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Here’s What Happened When Flosstradamus Brought Trap Music to the Gathering of The Juggalos

The Chicago duo’s' visit to the Gathering of The Juggalos was a meeting of two very misunderstood subcultures, both of whom love to turn up.

This summer, Chicago trap lords Flosstradamus delivered a very talked-about performance at the Gathering of the Juggalos. A yearly festival in rural Ohio centered around the music of Insane Clown Posse, the Gathering has been shrouded in controversy since its inception in 2000. Following years of occasional violent outbreaks—including a near-riot in 2001, and an infamous incident involving reality TV star Tila Tequila—the FBI officially labeled the Juggalos a "loosely organized hybrid gang" back in 2011, a ruling that ICP is currently attempting to overturn.

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After announcing their booking at the Gathering, Josh and Curt caught some serious flack on social media. For some loyal occupants of the HDYNATION, Floss' appearance at a festival centered around clown make-up and songs with murderous themes seemed strange and out of place. Via Instagram, the guys responded to the in their typical no-fucks-given fashion: "Our mission statement is to bring our sound and vision to every corner of the world. Whether it's at Coachella or the Gathering we are going to turn the fuck up because honestly… we don't give a fuck. Controversy is nothing new for us, and once again we'll go against the grain, do something most artists are scared to do, and keep building this HDY shit worldwide."

When Floss invited us to join them on their journey into the unknown, the THUMP crew crammed into a van and drove all the way out to Thornville, Ohio, the location of this year's Gathering. We ended up documenting the duo's performance—predictably, wildly turnt, and bizarrely scheduled right after forgotten punk group Puddle of Mud—and searching for some of the parallels between the occupants of two often misunderstood worlds: ravers and juggalos. Among other interesting finds, we learned about one thing that both subcultures have in common: a belief in the importance of community and inclusivity.

David Garber is on Twitter