INSANE CLOWN POSSE: Yum Yum Total Bedlam

Release year: 2023
Label: Psychopathic Records

Over the years, we’ve occasionally covered horrorcore rap, that strange mutant subgenre of rap focusing on horror movies, sensational and exploitative depictions of violence and in general all things unsavoury, offensive and in bad taste. But we haven’t featured the unquestionably and undeniably biggest name in the field.

Yes, Insane Clown Posse. The much ridiculed, derided and belittled duo have always flipped the finger to naysayers, and have gone on against all odds to create a subculture around their peculiar killer klown image. And create some damn good, classic rap music in the process.

And have kept up a pretty steady pace with releases: a new album every few years, padded out with EP’s aplenty. Yum Yum Total Bedlam is a four CD box set combining their latest album, 2019’s Yum Yum Bedlam and the four EP’s that tie in to it – the so-called “Seeds of Yum Yum” EP’s. Let’s dig in.

Nobody will be surprised that latter day Insane Clown Posse isn’t the genre defnining classic stuff the group released in the 90’s and noughties. Many long-time fans seem to be a bit divided just when it happened, but there is a consensus that at some point there was a noticeable drop in quality. And, sadly, on the whole this set is par for that course.

If you’re expecting hardcore horrorcore, you might also be in for a surprise. Nah, there’s nothing hardcore and not all that much horror to this. Instead, there’s a lot of weird, even dreamy and somewhat languid stuff here. Psychedelic, one might even be tempted to say, in a rather low-key and crude way. The carnivalesque elements are here to be found, to be sure, but instead of dark carnival, it’s some kind of bizarre ICP-meets-Willy Wonka style of almost naïve atmospheres Insane Clown Posse offer up.

The two and a half hours long set ranged from semi-trap beats to trite rap rock to some stuff that’s actually pretty good. Over the four discs, there’s about an EP’s worth of truly good stuff. Maybe an album’s worth of semi-solid stuff with some peaks.

The perverse Gangsta Code from the Yum Yum Bedlam album is surprisingly fun: country style lap steel over a laid back beat – and to it, lyrics about keeping true to the gangsta code. It’s all kind of messed up, but in a fun kind of way. Carnival Of Lights is another highlight on the album: again, a very laid back and relaxed beat, and positive lyrics about finding camaraderie, kinship and acceptance no matter who or what you are – “Cause we can see your soul shinin’ bright”. And damn, that chorus is catchy as fuck. Well, the duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have always said juggalo is all about family, so whilst the atmosphere and aura of the track might be a bit out of beat for Insane Clown Posse, the message isn’t.

From the EP’s, Abbracadabbra from Pug Ugly checks Hokus Pokus from the classic The Great Milenko, and by the strength of that rises to become a highlight. I also quite like the gruesome carny beat and lyrical weirdness of Mutilator from Wicked Vic.

But, sadly, there’s more filler than killer here. And true to ICP’s style, some tracks that are just plain wrong. Such as the ludicrousness that is 80’s Rock Ballad from Pug Ugly – it’s exactly what it says in the title. Latter day Aerosmith or Bon Jovi could have done this, except not quite as out of tune or as offensive lyrically. It’s kind of fun, but also horrible.

But I guess at this stage in their career, Insane Clown Posse aren’t really out to please anyone or win over throngs of new fans. They know who their fans are, and they know what they want to do. And I guess this is what they want to do these days.

Yum Yum Bedlam and the EP’s aren’t bad releases in the sense that they’d be unlistenable or shoddy. But as a not-quite-hardcore-but-way-more-than-casual fan (I mean, I’ve got a Great Milenko tattoo!), I’ll assert that whilst Yum Yum Total Bedlam has a place in my music collection, it’s not going to be a go-to kind of album for me, ever.

So in a nutshell: if you like Insane Clown Posse and their newer output, and haven’t yet got Yum Yum Bedlam and the EP’s, this is a nice package. If you are a more casual fan, get their classics. And if you’re a hater, nothing ICP does is going to do anything for you.

Visit Insane Clown Posse on Facebook, or their record label Psychopathic Record’s website