Meaning
What does Juggalette mean?
Juggalette is a term for a female who is a hardcore fan of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse (ICP).
The term is the female version of a “juggalo”. The fan group usually calls themselves the “juggalos”, hence the references.
“Jugalettes” wear clown face paint and usually attend an annual festival called Gathering of The Juggalos or The Gathering, for short.
The fanbase also developed their own idioms, slangs and characteristics.
Origin
What's the origin of Juggalette?
The history of calling ICP fans “juggalos” started on one evening at a live performance of ICP in 1994.
During one of their songs, The Juggla, the two lead singers of the hip hop band, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, called their fans “Juggalos” and “Jugalettes” for the first time.
After that, the nickname stuck and around the 1990s as the fandom grew; the label deepened connections amongst the fans.
Spread & Usage
How did Juggalette spread?
The fanbase of Insane Clown Posse increased heavily after the release of their third album, Riddle Box in 1995.
Leading up to the 1997’s album, The Great Milenko, featuring the song What Is a Juggalo? and Down With the Clown.
The Gathering, the annual festival of “juggalo”, held over 11 events and drew a total attendance of about 107,500 fans, on average nearly 9,800 per year, with a peak of 20,000 in 2010.
The festival also featured big names, including Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, and MC Hammer.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Juggalette
- The Guardian – Are these clowns really gang members? Juggalos protest FBI’s label