Insane Clown Posse,along with the core members of their new elite Psychopathic Records Team (Alex Abbiss their manager,Billy bill & Jump Steady) knew they couldn't wait around for the record to take off by itself. They developed a unique strategy never seen before in the music industry. They assembled street teams,samplers and Riddlebox Vans,and traveled throughout the country,TELLING PEOPLE,about the album. They traveled coast to coast,from state to state and city to city. They would roll into a city,hit the night spots,the cruising strips,colleges,and where ever people with an open mind would hang out. They informed people face to face about the Dark Carnival,ICP,and Psychopathic Records. They wouldn't leave a city until everyone in town was informed of ICP. Once their work was finished,and they left,each of those cities was designated as "Clown Towns."
Meanwhile,Insane Clown Posse toured the country,bringing its insane live performance across the US. Already well known through out the Midwest for the riotous live show,which involve full theatric stage sets,costumed monsters,and gallons of Faygo Soda (a soda manufactured in Detroit,and commonly found in poor urban areas of Detroit and around the country) being poured all over the audience. Thousands of newly found juggalos would squeeze into venues filled to capacity,just to catch a glimpse of the pure insanity and chaos that would erupt at an Insane Clown Posse show.
Record sales began to take off,and Insane CLown Posse began to look for another record label that would better promote their 4th Jokers Card message. And this label was without a doubt Hollywood Records. The people at Hollywood totally understood the message of the Dark Carnival. They knew how to market it,they knew how to promote it,and they knew that it was going to be crazy. But there was one catch,Hollywood Records was owned by The Walt Disney Corporation. however,key people at Hollywood reassured ICP that they were allowed full control of content,and that Disney wasn't involved with anything Hollywood released. Hollywood an Disney both approved the album,and a new era was born. The era of the 4th Jokers Card,The Great Milenko.
The country's underground music scene was buzzing with anticipation. The world was ready to receive the 4th message. Whether it was really from a ghostly carnival or just from J and Shaggy's twisted heads,either way,they were ready. But unfortunately,6 hours after the initial release of The Great Milenko,Disney forced Hollywood Records to recall the album. At the time,Disney was under boycott from the Southern Baptists. The Southern baptists were upset about Disney's subsidiaries,like Miramax,releasing "anti-family" movies (such as Pulp Fiction) as well as Disney's refusal to get rid of it's "Gay Day" at Disneyland. Disney decided to drop the album 6 hours after release as a token effort to placate the Southern Baptists and end the boycott.
This didn't stop Insane Clown Posse for a second. Seeing Hollywood and Disney drop the ball on such a hot album,record companies began a bidding war to see who would be able to sign Insane Clown posse. Island records offered Insane Clown Posse not only money,but also the marketing skill and respect for the music that Insane Clown Posse were lokoing for,and ICP quickly signed. However,there was one serious catch. Disney refused to release ICP from their contract unless ICP paid Disney two million dollars. ICP didn't have two million dollars to spare,and it looked like ICP wouldn't be able to leave Hollywood. But in a meeting with Disney president Michael Eisner,Alex Abbiss said that if ICP weren't released with its contract with Disney,he would "Bring in the Juggalos to burn down Disneyland." Shortly after Alex's statement,there was a sudden breakthrough in negotiations,and Disney released ICP for a substantially lower sum (which was paid by Island Records.)
The Great Milenko was re-released on Island Records,with extra tracks that weren't included on the original,and despite the setbacks caused by Disney,it went on to be certified Platinum,and is currently the record holder for the longest running hip-hop/rap album in Billboard history.
ICP spent the interim between Jokers Cards expanding into the world of wrestling. In 1998,Insane Clown Posse joined the WWF (world Wrestling Federation),to wrestle with a team of sideshow freaks know as The Oddities. After several months in the WWF,ICP left,unhappy with the way they were portrayed in storylines. They moved to the WCW,where they first met their tag-team partner and lifetime homie Vampiro. Insane Clown Posse and Vampiro instantly hit it off,and began terrorizing the WCW with their antics. But finally,due to scheduling difficulties (they were also on a U.S. tour at the time),ICP left the WCW.
In June of 1999,the last year of the century,the 5th Jokers Card - The Amazing Jeckel Brothers arrived. The album was an instant success,debuting at #4 on the Billboard Charts (just behind the Backstreet Boys.) It was considered a landmark event among many in the music industry,that a band with no radio play,no MTV play,loathed by the critics,despised by the media,and without any majour advertising campaign or strategy,would be able to be so successful. It was a testament to the power of the Dark Carnival,and its dedicated followers,the Juggalos. The album was certified Platinum,shorly afterward.