Dark Carnival

Christian metaphor designed by ICP's handlers as an excuse to justify their stupidity to parental watchdog groups that would otherwise ban their music and put a halt to their careers.

Well, in reality, the "Dark Carnival" can refer to several things (besides what you came here to read about, which I will get to). "Dark Carnival" is a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury, published in 1947. "Dark Carnival" is also a novel written by Keith Ferrario, a band headed by Niagara and Ron Asheton, a song by Vanessa Carlton from the 2003 video game Spy Hunter 2, a Deathlands novel, and finally, the setting of a concept album series by Insane Clown Posse.

So what is the Dark Carnival, as presented by ICP? A warped, nonsensical, sellout off-shoot of the Christian religion. Violent-J claims that he was "visited" by the Dark Carnival back in 1992, which in turn led to the 6 Joker Card albums. Each album would contain secret hints and "messages" from the Dark Carnival, with the 6th revealing the secret of what the Carnival really is. The joker's cards were littered with what seemed to be unique stories of people getting "judged" after death, with the "Dark Carnival" being something like a uniting force for Juggalos, or even a place you go when you die. Now being a complete atheist, I don't believe in any of that nonsense, but I thought it was cool and original.

Then, somewhere along the line, ICP "found Jesus", and became "Intimate Christ Posse". The clowns not only revealed that the "Dark Carnival" is a metaphor for "god" (most likely the Christian God), they went back and turned their lyrics inside out in a deceitful attempt to fool people into believing that this is what they were talking about all along! Anyone who actually believes this is a complete sheep. Just go back, listen to their old lyrics, and every time you hear them mention the words "Dark Carnival", substitute it with the word "god", and see if it still makes sense. I honestly believe that ICP, not actually knowing what the "Dark Carnival" should be, and with the 6th Joker's card fast approaching, had to figure out SOMETHING. Therefore, they did the most unoriginal, low-brow thing they could think of... they sold out to religion... Christianity to be exact.

If ICP did in fact know all along what the "Dark Carnival" was "god", and knowingly deceived their fans, then, by doing so, they mislead, cheated, and swindled thousands of them out of their money, who might not have been such huge fans to begin with if they hadn't been lied to. If ICP came up with the 'Dark Carnival = god' concept later on somewhere along the line, which is obviously the case, they not only cheated their fans out of their time and money, but they also sold them out. And then, to top it all off, they chant "we're not sorry that we tricked you" to their duped listeners at the end of the album. Great way to indoctrinate someone into your "religion". Too bad being duped into following something doesn't constitute true belief. Anyone who accepts this new "religion" known as "Juggalo" is a complete sheep, just like the followers of any other religion on planet earth. If you think about it, "Juggalo" is just as ridiculous as Christianity, Islam, and the ancient Greek gods. It seems ICP realized their huge mistake after album sales plummeted. Shangri-La is THE worst album by ICP ever made. Is it any wonder that the 6th joker's card was re-released and remixed by Mike Clark?

From my own interpretation, I assume that Juggalos see the Dark Carnival as an afterlife warped to fit their own lifestyle. We all believe there is a form of life after death, each of us having our own "versions". The "Dark Carnival" just represents and supports the ICP following and its many beliefs. In my honest opinion, if people are fighting to gain recognition for this following, they don't deserve it, on the basis that it is completely undocumented, unsupported, and unrealistic. This shit is sad.

"The Dark Carnival" is a Ray Bradbury novel published in 1947 by Arkham House Publishing.

Fans from ICP can't seen to get it through their heads that the people who they worship's "great vision" is just a ripoff of several classics such as this.

However, since no ICP fan can read, none of them will ever know the truth.

Something that retarded followers of the ICP follow that is a complete joke like Scientology and must be stopped before its too late. There are enough religions already without this incredibly stupid idea running around.

Look, some people are just chilling, living they're life and then all the sudden BANG! They flip out and go into an insane asylum out of nowhere, right? Other people are chilling and all the sudden BOOM! They catch the Holy Ghost and become a religious fanatic. Other people all the sudden change and do other things right? Well for me and Shaggy, we were just chilling when all the sudden our souls jumped into the Dark Carnival. I've never had a purpose in my life until then. It didn't matter it I was here or not. I was nothing more than a grain of sand on a big ass beach. I was just another hair on a fat gorilla's ass. Ever since the Carnival, now feel like I have a purpose. I have a reason to be here, fuck that I don't feel like that, I know that shit. The Dark Carnival's messages are in our lyrics. It's almost like all our lyrics are in code to the whole world. Nobody really hears what we're saying except for the Juggalos. They hear us. They know exactly what we're saying. Only a special open minded, street mutha fuckin' Juggalo can hear The Dark Carnival speaking to him threw our music. The Critics, the magazines, MTV and other bands.. Yeah they still hate us, but that's just because they don't understand us. They can't hear what we're really saying. So to them we just suck. They're not listening for it so they'll never hear it. That's fine. Fuck them. I Could give two fucks and a bitch slap what they think about Insane Clown Posse. The Dark Carnival preaches to everyone in many different ways. Me and Shaggy are just one of it's ways to reach people. For example, even an old lady that plays Bingo every weekend will eventually hear the words of the Dark Carnival only it will be through a different outlet. Something that interests her will give her the message. Weather or not she acts upon it is up to her. What ever this force is, it reaches us all, whether you heed its warnings or not is your own choice.

The Dark Carnival is GOD and may all Juggalos find him!
ICP - Thy Unveiling