Juggalos and juggalettes, I’m back after a little over a weeks break, maybe longer. Been a little busy driving all over Minnesota, working, and being a total pimp actually. Nonetheless, I didn’t break this computer or dip out on ya’ll. So juggalos, let’s get right back in this.

Well, juggalos, juggalettes, SicFux, degenerates, etc. I have a very special interview for you today. Some of you all may be familiar with a documentary put out in 2009 (filmed in 2008) about the Gathering of the Juggalos known as A Family Underground. In that movie, there was a part where the film crew highlighted a very talent juggalette artist selling a few of her paintings. Well juggalos, you’re right, I got that talented juggalette right here on the Underground Spotlight for you to enjoy.

Coming out of Philly, Rachel has been doing art since she was a twinkle in her daddy’s ball sack. Doing hundreds of paintings, she just recently came up with a concept of Dark Carnival tarot cards while visiting in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Brilliantly designed with tremendous artistic quality, these tarots are one of the most unique Psychopathic related merchandise I have ever come across (please note they are not official Psychopathic merch, but definitely worth the money and are of the same caliber if not better than most Psychopathic merch). Actually, before even reading the bio Ms. Rachel sent me, I was already interesting in doing an interview off the concept alone.  Then I read she was the artist in AFU (which I own), which made the interview all the more appealing.

Well juggalos, here’s the rest of that interview. Rachel is a delight to talk to, and I’m sure you all will enjoy this interview as much as I did. I put some art in, but due to the amount of art she has put out, and to make sure she can make a little money off to the side, there isn’t as much as there could be. Enjoy…

Juggalos: Here’s her part in A Family Underground. Enjoy the Afroman performance that it starts with too. Afroman is the shit.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RgBbtKeoo8&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Monoxide Most Wanted

Interview: The Dark Carnival Tarot
Real Name: Rachel Paul
From: Philly

BeZerk: Usually, I like to start off with a few standard questions just to get into things. You’ve been selling paintings and doing art work around the gathering grounds for a while now. What finally made you decide to sell your stuff online and what has your experience been thus far with that?

DCT: Yup–I’ve been doing paintings and graphic design for years in the juggalo community. Every year at the gathering, I have an art gallery for display, and I’ve done plenty of graphic design for underground artists, including the entire Psychopathic Records roster. But I’ve just always been torn about setting myself up online. I work with computers, so when the work day is done, I really try to “unplug” as much as possible. What really inspired me to finally set up shop is my latest project, The Dark Carnival Tarot deck, which I debuted at the gathering. This is my masterpiece for the juggalo world and has taken four years to complete. The response was so enthusiastic at the gathering, that I needed to take things worldwide for those who couldn’t make it!

DCT: The juggalos. ‘Nuff said. This year’s gathering was especially inspiring for me. Every year, with my little art gallery set up, I meet all kinds of real juggalos from all over. And the best part about it? They come to me. So I get to be lazy and parlay at the same time! But for real, there are so many amazing people, all with so much heart and humor. It truly does take a special breed! And seeing how these real people have reacted over the years to what I do has only fueled my fire. At this point, there’s no turning back. I’ve learned to call them both my inspiration and my home.

DCT: The holy grail? For me? That’s Candy Apple. Holy shit. It’s rare, but if you ever get a chance, buy it by the CASE. True story about the power of Candy Apple: At the gathering, my ninja pulls me aside, away from everyone, and says “Shh! Shh! Yo check it…” He pulls the bottle out like some kind of contraband. Both our eyes light up. He says, “You get two sips, you hear me? Just TWO.” And did I ever. That’s the kind of effect that Candy Apple has on people. If you come across it, don’t sleep!

