Why I Can’t Say “Fuck Twiztid” (Even Though They’re Pissing Me Off)

Twiztid’s “Psychomania” tour came through town last night.

Before I go any further, you should know I take my life as a Juggalo very seriously. There might be some language in here that you deem “too dramatic,” but I can’t help it and I don’t apologize for it. It’s just how it is.

When I started listening to ICP back in 1999, Twiztid was in their “Mostasteless” re-issue era. Like a lot of Juggalos, I came to find out about Twiztid through ICP. For me, Twiztid was always there. Until December 12, 2012, I never knew a Psychopathic Records without Twiztid. I grew up with them, both in age and as a Juggalo. They came to mean almost as much to me as ICP. Any time I said “Twiztid for life,” I meant it.

So when they split from Psychopathic, I didn’t hold it against them. I got it. If they thought that leaving was the best thing for Twiztid and for the Juggalos, then I trusted their judgement. Then they started MNE.

I didn’t think it was right for them to call their label Majik Ninja Entertainment. Everybody knows that ninjas are part of ICP’s gimmick. Yes, Twiztid had the famous “Magic Magic Ninjas What” chant from Big Money Hustla$, but the only reason magic ninjas are in that movie in the first place is because Joe Bruce loves ninjas. Oh well. As long as there was no beef, I could always take it as an homage. Minor comments had been thrown around, but usually squashed quickly.

Then came Lex. I didn’t think it was right for Twiztid’s first signee to look like an ICP knock off. For me, it felt like an insult to Juggalos’ intelligence, as if face paint is some kind of free pass or something. Not to mention the name The Hex Master so soon after Psychopathic’s release of Big Hoodoo.  I gave Lex the same discernment that Juggalos give all new artists, and after “The Black Season” EP I was satisfied that he was no hoe. I bought that album to support him and support MNE, but mostly to support Twiztid.

That year, I saw Twiztid’s “Spooktacular Horror Show” tour and paid for a VIP. Balls deep into the split with Psychopathic and I still told Monoxide and Madrox–to their faces–“Twiztid for life!” And when I said it, I meant it. I had been saying it for 17 years, I wasn’t gonna stop now. That show was one of the greatest I have ever seen, and you can hear more about that in my podcast I recorded right afterwards. I even had Lex sign that “Black Season” EP. A week later, Twiztid announced signing Boondox.

I didn’t (and still don’t) think it was right to sign Boondox, both artistically and professionally. It makes the squad look like The Ghosts Of Psychopathic Records Past, or something. I think Boondox is a fantastic artist, but if you’re willing to make a move like that at the expense of your label looking corny, then it suggests there’s a different motive other than just signing a great artist. Even if everything were on the up and up, Twiztid had to know that it was gonna stir the pot. Why stir the pot at that point? As a professional courtesy and for respect to the Juggalos, I don’t think the time was right for stirring the pot. So at that point I’m starting to think, “What’s really going on here?”

(By the way, a year earlier, Monoxide’s reason for why they were going to sign Boondox was, “I guess we have to now,” which makes no fucking sense. Yes, it was INCREDIBLY inappropriate/dumb/shitty for Violent J to make that announcement at the Gathering, but why the fuck would that mean they “have to” sign Boondox now? It doesn’t mean that at all, and Monoxide knows that. Twiztid was in no way obligated to sign Boondox and that was a chicken shit move from Monoxide to say that. And again, to be fair, yes it was a chicken shit move from ICP to announce it in the first place. Sorrynshit)

On December 31, 2016, Young Wicked signed with MNE. When I saw that news, I audibly yelled at my phone, “Oh what the fuck.” I didn’t even know that that was a possibility on the table. Young Wicked was KILLING it on Psychopathic, and I didn’t know shit about any of the rumors later confirmed by Jumpsteady. Even without knowing the rumors, it was obvious that something was all fucked up.

