Power' is being able to move a sea of people through your words, your beats, your heart. When I would perform 'This Ring,' everybody would light lighters. That's 'Absolute Power.' That's why I'm on the cover of 'Absolute Power' with me and a gang of people behind me partying. It's 'Absolute Power' to be able to move those motherfuckers and give them that energy and they give it right back to you."

This high-powered back-and-forth exchange exists on every astonishing "Absolute Power" track. Thanks to Tech N9ne's otherworldly rap skills -- which include a variety of flows and subject matter that transcends rap clichés -- and progressive production from a bevy of talented beatsmiths, Tech's new collection stands as one of the most powerful rap albums ever unleashed.

Lead single "Slacker" will have listeners in a frenzy thanks to Tech's witty lyrical gymnastics and the elegant track from up-and-coming beatsmith Femi Ojetunde. "Slacker" will have legions of fans saluting in approval to Tech's tale of anti-establishment sentiment.

The cut's futuristic video gives Tech N9ne fans a glimpse into his diabolical mind. As the Slacker infecting the youth of America, Tech is attacked at his home base by a SWAT team. The results are, simply put, explosive.

The same can be said for the adrenaline raising "Imma Tell." Showcasing his diverse delivery patterns, Tech N9ne raps in a conversational flow and shifts gears mid-verse to his signature machine-gun like delivery with dynamic effect. "Imma Tell" represents Tech's mind spray to the fullest.

"That song right there is the one. That's my baby because it's a true Tech N9ne flow, where you can tell I'm schizophrenic," he gushes. "It's got the slow flow and then the other personality comes in, switching back and forth like I'm fighting with myself. 'Imma Tell' is going to let people know that we've got our own style in Kansas City."

Part of Tech N9ne's style includes masking his true subject matter until the end of a song. On the devilishly clever "Worst Enemy," listeners will be caught off guard when Tech reveals the identity of his "Worst Enemy" at the conclusion of the selection.

The cut shows that Tech's skills remain as sharp as ever. "I wanted to show my fans that I still had the skill to do something to make you think I'm talking about something and then bring it together to where you're like, 'Whoa, I've got to listen to it again,'" he explains. "It's showing off my brain and that I can do it again. I do songs to make you think."

While "Worst Enemy" wins because of its clever conclusion, "Slither" takes a more shocking twist. Based on some of Tech's real-life experiences at Kansas City strip clubs, the wild cut takes a demonic turn for the worst.

"It sounds so real but then at the end, it turns into some 'From Dusk Till Dawn' shit because the dancers turn out to be bloodsucking vampires" he says. "It's theatrical. The beat told me what to do. My Berlin cat Ronnz sent it to me on MP3 and I heard that belly-dancing flute and it made me think of Salma Hayek when she was doing the belly-dance shit for Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney on 'From Dusk Till Dawn.'"

Unfortunately, the vampires inhabiting Tech N9ne's world aren't limited to fantasy. Throughout his distinguished career, Tech has been the victim of a number of false starts, empty promises and fraudulent recording contracts. Tech's frustration comes to a head on the bombastic "The Industry Is Punks," as his rapid-fire raps attack those who have done him wrong over a thumping horn section.

"When I first did 'The Industry Is Punks,' my boys out in LA were like, 'You sure you want to put that as the first song on your album?'" Tech recalls. "I was like, 'You're damn right.' I felt it so why would I hide it?

I know I'm on some other shit and I'm glad it took this long because now I got my shit up and I know exactly who I am and exactly how I want my shit to sound. I said 'The Industry Is Punks' because everybody wants to keep their mouth shut and don't want to say nothing about somebody that did them wrong. This is life and if somebody did something to you, speak up."

"Keep On Keeping On" and "Yada, Yada, Yada" also address some of the pain Tech endured as some of his friends double-crossed him during his struggle to become a nationally recognized artist.

Like a true warrior, Tech overcame all of those troubles. In an unusual move, Tech N9ne's "Absolute Power" includes a bonus CD/DVD with six extra songs and other bonus features, all for the price of a regularly priced album.

"It's a way I can give my fans all my shit," Tech explains of the bonus CD/DVD. "They can get it for the same price as one CD. They get a DVD with live footage, interviews and six extra songs that are all hits, too."

TechN9ne first became fascinated with rap in 1985. In the intervening years, Tech N9ne has had a love-hate relationship with the music business. He's recorded with such legends as 2Pac, Eminem and Roger Troutman among others, all of whom have been impressed by his dazzling lyrical skills and supreme storytelling abilities. His work has also been featured on the critically acclaimed soundtracks for "Gang Related" and "Thicker Than Water."

