Credit where credit’s due to Insane Clown Posse, they can’t delay an album if they haven’t officially announced it first. Flippant tone aside, I’m referring to the recent article in Detroit News, as reported by Faygoluvers.net, where Violent J was quoted saying production of the sixth Joker’s Card of the second deck was beginning this month for release in February next year. He never explicitly said ICP were going to unveil it at Hallowicked. It was heavily implied, but never outright stated.
With Hallowicked looming and the reveal seeming imminent I realised I’d missed my chance to post an article speculating on how the final Card of deck two could manifest. Writing this on 1st of November having woken to no news whatsoever from the event last night, I’ve decided to take the chance now. This article will cover a mix of what I would like to see provided they could actually happen, so no, I’m not predicting the return of Dark Lotus.
The Return of a First Deck Card
While I never wrote anything speculating about what the fifth Card which would eventually turn out to be the Yum Yum Flower (fuck, I still hate that name), my main theory back in 2020 was for a new spin on a first deck Card. At the time I believed we would get a third (and fourth?) Jeckel Brother, and as that was the most likely time the Jeckel’s could be expected to re-emerge as they were the fifth of deck one, for the sixth I want to take things in a different direction.
My personal pick from the first deck for a new spin would be the Ringmaster, but the Card I think most likely to get a second go is Carnival of Carnage. No, I’m not fucking with you.
The first deck began with the Carnival, and the second deck should end with the Carnival. Leaving aside the potential for a third deck a few years down the line, 1992’s Carnival of Carnage has aged the worst of all ICP projects throughout the decades, so a fresh coat of clown paint could be exactly what is needed to bring the record into the new millennium. I’m not talking about a remake, just the Carnival being front and centre instead of a character or moral theme. ‘Here Comes the Carnival’ being the first actual track on Yum Yum Bedlam is among my reasoning behind this idea, and since it occurred to me I can’t shake it.
A New Theme
With the last two Joker’s Card themes being Loyalty and Revenge, for the next album the topic I’d like to see is Growth. Both Violent J and Shaggy seem to have been going through pretty dark times in the last year for a variety of reasons, so it would be so cool to see them coming out the other side with music based around that.
More Features
Anyone who listens to an Insane Clown Posse album is there for the insane clowns, but as The Wraith: Shangri-La was possibly their most feature heavy album to date, I’d like to see a return to this for their next. While none of the Majik Ninja Entertainment label are going to make an appearance, there are so many rappers still on good terms with Psychopathic Records who easily could.
Ouija Macc and Esham are the most obvious picks but artists who have previously collabed could make a return like Hopsin, Big Hoodoo and Tech N9ne. Could we finally get the ICP and KidCrusher collab I’ve always wanted??!
I’d also like to see more of the skits from previous albums as they seem to have been phased out over the last decade. Who could ever forget about Slicey P?
The Dark and the Light
We’re all familiar with how The Wraith was split into two albums, the exhibits of Shangri-La and Hell’s Pit. The tones on these projects were drastically different from one another, and while this was closely mimicked by The Marvelous Missing Link: Lost and Found albums in 2015, I’d definitely be up for it being revisited with the likes of Mike E. Clarke, Kuma and Seven running production.
Even with the legend that is Mike E. Clarke back behind the wheel, a targeted release of February 2024 seems way waayy too soon. February 2025 is a lot more believable, and with the legacy attached to each Joker’s Card, especially with the return of Mike, this record should be given all the time it needs to come together.
Joker’s Cards have been announced at Hallowicked events for the last decade, so unless J was right about the next one dropping just four months from now, it could be that it will be announced at the next event, Ballas on a Boat, on 16th December.
What do you think the next Joker’s Card could be? Would you want to see a returning face from deck one? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be back with more Insane Clown Posse content when the new Card is announced. Thanks for reading!
Written and edited by Alexx.