The Insane Clown Posse is one of the most unique groups out there in the rap world. Their make-up and Horrorcore lyrics create an act that had never been seen before. Between their intense live shows and professional wrestling career, this is a group that does things like no one else.
And they’re also no strangers to controversy…
Juggalos, the die-hard ICP fanbase, was labeled as a dangerous gang by the FBI, despite sharing only a love of the band’s music and culture. From the other side of things, the band has been accused of being secretly evangelical, preaching a message about choosing good over evil to reach heaven.
But, whatever you think of this Detroit-based group, you can’t deny that they’re creative and radically different. So, what are the top 30 Insane Clown Posse songs ever? Let’s check it out.
Top 30 Insane Clown Posse Songs
1Hokus Pokus (1997)
When we talk about the best Insane Clown Posse songs ever, we have to look right to the 1997 album Great Milenko. This was their fourth studio album and arguably what broke them out of their Detroit regional fame and into a national career.
It was a concept album and was the 4th joker card in their Dark Carnival series. This album had a lot more Rock style worked into it and also featured contributions from Slash, the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones, and the legendary Alice Cooper.
So, you know rocks…
“Hocus Pocus” was released as a single and is one of the band’s best-loved songs to date. It’s based on a beat that’s a lot like the beat for House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” Except that it has the “March of the Gladiators” circus-sounding tune worked in as well.
Violent J lays down an intense and crazy-sounding first verse, complete with weird laughter and very bizarre lyrics. Shaggy 2 Dope comes in heavier in his verse, with hard lyrics like, “Shazam bam, shocka locka lokey – Shaggy the clown back like scoliosis – Call me a psycho-schizo freak – And I’ll call you by your name.”
2Halls of Illusion (1997)
“Halls of Illusion” is the other single from the 1997 album Great Milenko. This song has a much slower jam, with a sort of West Coast sound to the beat.
It’s a simple beat but has a bit of a horror sound, thanks to the sound effects and creepy synth sounds. Then there’s a dark guitar riff, compliments of none other than Slash, that comes in heavy in the chorus. This makes the song sound sort of Rap-Metal, almost a mix of Cypress Hill and Linkin Park.
This song is all about child abuse and domestic violence…
It paints a picture of these issues and the long-term problems they create, generation after generation. Violent J tells a wife abuser, “Back to reality and what you’re about – Your wife can’t smile ’cause ya knocked her teeth out – And she can’t see straight from gettin hit – ’cause you’re a fat f*ckin drunk piece of sh*t.”
Shaggy 2 Dope compares this reality to the illusions that people convince themselves of with lines like “Your daughter’s chillin up in college top grade – And your son’s a fuckin doctor, phat paid.” “Halls of Illusion” really pulls down the illusions people hide behind and tells it like it is.
3Boogie Woogie Wu (1997)
This next track also comes from the Great Milenko album. It starts with a dark poem about a mysterious creature over top of some weird sounds. Then, the music drops in, and we have another slow, grinding beat with all sorts of creepy sounds and a synth bassline over top.
The song has a great groove, especially because of the female vocals in the chorus. The lyrics are all about the story of the bogeyman, the spooky character of so many children’s stories.
This is real Horrorcore, with lines full of extreme violence. Lines like, “Now I stretch your neck out and play in like a banjo – Boomchicka, boomchicka like that shit, yo? – Then I stretch it out more and fling your head through the wall – It’s the Boogie Man y’all” tell you what the boogie man is going to do once the lights go out. Spooky!
4Down with the Clown (1997)
The last song from 1997’s Great Milenko in our list of the top 10 Insane Clown Posse songs is “Down with the Clown.” This track is a shout-out to all the serious fans, the Juggalos, who have been supporters from the beginning. The music has a strong groove set up by a solid beat and weird and wacky sounds to bring a clowning element.
It starts with a dedication to fans since their first album, 1992’s Carnival of Carnage, and their earlier mixtapes Dog Beats and Base-ment Cuts. This is all about the Juggalos’ culture, with references to their face paint, keeping it real, and representing the Detroit scene.
It’s also about sticking to your own truth when the world is against you and trying to bring you down. Are you down with the clown? “I’m a be down, I’m a be down – Down with the clown till I’m dead in the ground.” If you’re looking for a great Insane Clown Posse song, this is one to check out.
5My Axe (2000)
On Halloween in the year 2000, the Insane Clown Posse dropped two albums at the same time. They also had the same name, just spelled differently: Bizaar and Bizzar. Yeah, both were spelled wrong – I think that was on purpose.
The track “My Axe” comes from the Bizzar album and has become one of the most popular Insane Clown Posse songs of all time. This song has a very simple beat that’s a throwback to the old-school rap that Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope grew up on. It’s a tribute to the band’s Hatchetman and the axe as a weapon.
The lyrics are hilarious and ultra-violent at the same time. “My axe is my buddy, and when I wind him back – Me and my axe will give your forehead a buttcrack – My axe is my buddy, I never leave without him – Me and my axe will leave your neck a bloody fountain.” Weird and wild stuff! The chorus is also silly and fun to sing along to – “Swing, swing, swing – Chop, chop, chop!”
