Springville, IN – The 20th annual Gathering Of The Juggalos descended on Springville, Indiana this week and brought out its usual freak show supporters.
As a tribute to the late Bushwick Bill — who Insane Clown Posse considers a pioneer the horrorcore genre — the entire Gathering Of The Juggalos crew was outfitted with special t-shirts featuring Bushwick’s image emblazoned on the sleeve.
Organizers the event naturally assumed Willie D and Scarface — who were performing as the Geto Boys — would pay their respects to Bushwick at some point during their Saturday evening (August 3) set.
But according to sources on Bushwick’s team, that didn’t happen.
During their performance, fans were noticeably outraged after Scarface and Willie D not only failed to mention Bushwick but also omitted Bushwick’s verse from “Mind Playing Tricks On Me,” drawing boos from the crowd.
“Basically they chose to completely omit all Bill’s verses and the crowd definitely did not like that at all,” the source told HipHopDX. “They were booing them. They Willie and Scarface] pretty much removed the presence Bill.
“It was real strange. Not one word was said during the set. No mention him. No moment silence. No picture him — nothing. Even the organizers the event were completely shocked. They were under the impression there was gonna be something done.”
The source noted the crew t-shirts with Bill’s face on them and explained why that gesture made Scarface and Willie’s lack acknowledgment even stranger.
“The organizers specifically put Bushwick Bill’s face on the sleeve the crew shirts for the entire event, so everybody knew there was compassion being given to Bill,” the source continued. “That was their way giving tribute, so they figured there was gonna be something done with the guys.
“But no, it completely evaporated to the extent they did ‘Mind Playing Tricks On Me’ and literally cut it f right at Bill’s verse and said, ‘Hey, this was the original version the song. This is how it is.’ Then, they did a different version it and the crowd was like, ‘What is going on right now?’ The next day, the organizers were completely baffled. They didn’t know that was gonna happen.”
Bushwick’s 23-year-old son Javon Boutte was invited to the event and expected to say a few words about his father. President and CEO Psychopathic Records William Dial (or Billy Bill) had arranged for Boutte to speak directly after the Geto Boys’ set and before ICP took the stage. But that didn’t happen either.
“When we all got there, the guys were pretty adamant we weren’t present and weren’t going to be involved,” the source recalled. “We don’t know specifically what the words were, but security came over to us and were like, ‘Hey, they kinda don’t want you guys back here while they’re doing their thing so I guess we can’t do the tribute.’ That was the additional punch in the throat, stab in the heart.”
While it’s unclear why exactly Scarface and Willie ultimately snubbed Bushwick during the show, Willie’s recent interview with VladTV rubbed many people the wrong way, including DJ Ready Red’s sister and two Bushwick’s children.
In an interview with DX last month, Boutte wished only the best for Willie — despite the perceived slander said about his dad.