Insane Clown Posse

The Insane Clown Posse (ICP) are a two-piece horrorcore rap group from Detroit, consisting of Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler). They almost

The Insane Clown Posse (ICP) are a two-piece horrorcore rap group from Detroit, consisting of Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler). They almost always professionally display themselves in full black and white "evil clown" makeup that could be compared to the corpse paint of black metal musicians or the makeup of the rock group KISS. Violent J's makeup is usually drawn as a smiling face, while Shaggy's is an angry face. The group is also well known for antics such as dousing the audience with Faygo–brand soda at its shows and setting fires on stage.

The first incarnation of the group was 1988 as The JJ Boys, a trio that Violent J, Shaggy, and John Utsler (a.k.a. John Kickjazz) had formed while still in their early teens. This later became "Inner City Posse", and consisted of three members: J, Shaggy, and John Kickjazz (Shaggy's brother) (who performed on Inner City Posse albums Bassment Cuts and Dog Beats). Kickjazz left the group before Carnival of Carnage was released. J and Shaggy still wanted ICP to be a trio, and so brought in a local rapper called Greez-E, who appeared on Beverly Kills 50187. He subsequently left as well, and ICP have been a duo ever since, forming Psychopathic Records with manager Alex Abbiss in 1991.