"Riddlebox", Insane Clown Posse album review

     "I certainly hope you're enjoying yourselves here at our three ring exhibit, but to be honest, I really don't see what's so fucking funny about it - these fucking people are real!"
     Hello ninjas! What the fuck is up? I'll tell you what's up; shitty, motherfucking, incessant snow. That's what up. What else is up? "Riddlebox", by Insane Clown Posse, that's also what's up. There's a bit of a correlation between them two; snow causing me to stay inside and listen to "Riddlebox". Enough about that, however, let's jump right into it, shall we?
     Riddlebox is one of Insane Clown Posse's earlier albums, and is the third Joker's Card in the original deck of six. Riddlebox itself was released in 1995 nearly two decades ago, after the Ringmaster, and before The Great Milenko. It was re-released in 2008 in vinyl double LP format (don't ask me what that means) and has seen a few different pressings since its 1995 debut. It's even said to spawned Insane Clown Posse's fandom, the Juggalos. There's quite a bit of history behind this CD, but that isn't really the point of this review, so I'll leave you to your devices if you want to read more about that. As a final note, I'm pretty positive I have the 2008 press, so that's the one I'll be speaking on. There are some minor differences to be noted among the other presses, but I won't be speaking on them.

Graphics:
     The front of this cover features the Riddlebox, which you can see in more detail below. On the back of the cover you got track listing (Which doesn't include the intro; helpful to know that when you're scanning the CD and the track list comes out fucky) and a picture of old-school Shags and J. The CD's got the Riddlebox character fit to it, and looks nice and glossy. The cover doubles as booklet, and has another old school Shags and J picture on it. Inside the booklet there's a shit-ton of shout-outs to mad people, and on the right side there's credits for the production on the album. Instructions on how to join the "ICP fan-club" and a candid illustrative allusion to the next three Joker's cards. There's also a picture of the Riddlebox character on the back of the unfolded booklet that details what it is exactly that the Riddlebox is, and what it will do upon opening.

Content:
     Riddlebox remains to be one of the favorites among Juggalos, and that's for a reason. ICP nails down their goofy, yet still relatable lyrics down with consistent production and entertaining skits. For being only their fourth album, Riddlebox was able to define what the wicked clowns are all about: the fun, the murder, and the reality of the world filtered through a fine lens of insanity. It outlined what made them unique, and that, combined with consistent production from Mike E. Clark, is what made this CD so special that it is still revered today.
     My bet is that if you're a Juggalo, you've already listened to this CD, or at least heard of it. If you're not sure about copping it, just listen to Headless Boogie or Dead Body Man. You'll hear that crazy, goofy and excitable carny vibe that makes Insane Clown Posse unique. This album hits hard, to the point where I'd definitely list it as one of their best CDs.
     This album is absolutely exemplary, maybe even quintessential. In other words, it's really fucking good. Mike E. Clark did an incredible job producing this album, and combined with the talent of ICP, this disc is far from stale. Even if it isn't your cup of tea, you should be able to find something to appreciate amid the silly carny theme and impressive production.
 If you're a Juggalo, you will love this CD. You can find it pretty cheap too, especially online.

Final Grade: JRH gives "Riddlebox" by Insane Clown Posse a...5/5!!!!
*Thunderous clapping*
*I wrestled with this for a while...Even with my marginal complaints, it was just so hard to give this album anything but a perfect score. It seemed wrong to give such an amazing album anything but an absolutely perfect score...First album on JRH to get a perfect score! Congrats to "Riddlebox"!

Weak Points:
- The album is a little slow to pick up at first
- The intro track isn't listed on the track listing of the case, which can get confusing when scanning them onto a PC

Strong Points:
- Excellent producing by Mike E. Clark
- Entertaining skits add to the grim humor of the CD
- ICP's zany and goofy style remains relatable is many ways
- Fresh-ass graphics
- Mike does a great job creating the slapstick carny theme on the CD, adding on to the craziness present in the lyricism

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Dope-ass album cover!