I think the reason Juggalo has no nailed down definition is because it’s complex. If it was just about the music or just about icp then that would be the definition.

When i say there’s this girl i know who is a Juggalo but doesn’t know it yet i mean that she would love the people in the scene. Free thinking. Open hearted. Creative. And there’s this little bit about pain that can’t be explained. We almost all have this universally deep pain that were sick of having so we come together and say fuck being sad. Fuck the nightmares, I’m scarier than the fucking nightmares. Fuck the loneliness, we can be alone together. Fuck the poverty that fucks with our health and fuck worrying about what’s cool and what ain’t. It’s about expending energy in mosh pits and food fights. Its about saying I’m done letting life fuck me up. 

Icp just created a space where that can grow.

Mr. Tidwell said
Lucem, you would think so but that really wasn’t my experience. Several people just love The Vibe or whatever. And maybe they bumped icp back in the day but we’re all old farts now and some of us got kids and it’s hard to take lyrics like “suck my nuts bitch, fuck you” as socially productive. As someone who literally couldn’t even name the tracks off of the last few twiztid albums, standing around and mentioning that you don’t bump them wasn’t met with scorn or ridicule or calling me a poser or whatever. Neither were the people who said they don’t like icp. 

I think the flake is the dude who shows up 110% and then becomes a hater in six months. Like there’s a cousin of mine who when he got into drugs also got into icp. Hatchet gear head to toe. Decals on his car. Everything. Then his drug buddies harassed him cuz that shit was corny and he looked / acted like a tool. So he stopped. Dude used to give me shit for not owning as much hatchet gear as him and now he gives me shit on Facebook because i still go see icp live. That’s the flake.

Twiztid isn’t ICP. Juggalos are the result of ICP. That is the common ground for all juggalos.

Yeah, that’s the obvious flake. Or the dude that says he’s done being a juggalo and wants to be a crip.

One of the beauties of being a juggalo was the bond created by a mutual interest in an obscure music that isn’t well known by most people. And the fact that you literally get hated for listening to this music made the bond grow stronger. You understand how that would ruin some of the magic? Juggalos should welcome the people that have an appreciation for this culture. But if you think the music sucks it’s not your culture. Just my opinion.

Mr. Tidwell said
I think the reason Juggalo has no nailed down definition is because it’s complex. If it was just about the music or just about icp then that would be the definition.

When i say there’s this girl i know who is a Juggalo but doesn’t know it yet i mean that she would love the people in the scene. Free thinking. Open hearted. Creative. And there’s this little bit about pain that can’t be explained. We almost all have this universally deep pain that were sick of having so we come together and say fuck being sad. Fuck the nightmares, I’m scarier than the fucking nightmares. Fuck the loneliness, we can be alone together. Fuck the poverty that fucks with our health and fuck worrying about what’s cool and what ain’t. It’s about expending energy in mosh pits and food fights. Its about saying I’m done letting life fuck me up. 

Icp just created a space where that can grow.

That describes every counter culture out there, though. Goths, Punks, Emos, etc. They all feel that way about their culture. Just observe them. That’s one of the biggest reasons it annoys me when juggalos judge people of those cultures. Because other than a few style and musical changes, they are all the same.

Scruffy, under all the bullshit there is one singular truth that sticks. Like punk rockers may not all agree on what the punk movement is, but there are core elements that they all agree on. Now I’m being told that you don’t even have to like the music to be a juggalo. Then what exactly is a juggalo? It’s become nothing more than a meaningless word that twists and bends to conform at the will of the wearer at which point why should the title exist? If you don’t feel the need to wear that title, then why do you?

Cheshyr, I’m not trying to say that they sold you a family. They feel like the are a part of the family too. They don’t intentionally sell people the idea of this culture like it’s one huge marketing scheme, it’s just a huge selling point to many juggalos that aren’t you. And I don’t have tunnel vision because I recognize the fact that not every juggalo is as invested into the culture. But I have been around enough juggalos in my life, in person and not just over the web or through the media, to know that a huge portion of juggalos made that their identity. I’m not even talking about the stereo type meth head nasty juggalos that the media tries to find. I’m talking about the ones that dress, look and talk like ICP. I don’t have any problem with you either, I just feel people are taking what I’m saying out of context. But this is probably the most interesting discussion I’ve seen on here in a long time.

