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Back when
ICP first started in the music biz, with their first album, Carnival of Carnage, they knew that in order for the album to
sell around Detroit, they needed some big names on it. And so they dished out some money and paid 2 of
Detroit's biggest rap stars to make appearances: Kid Rock
and Esham The Unholy.
Esham's appearance on COC was not his only involvement. He rapped on the track "Taste" but soon,
he and ICP became good friends. A lot of Carnival of Carnage was recorded right there in Esham's own personal studio, Hell's
Door. He produced a few tracks as well.
The friendship continued on thru the Beverly Kills album, where more songs
were co-produced by Esham and recorded at his studio. Esham also made another rapping appearance on the album, on the track
"Chop Chop".
And then it was done.
What happened is not clear, but suddenly, ICP and Esham weren't working together
anymore. Maybe there was a falling out or maybe they just went their own seperate ways. Regardless, ICP and Esham didn't work
together again at all until early 2000.
Esham joined ICP in the studio for the recording of their Bizzar Bizaar album.
He laid down vocals on the tracks "Bizzar" and "Questions" on the chorus. At the time, Esham was recording his own album entitled
"Tongues" and Violent J made an appearance on there on a song entitled "Panic Attack." After the album came out and ICP went
on tour, Esham toured with them breifly on the B/B Tour and rumors abounded. ICP's website at one point even said that Esham
was 99% sure to join Psychopathic Records and only a few contract issues had to be worked out before he was part of the family.
He was even rumored to be a member of the long awaited Dark Lotus super-group.
And again, it suddenly ended. What happened,
again, is a mystery, but this time, it didn't end on good terms, obviously. On the same album featuring the "Panic Attack"
song, Esham dissed Violent J on another song. And in an interview a month or two after the album was released, Esham launched
into a tirade against Violent J again, calling him 2-faced and racist. This was all in late 2001
Violent J responded
immediately on ICP's website. In a long commentary, Violent J insisted that he had no idea what Esham was pissed about but
said that Esham ALWAYS plays the race card and is always quick to blame racism on all his problems. He said he doesn't know
anybody who complains about his race more than Esham and that the reason Esham never signed to Psychopathic because he doesn't
have the smarts to be in the music business and said that Esham always made bad business decisions and that was why he had
been rapping for 10 years and still didn't have shit for record sales.
ICP again attacked Esham on their late-2001
release Forgotten Freshness Vol. 3 on the track "Cartoon Nightmares". However, one week after the album was released, Esham
and crew showed up at the annual Psychopathic Records Big Baller XMas Party. Nobody but them knows what was said, but Esham
and Violent J were seen talking to each other and seemed to be on friendly terms. And that was the last anyone heard of it
until June of 2002 when Esham was announced to be performing at the Gathering of the Juggalos the next month in Peoria.
At the Gathering, Esham went everywhere with ICP. During
Friday's seminar, Esham spoke briefly and said that Violent J is like a brother to him and sometimes, family gets into arguments
and fights but in the end, they still got love. He said him and J would always be homies and whatever beef had happened in
the past was just that: in the past.
Esham and ICP have since been inseperable and also, they have finally formed what
many horrorcore fans have wanted to see for nearly a decade: a group consisting of J, Shaggy, and Esham. It is called Soopa
Villians.
In late-2002, Esham signed with Psychopathic Records, FINALLY. To some people, it was years in the making
and was a dream come true for many when it finally came to be.
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