Insane Clown Posse Announce Farewell Tour After Violent J Reveals Heart Problem
At last weekend’s Gathering of the Juggalos, Insane Clown Posse’s Violent J revealed that he is suffering from heart problems and, as a result, the hip-hop duo will retire from touring — but not playing live altogether — after a farewell trek next year.
Violent J announced that he’s suffering from the more serious form of Atrial Fibrillation (otherwise known as a-fib), which causes the heart’s upper and lower chambers to beat irregularly and out of sync with each other. He said he first noticed something was wrong last year when he found himself getting winded during simple tasks, like walking the 40 yards from his home to his studio.
Violent J said he underwent several kinds of treatments, including one that involved a defibrillator and another procedure where they burned off a scar that had formed on his heart because of the irregular beating. While the latter procedure was successful, Violent J said the doctors told him his problems could return at any moment.
“There’s a lot of people that live long lives with fucking a-fib,” Violent J said (via Loudwire). “And I don’t feel weaker — if anyone wants to fucking test me they can jump up! I don’t weaker, but it’s very embarrassing and very not-cool to have to say that you’re taking a step backward… There comes a time in everybody’s life where you have to take your first step backward. And yeah, I’m 49, I’m taking my step back sooner than a lot of people, but the point is, each and every single person alive — if they’re lucky — will one day have to take that step back. Because nobody escapes the trials and tribulations of being a human.”
As a result of his condition, Violent J said Insane Clown Posse won’t be able to tour like they used to. The band plans to do one more world tour next year, hitting all major, and some minor, markets in the United States, before heading to Canada, Europe, and Australia; to make things easier on Violent J, however, the trek will be spread out, with ICP only performing three or four shows a week.
Violent J reassured fans, however, that even after the farewell tour, ICP will still play major events like the Gathering of the Juggalos, Hallowicked, and Big Ballers Christmas Party. “We’re gonna do a show somewhere every month,” he added. “I want to make it clear, making music is not affected in any way, shape or form, by anything going on with Shaggy or myself health-wise.”