You know what happens after that. Yada yada yada, now everyone is just dissing the fuck out of each other on some non-subliminal shit. Who started it is a whole other conversation, but who gives a flying fuck? After using the name Majik Ninja Entertainment, imitating the same styles and gimmicks as Psychopathic, and signing so many Psychopathic artists, I think Twiztid loses the right to criticize Psychopathic at all. Even if Violent J did start the beef (debatable), Twiztid has painted themselves into a corner. You can’t just copy SO much from Psychopathic and then do things like hate on the Juggalo march. And I’m not being a dick by saying MNE is copying Psychopathic; Monoxide said himself that their motto is, “Why be original when you can just be better?!?!” (kind of a sucker thing to say, if you ask me)

Lately, Monoxide has taken to saying that ICP is making the Juggalos choose sides. It offended me at first, because I didn’t see it that way. After giving it some thought, I think he might have a point. With Violent J’s “6 Foot 7 Foot” and especially Shaggy 2 Dope’s “Psychopathic Soldier,” I can see how some Juggalos might feel made to choose a side.

What offends me now is that Twiztid is acting like they aren’t just as guilty. If anyone is making Juggalos choose sides, it is both ICP AND Twiztid. Twiztid’s not making diss tracks, but their actions speak louder than words. They jabbed and jabbed and jabbed one too many times, and then when the bubble popped they acted like ICP are just crazy mad men who are pissed for no reason. Twiztid can’t front like that because I get why ICP is pissed. I am pissed too.

But back in April on “The Juggalo Show,” Violent J said something that I can’t say. He said, “Fuck everyone at Majik Ninja Entertainment that was once a Psychopathic Records recording artist.” To me, that has always been the line. Once you say “fuck [somebody],” then you can’t just take it back overnight. Violent J made the choice to cross that line, and I know that he didn’t do it lightly. He doesn’t plan on taking it back any time soon. That is his choice to make for him, but I cannot yet make that choice for me. I can most likely never make that choice, because Twiztid has given me too much. If I said “Fuck Twiztid” now, then it would be just as wrong as it would be for Twiztid to say “Fuck ICP”. Fortunately, Twiztid hasn’t said “Fuck ICP,” which I greatly respect.

The night before Twiztid’s “Psychomania” concert, I didn’t know whether or not I wanted to go. I thought about it up to the very last minute. I went back and forth, back and forth. There were times when I 99% committed to each choice. “Yes, I should go and show support to Twiztid after everything they have done for the Juggalos.” “No, I shouldn’t go or it sends the message that I agree with their choices.” “Yes, I should go because I should be on the side of positivity.” “No, I shouldn’t go because being there might just agitate me.” So on and so on.

In a perfect world where I could split myself in half, and one half went to the concert and one half stayed at home, believe me, I would’ve done that. If I could split the universe into two parallel dimensions where in one I go and in one I don’t, then that would’ve been awesome. But I was made to make a choice. Not by ICP, and not by Twiztid, but just by chance.

I took the pass option on “Psychomania”. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Sit through Young Wicked’s performance and feel weird about seeing him in an MNE jersey? Sit through G-Mo Skee after he stepped WAY out of his lane in dissing Violent J? And when Twiztid comes out and does their Psychopathic Records classics, am I supposed to forget that they think they’re doing it better? ICP and Psychopathic Records means too much to me for me to do that, and Twiztid means too much for me to go to their shows if I don’t believe in what they’re doing.

You might be tempted to say, “Or the third option, which is to just not give a fuck,” but that’s just not possible. The concert experience is more than just a fun time for me; it replenishes the life force of my soul. Or something. If I had a bad vibe, then it just wouldn’t be the same. I still support Twiztid, but going to that show would’ve been faking the funk.

Instead I will continue supporting Twiztid in one of the ways that I always have: keep bumping their shit (and make everyone around me listen to it, too!). The songs I grew up on don’t suddenly become stale now that Twiztid is pissing me off. If I say “Fuck Twiztid” now, then that would mean I was just being a bitch ass bandwagon buster every time I said “Twiztid for life”. And I don’t intend to be made a buster of.