The Dark Carnival is described by Insane Clown Posse in much of their discography. This concept, similar to the "heaven and hell" language of most major monotheistic religions, is the primary source of inspiration for Insane Clown Posse's two series of albums called Joker's Cards, each containing six albums.
The Dark Carnival acts as a way to remind people of the repercussions of their individual actions "in a language that today's world will understand and listen to." It denounces actions that members Bruce and Joseph Utsler are against, including pedophilia, racism, bigotry, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.
The themes of the Dark Carnival focus on death, morality, heaven and hell. The themes of God's presence and the final judgment of individuals are explored in multiple Insane Clown Posse songs. Throughout their career, the group has used parables set within the Dark Carnival mythology to warn of the ultimate consequences of immoral behavior. Their 2002 album The Wraith: Shangri-La, which ended the first set of Joker Card albums, with a song named The Unveiling, revealed that the hidden message of ICP's music was to follow God. Joseph Bruce remarked that "The ending of the Joker Cards, the way we looked at it, was death. Heaven and hell. That's up to each and every juggalo [to decide].
What is all the Jokers Cards and the meanings?
#1 Carnival of Carnage [1992]
This is the full representation of the ghetto and the violence that occurs within. It takes the form of a traveling carnival which doles out the same brutality on those who have ignored the inner cities' cries for help. The Card issues a warning against the upper-class and government's negligence toward the lower classes.
#2 Ringmaster [1994]
Here is the story of the overseer of the Carnival of Carnage. He leads "the phantoms of the dead" that take the form of the Carnival. The creatures fiercely tear doomed souls from their living bodies and drag them down into hell. The Ringmaster himself is created through one's own sins, and is one of several who will judge whether a soul is worthy to enter heaven or doomed to eternal hell.
This is another entity used to determine fate. Upon death, a soul enters a dark chamber containing a jack-in-the-box on an old wooden table. The front of the box has a "painted question mark faded with time," representing the mystery of your own afterlife. As the handle is turned, a melodic tune begins to play. When the music stops, the decision is revealed. The pure see a vision of God, warming their souls as they enter eternal peace. The wicked see an immense fog seeping from the box, "stripping their sanity, as they witness an image of hell, spawned and formed from their own evil; a hideous reflection of their demented souls." The floor falls from underneath them, casting the doomed into the bottomless pit of hell. The fate revealed by the Riddle Box can be found by looking deep within yourself and can be changed with righteous actions.
#4 The Great Milenko [1997]
He is an illusionist and a necromancer that acts on dead minds rather than dead spirits. His purpose is to try to trick individuals into greed and other lesser sins. He identifies the worst in an individual and creates powerful illusions in an attempt to cause them to become hedonistic and greedy. The Great Milenko is present within every person, and an honorable individual must fight his magic in order to make it to heaven
#5 The Amazing Jeckel Brothers [1999]
The Amazing Jeckel Brothers focuses on the nine circles of hell, and the morality of man as he is torn between righteousness and evil. Jack "the Sinister" and Jake "the Just" emerge from the smoke of a candle. The Jeckel Brothers juggle pulsating blood-covered balls representing the mortal life of the dead. For every sin committed, another ball is added. Jack throws Jake curves in an attempt to see a ball drop, and if a soul witnesses Jake drop one of the balls, he will be damned to hell. Souls who see Jake successfully complete the act ascend to heaven.
#6 The Wraith: Shangri-La & Hell's Pit {2002} & {2004}
The Wraith is a personification of Death. The card features two "exhibits", Shangri-La and Hell's Pit , which were each given their own album. The Wraith: Shangri-La revealed that the hidden message of Insane Clown Posse's music was always to follow God and make it to Heaven.
Hell's Pit is the second part of the sixth Joker's Card, The Wraith, written with the opposite intent of its counterpart, Shangri-La, Hell's Pit is intended to illustrate the horrors of hell itself. Many of the songs feature Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope fictitiously dying, to be sent to Hell, depicted in the album as a place void of all hope and peace, where those who do not atone for their sins and follow the ways of Shangri-La will presumably be sent upon their death. Bruce described the album as "Horror tale after Horror tale, mixed in with songs that describe hell" and stated that it was the darkest, most painful work he had ever done.
Deck 2
#1 Bang! Pow! Boom! [2009] The entity is a continuous explosion used to clear the carnival grounds when they become too crowded with souls of evil people who commit heinous sins such as pedophilia and murder, as well as other sick and demented acts.
#2 The Mighty Death Pop! [2012]
It describes an entity that targets individuals who take great risks with their lives, The Mighty Death Pop character reaches out to us in a warning to avoid an early death.
#3 The Marvelous Missing Link: Lost & The Marvelous Missing Link: Found [2015] This entity that Violent J describes as "not having god in your life. Always being negative, looking at the world through a negative lens. Always living in fear, and living with hate". The Marvelous Missing Link: Found, the second part of the card, is in contrast, as "having been found," with both albums fitting their descriptions, as Lost has a dubstep base with lyrics about killing and bombs, while Found has rap beats and comedic lyrics, and also piano/guitar bases and uplifting lyrics.
#4 Fearless Fred Fury [2018] Its a depiction of Heaven and Hell, told from the perspective of another character. BEWARE of FFF. You have been warned. The Dawn of a New Era rises up from the forbidden realm of the Dark Carnival. The Juggalo Family heeds a mighty call as a new card is dealt and unleashed upon the unsuspecting and unprepared, ascending to the physical earth from the almighty Dark Carnival. The saga will live on…The Juggalo Family Will Never Die! Juggalos and Juggalettes Worldwide: Presenting to you the monumental 4th Joker’s Card of the 2nd deck. Within plumes of toxic fumes…brewing from the depths of the Carnival grounds amidst harmonious sounds…Animals, Freaks, and Clowns BEWARE! “Fearless” Fred Fury aka “Red Fred” and his untrusty little friend Flip The Rat draw near. BEWARE…NO ONE IS SAFE!
