The Great Milenko, the explosive, controversial, and now classic fourth album from Insane Clown Posse, is coming to vinyl in its full glory for the first time. The fourth Joker’s Card in ICP’s Dark Carnival, which established the Juggalos as one of the most infamous fan movements in music history, officially arrives in black vinyl with a full album booklet.
Released in 1997, The Great Milenko was a divisive cultural lightning rod that firmly established Insane Clown Posse as a force to be reckoned with. The album was briefly recalled in the summer of 1997 after some of the lyrics spooked Disney’s Hollywood Records. The album was eventually picked up by Island Records and was released later that summer. Featuring singles like “Halls Of Illusions,” “How Many Times,” and “Hokus Pokus,” The Great Milenko has been certified two-times platinum in the nearly three decades since its release. The album also sees the rap group define themselves and the Juggalo movement for a wide audience with tracks like “Down With The Clown” and “What Is A Juggalo?”
“[B]y the time we did the fourth Joker’s Card, The Great Milenko, it was evident that something was going on. Juggalos were born,” Violent J reflected in a 2012 interview. To him, “Down With The Clown” “was saying, ‘It’s here, it’s alive, this is official, and I’ma be down forever. This is going to last forever.’ That’s what that song was saying. That was the purpose of it. That was the meaning of it.”
More of a rock-oriented album than the previous three ICP releases, The Great Milenko also saw Insane Clown Posse receive some major cosigns from major rock stars. Slash of Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper, and guitarists Legz Diamond and Steve Jones all appear on the album. The album’s singular sound can also be attributed somewhat to producer Mike E. Clark, the legendary Detroit producer who helped bring The Great Milenko to life.
Order The Great Milenko here.