The definition of Juggalo is undefined for a reason. And that reason will forever be open to interpretation, which is the most awesome part about our culture. It’s literally whatever you need it to be to bring your ass to the carnival. I think it’s definitely rooted deep in the idea of unity. There are no racial requirements, no age restrictions, no gender preferences, hell there isn’t even a real reason why the culture exists. But for whatever reason why it’s developed into what it is now, I’m grateful to have the culture be a part of my life. Somehow, being a Juggalo is generated by a genuine connection, a shared outlook on life, a mental attitude of not being considered a valuable human being, and you not giving a fuck what they think because it’s your life and you have every right to live it the way you want to.  

Sometimes, however, people grow out of it, and that’s okay. There’s no locked doors keeping you here if you don’t want to be a part of it anymore. Some folks take a break from it, and come back later. Sometimes it turns out to only be a phase in some people. Some of us are always going to be eager for the next release, the next gathering, the next show, for the rest of our lives. I personally fall underneath that last one. It’s like wrestling to me: I may bitch about it sometimes, but I’ll always tune in to watch it because whether it’s awesome or horrible, I still genuinely enjoy it.   

86 said
Some of us are always going to be eager for the next release, the next gathering, the next show, for the rest of our lives. I personally fall underneath that last one. It’s like wrestling to me: I may bitch about it sometimes, but I’ll always tune in to watch it because whether it’s awesome or horrible, I still genuinely enjoy it.   

My thoughts to a fuckin T, well said 86.  Its just been a part of me for so long, its just what it is…..

Old Mr Dangerous said

I wish PSY would make more Juggalo fleshlights and Faygo lube.

You have won the internet for the day good sir.

King Lucem Ferre said
One of the beauties of being a juggalo was the bond created by a mutual interest in an obscure music that isn’t well known by most people. And the fact that you literally get hated for listening to this music made the bond grow stronger. You understand how that would ruin some of the magic? Juggalos should welcome the people that have an appreciation for this culture. But if you think the music sucks it’s not your culture. Just my opinion.

Since you’re “not a juggalo”, why do you think you know what it means to be a juggalo better than juggalos? Since you’re not a juggalo, why do you feel entitled to tell us what it means?

Like I said, I’ve met juggalos who just didn’t care about icp anymore and it wasn’t no big because they were still here. Taste is subjective and if something doesn’t resonate it doesn’t resonate and how can you fault someone for that? Honestly, theres a few juggalos here who I think need to step away from thinking of themselves as ICP fans but I wouldn’t want them to stop being juggalos.

The whole thing has become muddied by this turn into the definition of a Juggalo when really that was just a tangent that was being used to foster a point.

King Lucem Ferre said

Now it’s anybody and everybody can be a juggalo as long as you’re not an asshole. WTF? And yeah, I do want a concrete meaning to the word so it has an actual meaning. Maybe you are just too afraid to let the word have a concrete meaning.

Now *I can attest that that isn’t so much the case.

Anyone and everybody is invited to the party but not everyone seems to be able to just run around claiming to be a Juggalo. You’ve cited examples of that yourself earlier in this very thread. Yeah we hear people saying, “You’re probably a juggalo and don’t even know it” kinda stuff but that’s not really in response to this kind of thing; more like something a person might say to encourage them to do or try something, “I bet you’re a great [insert talent here] and don’t even know it yet.”  At last year’s Gathering, I was sitting up on the Chill Hill in front of the Mainstage and some fight almost broke out with one guy screaming in another’s face that “You don’t belong here!”. No idea what it was about or what started it but it sure seemed like at least ONE person wasn’t “welcome” (kinda ruined my vibe for a while too as it was a pretty mean thing to say).

And not fer nuthin’ but there are poseurs in every culture and they all have to deal with being called out. No one likes to be footing the bill for someone else’s good time if they are only TAKING from them.. Ya don’t get to show up to a party, stare at everyone and drink their alcohol (or Faygo as it were… or BOTH). THIS particular culture has a LOT of homework inherent to it. There’s just SO much to listen to and read and watch… If a person has no clue about any of that shit, how are they supposed to relate to others around them? How does that apparent “ignorance” come off to those that “know better”?

But of course of you’re a hot piece of ass then none of that matters and all doors open…