Now, as co-owner of Strange Music, which is releasing "Absolute Power," Tech N9ne is ready to seize a nation of rap fans primed for his advanced lyricism and mind-blowing production.

With "Absolute Power," Tech N9ne will reach the legions of fans who know of this lyrical legend but who have yet to connect with him as an artist. "My thought is, if I can get into everybody's hearts and souls," he says, "then my journey is over."
Talk about "Absolute Power."
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ICP
Insane Clown Posse: this horror core shock rock band may be more infamous than famous, more reviled than renowned, but they have made quite a mark on music history, and on the lives of the 1,000,000+ fans (Juggalos) who follow their music and their message. Where some see an underworld of bizarre painted faces jumping to a twisted mesh of rock and soda, others see one of the longest running records in Billboard Top 200 history, a full length motion picture, Big Money Hustlas, the second highest grossing wrestling organization in the U.S., Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (JCW), a career in the WWF, WCW, and ECW, and Psychopathic Records, the self-owned record label behind it all.

Perhaps one of the boldest and most successful moves made by Insane Clown Posse was the creation in 2000 of what has now become an annual tradition: The Gathering of the Juggalos. This three-day convention, drawing over 10,000 attendees from the 50 states and overseas, is a mix of concerts, games, contests, auctions, seminars, autograph signings, and everything and anything related to Insane Clown Posse and Psychopathic Records. The Gathering has made a huge impact in every city it has come to, bringing in several million dollars in revenue to the cities it visits. This move is unique in the music industry, and is a shining example of Psychopathic Records' ability to both pioneer and succeed through direct, focused effort.

Insane Clown Posse is without a doubt one of the most successful "behind-the- scenes" bands of all time. Their fame was won without massive radio play, so it is all too easy to discount the band; however their seven certifications (two platinum, five gold) speak for themselves. Their immense popularity lays just beneath the mainstream, yet is all the more substantial and long lasting.

The story of how Insane Clown Posse reached this level of cult celebrity over the last ten years is as detailed as it is amazing. Later in this booklet is a brief history of the five previous Joker's Cards albums to set the stage for the era of sixth and final Joker's Card, beginning November 5th, 2002, when The Wraith: Shangri-La hits stores.

November 5th, 2002, will spark the most important era in Insane Clown Posse history. The release of the sixth and final Joker's Card album, The Wraith: Shangri- La, could not be more anticipated by fans worldwide. Whether followers of the music and message from day one, or introduced to it during The Great Milenko era, all eyes and ears have been waiting for this album for quite some time.

The Wraith: Shangri-La will shock the mainstream to its foundations, going far further than anything Insane Clown Posse ever previously imagined. It is a breakthrough album that not only appeals to Juggalos, but contains messages for the entire world as well. Supported by a highly trained mobile fleet of nationwide promotional teams already on the move, The Wraith will be Insane Clown Posse's most successful album of all time. ICP's biggest tour ever, set to blaze a trail across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Japan starting early in 2003, will catapult this album over everything that has gone before.

Psychopathic Records has weathered many storms and overcome nearly every obstacle imaginable on its mission to promote Insane Clown Posse, and is poised to push even harder to make the sixth and final Joker's Card album everything it was always meant and imagined to be. Insane Clown Posse themselves have made major changes in preparation for the new era. For the first time in their careers they have changed their style of face paint. Now, instead of black and white in fixed pattern, colors change within a black outline to match the mood, hair, and clothing of the duo. More changes will mark this chaotic and volatile era as it unfolds.

More important than appearances, though, is the dedication and attention to quality the sixth and final Joker's Card has received. It is an awesome record from a musical standpoint alone. That combined with its good, positive message is The Wraith: Shangri-La's greatest selling point.

Before the first Joker's Card album, Insane Clown Posse (Joseph Bruce, AKA Violent J, and Joseph Utsler, AKA Shaggy 2 Dope) were two thirds of an up and coming southwest Detroit hard core gangster rap trio called Inner City Posse (ICP). Their 1991 self-produced release, Dog Beats, quickly gained recognition in the world of Detroit underground music, with its funk influence and raw lyrics.

Still heavily involved with gang activities, these were turbulent times for the group. Between explosive gang-related conflicts and stints in county jail, ICP was looking for direction in their music. The turning point happened in 1991, when according to band front man, Joseph Bruce, he had a surreal dream about the "Dark Carnival" and six unique messages in the form of albums.

Inspired upon waking, Joe gave Insane Clown Posse its name, and a new and purposeful direction. Band members totally latched onto this, quickly developing their wicked clown alter egos. They began painting their faces like clowns, in a trademark style that would remain unchanged until 2002, with the release of the sixth and final Joker's Card album. Insane Clown Posse then immediately started work on their first full-length album and Joker's Card, Carnival of Carnage.