To review an ICP album is to admit that I both respect what they've achieved
while simultaneously not being able to understand the mythos they've built up
around it. If you're not a Juggalo it's probably impossible to, but unlike the
misguided members of law enforcement I won't refer to them as a gang or a cult.
"Juggalos" are just really supportive fans, the kind who are likely to have
all 35 or more of ICP's albums, and probably a few bootleg concert recordings.
Even if you stick to "studio albums" this is the 14th, which is a financial
investment any way you slice it. They're likely to have the Hatchet Warrior
tattooed on their body somewhere, or a decal for the logo in their car's rear
window, or a slew of their merchandise featuring it (hats, t-shirts, posters,
and anything you can think of). They've probably been to the Gathering at
least once if not multiple times. I respect that kind of dedication, and I
respect ICP for building up a worldwide fanbase that's that appreciative of
everything they do. In fact in the day and age where it's incredibly easy to
bootleg almost any album before it's even released, the loyalty of Juggalos is
a testament to recording artists of how to succeed in the internet age.
As for me I'm not a Juggalo by any definition you could name, and the clearest
indication of that is that "The Tempest" is the
last ICP album I bought - over eight years ago. I'm just not that committed to
their work, I've never been sucked into the mythos surrounding the "Carnival,"
and if I attempted to explain it I'm pretty sure that I'd upset a hardcore fan
by how inaccurate it would be. Therefore I won't even begin to do so, because
in the aforementioned internet age, there's no shortage of ICP fan sites and
official resources
to help you sort it all out. I'm told this that "The Marvelous Missing
Link (Found)" is "the second part of the 3rd Joker Card in the second deck
of the Dark Carnival Saga." I'll just accept that what that means is that this
album is part of a larger story, spread out over multiple albums, grouped into
multiple series. The good news is that if you're not hardcore enough to own
all the albums and see how they all connect together, the bar for entry into
ICP's discography is pretty low. They like to drink, they like to party, they
like to smoke, and they like to f@$#. Take "Pineapple Pizza" for example:
Violent J: "I met a girl named Cindy, she was fine
She liked to get drunk on red wine
She had cinnamon flavored lipstick
When she blew me it burned my dipstick
But she was funny, and she was nice
I hit it the first day and f#%@$d her twice
She took me home, and locked the door
and played old s#%t from Al B. Sure
Pineapple pizza and Faygo red pop
She shut the shades, and checked the deadlock
Somebody knocked on the door all night
but we laid low, and killed the light
They kept knockin and finally split
She broke out with her own sex kit
Freaky toys, but I was straight
Cause I can make my own d#%$ vibrate!"
As it turns out his partner Shaggy 2 Dope was the one knocking
on the door, and loudly complains "I've been deceived/I even paid for
that b@%$#'s weave!" They don't let Cindy come between them though.
Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J are as well met as any two rappers can be
in the hip-hop industry, and they come together to complain that they
don't even like pineapple pizza, and Al B. Sure is a one hit wonder.
That's part of the secret of their success - the bond of brothership
they show through all of their narratives, and one which they encourage
their Juggalo fans to share with each other. The curious thing is
that bond now seems to include God too, and Christianity isn't something
you would normally associate with these self-admitted hellraisers.
Nevertheless both the intro and "Found" express a deep abiding
respect for spirituality, which may just be a sign the duo are changing
as mellowing (slightly) as they mature.
"I don't wanna fear death and I don't wanna fear Hell
I wanna sleep at night, knowing my soul is well
I'm not an atheist, I believe in the magic
This career - I believe God let me have it
I found my +Missing Link+ and I'm shining
Other still trying, the hill they climbing
I know my soul is content and free
How could I have worry when I hold the key?"
I never imagined I'd ever hear a song from ICP professing their belief in
anything other than the next party they can attend and p#%@y they can tap,
but I'm going to take this confession at face value even as it stands next
to songs like "Get Clowned." This track is more like what you'd expect from
the group, bragging about being off their meds and prison rape, whooping
the asses of their haters, and laughing in the face of probation officers.
Unbridled hedonism is part and parcel of their appeal, even if the lyrics
describing it border on being insanely simplistic. It's not as though ICP
couldn't try to write a thoughtful song, it's just that when they do it turns
into a "Miracles" style internet meme. Even then it only helped Shaggy 2 Dope
and Violent J's bottom line, because the more people thought they were
laughing at the absurd odes to rainbows and magnets, the group was simply
laughing all the way to the bank at the publicity helping their album sales.
What more can be said about "Missing Link" then? Well there's the production,
which is handled by Kuma, Otis, Mike P and Seven - the latter of Strange Music
and Tech N9ne fame. Having not heard
the entire ICP catalog I can't say with 100% certainty that this is the best
they've ever done, but having Seven on board is clearly a win for the team.
That signature Tech sound comes across on the aforementioned "Get Clowned"
as well as "OK," "Time" and the surprisingly kayfabe breaking track "The Midway."
Carnivals rarely admit their games are rigged, but on this song Violent J and
Shaggy 2 Dope take pride in the fact you'll spend all your money to win prizes
that are so cheaply made they won't even last a day.
In the end that's the
other factor in their appeal - their willingness to adopt every aspect of
the carnival/circus/clown sideshow in their personas and express it through rap.
If you're going to be a gimmick, go all the way with it, and ICP certainly does.
Still it's the mellow tracks like the Otis produced "I'm Sweet" that
surprise me the most. Excessive profanity aside, it's an ode of loyalty to
friends and fans, vowing to fight bullies and jump into a 21-on-1 fight to
save a down ass Juggalo. Even though I don't always understand the story they
tell, and I don't think they'll go down as the best rappers of all time, I
dig the camraderie they express for their loyal fans that the Juggalos give
them right back. A toast to ICP - who are "Found" but have never lost the love
they get from millions of supporters worldwide.
Music Vibes: 7.5 of 10
Lyric Vibes: 5.5 of 10TOTAL Vibes: 6.5 of 10
![[The Marvelous Missing Link (Found)]](../coverart/icp-Found.jpg)
To review an ICP album is to admit that I both respect what they've achieved
while simultaneously not being able to understand the mythos they've built up
around it. If you're not a Juggalo it's probably impossible to, but unlike the
misguided members of law enforcement I won't refer to them as a gang or a cult.
"Juggalos" are just really supportive fans, the kind who are likely to have
all 35 or more of ICP's albums, and probably a few bootleg concert recordings.
Even if you stick to "studio albums" this is the 14th, which is a financial
investment any way you slice it. They're likely to have the Hatchet Warrior
tattooed on their body somewhere, or a decal for the logo in their car's rear
window, or a slew of their merchandise featuring it (hats, t-shirts, posters,
and anything you can think of). They've probably been to the Gathering at
least once if not multiple times. I respect that kind of dedication, and I
respect ICP for building up a worldwide fanbase that's that appreciative of
everything they do. In fact in the day and age where it's incredibly easy to
bootleg almost any album before it's even released, the loyalty of Juggalos is
a testament to recording artists of how to succeed in the internet age.