I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been a HUGE Juggalo (fan of the Insane Clown Posse) since their days with The Oddities during the WWE’s Attitude Era. Just an admirer of their uplifting message, really. They’re known for their calm, soothing concert experience – kind of like one big campfire sing-along.
Really, ICP is kind of like a Thomas Kinkade painting in a musical form. Might as well call them the ‘rappers of light.’ It’s good for the soul. Well, if you’re as big a fan as I am, prepare to be shocked. If you, like me, have ever thought that ICP’s message sounded a lot like Chicken Soup for Soul‘s, there’s a reason why. Brace yourselves.
Courtesy of Digital Music News:
In But You Didn’t, a son speaks to his father. Written by Ohio poet Stanley Gerbhardt, the poem shows a boy who grew up into adulthood neglected by his father. He dies after going off to war. But You Didn’t appeared in A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Now, Gerbhardt claims that Detroit hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse stole the lyrics.
Hold up, let’s pause this story real quick. I don’t know how recent this picture that I’ve jacked from Google is, but at what point do you just stop wearing the face paint. Never? These dudes going to be fucking buried in clown paint?
I’m just saying – looks like they’ve aged a bit. Do they still look like they’d brutally murder me in broad daylight and not give two shits? Yes. I realize it may be dangerous to put myself out there in that regard, but it’s just a humble suggestion. I’m a truth-teller – just calling it like I see it.
According to the lawsuit, Insane Clown Posse member Violent J (Joseph Bruce) used the poem without permission. In 2007, Violent J uploaded a video on YouTube reading the lyrics, pretending it was his. One commenter caught the copyright and wrote,
“Oh stupid Juggalos…Violent J read this poem in Chicken Soup for the Soul and is pretending it is his.”
The term ‘Juggalos’ refer to Insane Clown Posse fans. ICP fans had previously posted comments praising the poem as well as Violent J. Some fans said that the poem made them cry, and others called it “deep.”
Man, some of the comments on this video are actually kind of sad. I don’t even want to ridicule these people anymore – it kind of makes me happy that they have someone like ICP to speak for them, and help them when they’re feeling down.
Nonetheless, this is plagiarism. I don’t know what’s more astounding – that they blatantly posted this acting as if it was an original, or the fact that Violent J reads Chicken Soup for the Soul. That’s not a joke, either – I’m not judging the guy. Just didn’t strike me as the type. Thank God there’s a Juggalo out there who caught this and called ’em on it.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Stanley Gerbhardt copyrighted the poem in 1993. In the lawsuit, he asked a federal judge to have the video pulled down immediately. The poem can be freely found online.
You can watch the video Violent J’s Poem below, still available on YouTube.
GOOD GOD THE VIDEO IS LITERALLY TITLED “VIOLENT J’S POEM.”
Yeah, it’s copyrighted. It’s plagiarism. My entire life is a lie. I always thought ICP cared about the pictures of wonderment their music painted in my head. Turns out, they’re just frauds. What’s next? We’re going to uncover that one of their songs is a Shel Silverstein short story? I’m hurt.
Aw, shit – who am I to judge? Let’s just roll back this classic:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjPy4-c3g0]
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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