Juggalo or Juggalette (the latter being feminine) is a name given to fans of Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang, and characteristics. The term originated during a 1994 live performance by Insane Clown Posse. During the song ‘The Juggla,’ Joseph Bruce addressed the audience as Juggalos, and the positive response resulted in him and Joseph Utsler using the word thereafter to refer to themselves and their friends, family, and fans, including other Psychopathic Records artists.
Juggalos have compared themselves to a family. Common characteristics include drinking the inexpensive soft drink Faygo, wearing face paint and an interest in professional wrestling. They view the lyrics of Psychopathic Records artists (which are often violent in nature) as a catharsis for aggression.
The Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual event for the Juggalo Family put on by Psychopathic Records first staged in July 2000. Spanning four days, it includes concerts, wrestling, games, contests, autograph sessions, and seminars with artists. The first Gathering was held in Novi, Michigan, and featured Project Born and Vampiro, who both wrestled and performed. The second Gathering, in Toledo, Ohio, featured Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Vanilla Ice, and Three 6 Mafia.
After 2002, the Gathering became an outdoor event, and was held at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Ohio. for a number of years. Following the 2005 Gathering, Quarry Park owner Evan Kelley stated that the grounds would no longer host the event. Kelly has said: ‘Psychopathic Records broke some of the rules set down for the 2005 event, including blasting music all night long,’ and ‘Drugs, alcohol, nudity, profanity and trash also became serious problems.’ Tila Tequila and Method Man were hit with bottles during their performances at the 2010 Gathering of the Juggalos, and claimed that they would sue Juggalo Gathering LLC, but never did.
There have been several incidents of self-identified Juggalos being involved in criminal activity, though studies have noted a lack of evidence linking music with violence. Although Juggalos have denied any connection to gang activity, authorities have classified them as a gang in several states and municipalities. Some schools have prohibited students from wearing Insane Clown Posse related paraphernalia.
As the public face of the Juggalo subculture, Psychopathic Records and Insane Clown Posse have repeatedly denounced violence within the fandom. Many of the crimes, including murders, have been labeled by Alex Abiss (former CEO of Psychopathic Records) as being just crazy individuals finding an excuse for their actions.
The Daily Omnivore 
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