This is an accepted version of this page Joseph Frank Bruce (born April 28, 1972),[1] known by his stage name Violent J, is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler, actor, and part of the hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse (ICP).
[7] There he formed his own gang called Inner City Posse, which would terrorize people with Army-issued tear gas and steal car radios for money.
[7] Fearing for his mother's life, Joe fled to Bonnie Doone, North Carolina, a trailer park town just outside Fort Bragg, where his brother was staying with the U.S.
[8] Joe bought his own karaoke machine and, along with Joey and John Utsler, formed the music group Inner City Posse, named after their gang.
[citation needed] In 2023, Bruce collaborated on two tracks for the Saddle Up and Ride EP from alternative rock band The Lucid, composed of Sponge vocalist Vinnie Dombroski, guitarist Drew Fortier, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, and Raven drummer Mike Heller.
"[15] The group held only one live performance, which occurred at the record release party for Insane Clown Posse's Riddle Box.
[15] Formed in 1998, Dark Lotus consisted of Bruce and Utsler of Insane Clown Posse, Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric of Twiztid, and Chris Rouleau.
[19] Psychopathic Rydas reuses the beats of popular rappers within the genre without paying to license the original songs or requesting permission from copyright owners to use the music, effectively making their albums bootlegs[20] and resulting in the releases becoming difficult to find in some markets.
The group made appearances on Insane Clown Posse's The Wraith: Shangri-La[21] and Esham's Acid Rain[22] and Repentance[23] before releasing their debut album, Furious, in 2005.
Bruce has cited the artists Esham, N.W.A, Ice Cube, Awesome Dre, Geto Boys, Gong, Pearl Jam, and Michael Jackson as influences on his music.
[8] Bruce wrestled as Corporal Darryl Daniels, wearing a U.S. Army uniform that his brother had sent him while in the Gulf War, and had his first match against "Irish" Mickey Doyle at Azteca Hall in Southwest Detroit.
The duo decided to create a compilation of their favorite matches, recording their own sports announcing under the personas named "Handsome" Harley Guestella "Gweedo" (Utsler) and Diamond Donovan Douglas "3D" (Bruce).
The video's success allowed Bruce and Utsler to host their own wrestling show, ICP's Strangle-Mania Live, to a sold-out performance at St. Andrew's Hall.
[37] The WWF also wanted ICP to appear on their SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) program in August 1998 and rap live while The Oddities entered the ring.
[37] Bruce and Utsler were assigned to the locker room with Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker, who were to wrestle during the main event that night.
Given that McMahon failed to uphold his promise to air Insane Clown Posse's commercial, Abbiss recommended that Bruce and Utsler terminate their agreement with the WWF.
[37] On August 9, 1999, Insane Clown Posse made their WCW debut on Monday Nitro in a six-man tag team match.
At Road Wild 1999, Rey Mysterio Jr., Billy Kidman, and Eddie Guerrero defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse.
[39] Insane Clown Posse continued to wrestle on Monday Nitro, defeating Public Enemy one week, and losing to Konnan and Rey Mysterio Jr. another.
At Fall Brawl 1999, the tag team of Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, and Billy Kidman again defeated Vampiro and Insane Clown Posse.
On the August 23, 2000, episode of WCW Thunder, Great Muta, Vampiro, and Insane Clown Posse beat Tank Abbott and 3 Count.
When Gilberti tried to convince the duo to apologize to Jarrett, Insane Clown Posse chased Gilbertti and Young out of the ring before challenging the team to a match for the next week.
Later that night, Scott Hudson interviewed Insane Clown Posse, and the duo announced that they would face whoever Jeff Jarrett threw at them next in a "Juggalo Street Fight".
"The Alpha Male" Monty Brown made his TNA return, and cost Insane Clown Posse and 2 Tuff Tony the match.
[53] Utsler received surgery on his neck the following year, forcing Bruce to compete as a singles competitor and as a member of the Hatchet Boys, alongside Corporal Robinson and 2 Tuff Tony.
[55] At the first annual Bloodymania, JCW's premier wrestling event, Insane Clown Posse teamed with Sabu to defeat Trent Acid and The Young Alter Boys w/ Annie Social the Nun.
[59][60][61] On November 9, 2008, the Juggalo World Order (Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, 2 Tuff Tony, and Corporal Robinson) "invaded" Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Turning Point PPV by purchasing front row tickets to the event.
[62][63] At Bloodymania III, Juggalo World Order (Corporal Robinson, Scott Hall, Shaggy 2 Dope, Violent J, and Sid Vicious) defeated Trent Acid and the Alter Boys (Tim, Tom, Terry, and Todd).
Violent J became the manager of the clown tag team, The Brothers of Funstruction, while beginning a rivalry with Vampiro, coming off their past history in WCW.
On June 17, 2017, he released the music video for the 2013 Father's Day Single titled "Fuck My Dad (Richard Bruce)" and featured appearances from Lyte, Shaggy 2 Dope, Jumpsteady, their younger sister Denise, and Violent J's kids Ruby and JJ.