Old School Violent J

DCT: Dawww, you’re making me blush. Thanks. You know, I still stay in touch with Paul Andresen , who directed the movie [BeZerk here: Paul Andresen is the director of Big Money Hustlas, A Family Underground, and other Psychopathic Films]. He’s feels like my whole “Everyone in the human race is family” speech toward the end of the film tied everything together; kind of a moral to the story, you know? But those words weren’t my own: I took them right out the mouth of J at the Wraith seminar. His words about family, which I repeated in AFU, have always stayed with me and guided me over the years. I truly do believe that all people are connected and that we are all family; the juggalos are great because the love we show for each other really is a lesson for the world. Am I saying the world needs to paint their face and fling Faygo? No. But the whole idea of family, to me, is very important and very significant–and yes, I remember the time before the family era, for those O.G. cats reading this. After the movie, ninjas started to take more and more interest in my art. Psychopathic made fun of me for talking on camera about my fear of “copyright infringement” and “getting in trouble.” Instead of “suing” me, they hired me on as a freelance graphic designer, and that experience really set me up with a lot of skills and knowledge that I continue to use today. And then came the inspiration for the tarot…AFU really has led me up to this point, I feel. And now it’s time for me to charge forward with everything I got. Here goes nothing!

DCT: Actually, 2008 was my first year with the paintings. Paul and I just happened to cross paths when he was filming my friends tazering the shit out of each other. A little bit of everything at the gathering, isn’t there?

DCT: I truly have been to every gathering in spirit! It hasn’t been an easy road for me. I put myself through school and had a ton on my plate during those first five, formative years. It’s no excuse. Ninjas always come and leave broke, hitchhiking and hopping trains, but with a sick family member, a foreclosure, and a degree in the works, I knew I needed to prioritize. 2006 was the year when I finally said “fuck it” and hopped that Greyhound. What an adventure. On the way there, some random ninjas at a rest stop offered me a ride. I said yes almost immediately, eager to escape the smelly Greyhound. We were only a few minutes down the road when I thought to myself, “What am I doing?! I don’t know these people. I could be in trouble! Holy crap!” But you know what? Right at that moment, “Karma” played on the radio. And everybody in that car was singing every word. And I knew I was safe and that these strangers were actually true friends. AND it was the mud gathering. Lol. They took care of me all weekend. I took shelter in their car on the first day when it down poured. Was I ever grateful for that! All I had was a backpack! I still see those ninjas at gatherings. They are the shit and homies for life!

DCT: My favorite, craziest gathering memory dates back to 2006, gathering of the muddalos. I was asking around to see if any Philly ninjas were in the house. My homie Dante (aka Boxcutta) introduced me to a Philly homie, Kris. She says to me (like all skeptical Philly peeps say), “You ain’t really from Philly. Where you from?” I said northeast Philly. She said northeast Philly. I said Tacony (my neighborhood). She said Tacony. I said my street. She said the SAME street. Here, we lived 2 blocks away from each other on the same street, just across the avenue, but we had never met. So I went all the way out to Pataskala to meet my neighbor. We clicked instantly and have been best friends ever since. Kris has been to every single gathering. She is a down juggalo to the fullest. Having her in my life and becoming part of her crew has made all the difference. They are my best friends in the whole wide world, and I’m so thankful to have her around to school me on any and everything. Nobody makes me laugh like my sister!

DCT: Long and crazy story: Right before the 2008 gathering, I was in New Orleans doing Hurricane Katrina recovery work. Taking in the local culture and the “bayou magic,” I received an amazing reading in by a Voudou priestess. It was powerful stuff! I think a lot of people label Voudou as evil or bad, but really it is just spirituality, like Christianity, or Buddhism, or whatever. I’ve always been very open to these kinds of things. During the reading, she said “You always go to a festival in the summertime. You travel to it. It has a family atmosphere. Do something with your art there. You will find your place.” And I said “What? Festival? No…I don’t…oh…wait…” The gathering. Wow. Now, it just so happened that I also received my first tarot deck on that trip–a gift from my now husband, Johnny. The mystical, magical advice I had been given about doing something with my art for the juggalos was still reeling in my head when I pulled the first card from that deck. On that card was a symbol of a salamander chasing its own tail. Years earlier, before I had ever even seen a tarot deck, I had drawn that same, exact symbol and had it tattooed in the center of my back. I kid you not. When I saw that replica image of my tattoo there on the tarot card, I took it as a sign. Art? The gathering? Tarot? I knew then that I needed to learn everything I could about tarot and apply it to the juggalo world, using my art to create the cards. And then A Family Underground happened. With folks’ new-found interest in my paintings, it only fueled my fire. I started working hard to achieve my goal. Four years later, in 2012, it is here: 78 cards (each an individual painting) and a book relating the ancient art of tarot to the juggalo world. This is really my gift to the juggalo world, and my masterpiece. Every single face in that deck is someone from the clique, too, so you might spot yourself if you look closely. The first edition (100 copies) sold out at this years’ gathering, and so many people asked for a reprint that I just went with it. Hence this online endeavor. Thus far, decks have shipped all over the US and to the UK, Scotland, Germany, Italy, and Australia…I’m just wondering where the Carnival will take me go next and am extremely grateful for the opportunity to create like this. There aren’t even words to describe it. Just know that my gratitude is sincere!

