THIS IS SAD
Insane Clown Posse thrives amid sagging music industry Amid a crummy Michigan economy and a crumbling music industry, the success of Insane Clown Posse stands out.
Last month,
"Bang Pow Boom," the Detroit-based group's latest album of horror-show rap with a wink, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The CD has led to a multi-state tour, by ICP, which is Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the wicked clowns
Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, including a concert Wednesday in Rochester.
But music is just part of the group's entertainment empire that pulls in up to $10 million annually.
Under its reign are wrestling exhibitions, an annual 20,000-person festival called the Gathering, comic books, DVDs, a second feature film, "Big Money Rustlas," due in January, and a twice-weekly Web radio show.
The pair also discovered the power of branded collectibles early on, when a 1994 comic book drawn by Shaggy quickly sold out. It pointed the way to an ICP future where non-music merchandise would get star billing.
"We weren't trying to be brilliant businessmen. We were just trying to come up with things that were cool," Violent J said.
"Because the first thing to understand about ICP is that we're fans of the band ourselves. We can step out of it and look at it that way."
ICP has carried a dicey reputation since emerging nationally in the mid-1990s: Snubbed by critics, reviled by social conservatives, mocked by the rock and rap establishments -- the duo has relied on the grassroots energy of its fans. That energy is helping fuel the band's future plans.
"We're not done. We've got a lot more to say," Violent J said. "We have a new goal in our career:
We want to be an arena band. If we work hard enough, if we get the right breaks, I think this thing could become even more incredible."
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