6Crossing The Bridge (2002)
Our next entry in the top Insane Clown Posse songs comes from the 2002 album The Wraith: Shangri-La. This record was certified Gold and features appearances by a host of Michigan Hip-Hop artists. The album was highly produced and sounded a lot more professional than most of ICP’s earlier work.
“Crossing The Bridge” is one of the most epic songs on the album. The music produced by Mike Puwal is very Rock-heavy. It has a seriously Heavy Rock beat in the chorus and screaming guitars that add a great atmosphere. And the clowns actually sing on this track as well as rap.
This song is all about getting to heaven, or Shangri-La, as the ICP boys call it. The lyrics talk about the unfairness of life, especially with kids dying young. The chorus illustrates this with the lines, “I seen some children crossing the bridge – What kind of life did they get to live? – What kind of choice do they get to make? – What if it was a child’s mistake?”
7Homies (2002)
“Homies” is another great track from 2002’s The Wraith: Shangri-La. This track is, of course, a tribute to all the friends in your life that are as close to you as family. The song gives a very different sound from what we’ve looked at before.
This track is chilled-out and laid-back. The beat is fresh, and with light guitar and organ parts, it’s bright and happy. And the chorus? It’s fun and lovely and so fun to sing along to.
Is this the same group?
If you know anything about the Insane Clown Posse, you know that they are serious about their supporters. They value friendship and loyalty, which is demonstrated every single year at the Gathering of the Juggalos.
Check out these homie-loving lyrics: “Who was you with when you got tattooed? – Who was you tripping with when you did them mushrooms? – Who the f*ck threw up all over your car? – And then felt worse then you about that shit in the morning? – Friends ya’ll.”
8In My Room (2004)
The 2004 album, Hell’s Pit, represents the second half of the 6th joker card, The Wraith. Hell’s Pit was the last in the Joker Card series, and for the band, it represents the culmination of their life’s work. This was also some of the band’s most detailed and polished work to date. And also some of the most intense. “In My Room” comes from this album and is another dark track from ICP.
The story in this song is a sort of love song with a ghost that haunts your dreams and turns you insane. The beat is quiet and pushed to the back while the vocals come to the front.
This is a very dark and interesting story with lines like, “She told me she was spotted by the neighbor’s kid – She can’t come back now ’cause they know our secret – Unless I can make them keep it – If I do, she may come to life – Now I’m in their yard with a shotgun and knife.”
9Chop Chop Slide (2009)
Producer Mike E. Clark stopped working with the ICP for a while, but on 2009’s Bang! Pow! Boom!, he was back making their beats. This album saw a return to the Joker Cards idea and was the first new joker.
“Chop Chop Slide” was a hidden track that was included on this album and which is often played at concerts. The track has a 60s dance-along feel, which makes it less intense and more fun than so much of their other music. This is a track for the fans to dance along to, shooting their guns in the air and do-see-doing along. It’s fun and funny, so get into it and show your Juggalo spirit!
108 Ways to Die featuring Stitches, Esham, Mac Lethal, Ouija Mac, DJ Paul, and Cage (2019)
The last song on my list is the most recent. “8 Ways to Die” comes from the An Era of Fury part of the 2019 album Fearless Fred Fury. This track is a massive effort, with a gang of other artists joining the ICP crew.
The track has a great bouncy beat that lets each rapper lay down some seriously heavy bars overtop. It’s hard-edged, and the lyrics are dope. This is the new ICP thang, Juggalos!
11The Neden Game (1997)
12Piggy Pie (1997)
13Tilt-A-Whirl (2000)
14Chicken Huntin’ (1994)
15How Many Times? (1997)
16Mad Professor (1992)
17Juggalo Homies (2002)
18Miracles (2009)
19What Is a Juggalo? (1997)
20The Great Milenko (1997)
21My Axe (1997)
22Let’s Go All the Way (2000)
23Fonz Pond (1994)
24Pass Me By (1995)
25Let’s Get It Crackin’ (1994)
26Please Don’t Hate Me (1994)
27Mr. Happy (1994)
28The Joker’s Wild (1992)
29Riddle Box (1995)
30Beverly Kills 50187 (1997)
Want Some Music with Serious Subject Matter?
Well, check out our thoughts on the Best Songs about Suicide, the Best Songs About Depression, the Best Songs About Revenge, the Best Songs About Death, the Best Songs About Monsters, and the Top 10 Songs About Addiction for more somber song selections.
The Top 30 Insane Clown Posse Songs Ever – Final Thoughts
If you’re a serious fan of the Insane Clown Posse, I’m sure you already have your own top 10. But, looking at the group’s history, this is a solid list of the best-loved Insane Clown Posse songs, both old and new. This is a group that keeps changing and growing. They experiment with new styles and new sounds to keep things entertaining. That’s bringing the love to their fans.
While ICP has some pretty heavy songs and violent lyrics, they’re mostly just clownin’ around. Their message has always been that you can joke about the darkest things as long as you aim to live right. So, throw your hands up and get down to the ICP’s top tracks of all time.
Until next time, happy listening.