DCT: I’ve always been an artist. Ever since I could hold a crayon, I’ve drawn. There must be at least 200-300 of my paintings floating out there, dispersed among the fam at the gatherings. Funny thing is, I have very few pictures of them. If folks want to send me pictures, please do! I’m notorious for losing my cameras, especially at gotj. On top of that, I’ve done tons of merch for the clowns and countless other artists, specializing in t-shirt designs. But my favorite, all-time piece has to be the tarot cards. Because these are essentially 78 mini paintings in a single set, with a game associated with them, with a book. The set also comes with a one-of-a-kind painted pouch that I custom make for juggalos, based on their requests. It’s an amazing collectors item for any juggalo. Folks can play with them and learn from them, so it serves a higher purpose. I really feel like this deck “gets it” and thusfar I’ve gotten great feedback and a lot of love. Mike Clark, DJ Clay, and Joe Strange even hit me up about them, and that just floored me. I mean, c’mon. MEC is a total genius. Flattered isn’t even the word! All I can say, once again, is how grateful I am for this opportunity to be creative.

DCT:I  did tons of readings at the gathering this year, mostly at night. They were powerful. I’ll just say this, though: Tarot isn’t about telling the future or your fortune. It’s not about that hokey BULLshit that people try to sell all the time, on that Miss Cleo tip. Fuck that. For me, that cheapens what the art is really about. I see it as a time and a space to just “check in” with yourself and your life journey. These 78 cards are artistic renderings of the different facets of life–essentially they represent patterns that recur on many levels during the course of the life journey. If we use the cards properly and sincerely, we can go deeper and become more aware of ourselves. And that, to me, is what reading tarot is all about.

So, for now, my dear BeZerkaveli, focus on your intentions for the reading. Think about what you want clarity on. And be open to the lesson, whatever it may be.

Ready? Let’s begin.

I’ll pull six cards for you, just for kicks. Here they are:

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Card 4

Card 5

Card 6

..Well, would you look at that.

It seems my cards of tarot have dealt you a very odd hand–a hand of six jokers cards. This is very rare and suggest something most hideous is approaching you. You should be visited by a dark circus. This traveling mass of evil will leave you corpse to rot, while entrapping your soul to displayed at future stops…

Sorry, man. Looks like you get the bone! Lol.
[BeZerk here: I got the bone!]

But for real, I’ve never done a legit online reading and don’t think I could. I like to talk to people. I like them to talk to me. And then we read the cards together and just talk about life. A lot of times (and this sounds corny), it’s kind of like a therapy session, in a way. That’s what I like to think of it as. Virtual therapy just wouldn’t cut it, especially if you’re psycho like me! :D

DCT: Well the big thing for me right now is the tarot cards. Check me out on facebook (facebook.com/darkcarnivaltarot) and at my webstore (etsy.com/shop/darkcarnivaltarot). Coming soon, I’ll have prints and paintings available, too. But, for now, I’m letting the cards run their course. Because these are really special. I’m also available for graphic design work and commissions (album art, merch, graphics, and paintings). If you’re interested, hit me up on facebook or at my e-mail: [email protected].

Shout outs:
DCT: My wonderful husband, Johnny. I love you so much! Scottie D. and the lovely Amanda D., for making this deck possible and for all their hard work and support. Thank you. My homie Marybeth for helping with the books. Crystal Williams and my goddaughter September Rose, who helped create the deck. Psychopathic Records for their love and acceptance. All the real ninjas: Kris, Kev, and kids, the Scrubs (you know who you are), Orange, Toots, and my godson, baby M.C. Love. And all my homies. ALL y’all. Man I see y’all. In Philly AND in the D. There’s just too many to name, but I love ya. Thanks so much!

Psychopathic Rydas

Websites:

• Buy Dark Carnival Tarot Cards Here
• Like DCT on Facebook