ROX-TV puts boots on the ground for the Juggalo Hoedown in Detroit City. It went down at the Ride It Sculpture Park next to the Davison Freeway. The scene was a beautiful collision of ideas and people. Read about it.

Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. As always, we welcome back the returning readers and say hello to any new eyes drifting in. I’m really excited about tonight’s episode because I had such a great time covering the event. As we all know, there is no substitute for boots on the ground. It’s vital in reporting about what went down, so everyone can stay current on what type is shit is happening out in the world. Here at ROX-TV, we try to get up as much as possible, covering different aspects of the underground music scene as well as careening off into the endless forest of shitty movies, drugs, morning cereals, and anything else we dig. Sometimes we are right, sometimes we are a little off, but we always operate with good vibes and energy. Sometimes we go hang with the party Gods and get a little liminal, you know that in-between sweet spot between the conscious and un-concious. Some people call it partying, others call it communion. I call it home (at least when it’s reasonable, respectful, and highlights FREEDOM). That special place, that is just a touch away when the time is right. Magic.

I don’t get out as much as I used to and that is caused for a variety of reasons but mostly boils down to the growing number of days I’ve spent on Earth. We age some and thankfully it’s a gradual process, otherwise I don’t know if anyone could handle the changes. But that is neither here nor there. Sometimes when the stars line up, time doesn’t matter at all. In fact, with the right set of eyes, the illusion of time peels away. Can’t believe me…that’s ok. Everyone is on their own path. Knowledge and wisdom are interesting things, and sometimes people aren’t ready to know everything. I know some people that would rather not know anything. I can dig that, but for me…it’s going to be “further” especially when the circumstances hit just right. There will always be people out there willing to go over the hill or storm the gates for experience. You will find me close by every time.

So anyway, I had a great time last night at the Juggalo Hoedown and I want to talk about it. I know we cover lots of live events and they are all great because they are “Live” and happening in REAL LIFE. Not on a fucking screen. I would rather go to a concert in a shoe box, than not go at all. Some people probably diss my line of reasoning because “not everything is the best” and although I agree if we are talking about music, movies, or tangible items…but this is something entirely different. Anything that gets people moving and behaving like humans for me is important. If someone threw a party and two people came…I would celebrate them for being and acting human. Let the robots worry about the algorithms and never-ending technology intrusions. Let the machines behave like machines. Humans should be more like humans. We are social creatures by nature and it’s that very thing that has helped the human race thrive. Until now. The technology explosion changed the landscape and the game. Putting humans further away from each other than ever before and right in plain sight.

Sure, we live in cities and communities, where people are, but how many people are interacting? Sharing a moment with a stranger. Perhaps a smile, for no other reason other than being nice. Are we looking out for each other? Even when we don’t have to. Are we making this a better place with each action or making it a shit hole? I look out from my window and I’m not always sure everyone is trying anymore. I understand change and evolution. I’m fine with that. But some things weren’t meant to end or be forgotten. Love, good will, empathy, tolerance, understanding, compassion, justice, and doing the right thing. Loving your fellow human. Ok, I fucking get it. I just feel like it has to be said out loud sometimes. I think that’s why the Juggalo Hoedown 2023 event touched me on so many levels. All of those things were on full display, and I noticed big time. It’s not that I wasn’t expecting it. Juggalos are some of the kindest and accepting people around.

(Author’s Note: regardless of recent activity in the press about Zuggalos having some distance from older Juggalos in their 30’s and 40’s… for their alleged conservative leanings in regards to trans. I find some of that kind of bullshit. Why? Because I’m 43 and I’ve never experienced that in the culture…ever. Juggalos were persecuted, hated on, and chased by Conservative leaning people in the 1990’s. I know because I had to run sometimes. No Juggalo back then had conservative anything…in fact we were about as radical as our hometown’s had to offer most of the time. I will never accept that there is widespread conservative Juggalos hating on trans Zuggalos or whatever the new word is. Even if there was an instance of this, would one fucking event shade 400,000 older Juggalos as conservative bigots because of their age? Stupid shit my friend. People tried to fuck with this movement in the 1990’s by hating it and trying to destroy it. The Juggalo scene lived on. They have to deal with us. So, I suppose that the bullshit machine might fire up at some point to sow distrust in the community, which eventually can kill a community. Only believe what you see, hear, or experience first-hand. Take anything else on earth with a grain of block salt. We were few back then, if you got down with ICP then you were a friend automatically regardless of anything else. Conservative Juggalo haters LOL MFER, don’t be ridiculous. They would have to invent them first, sounds like they’re trying, somewhere. But I come in peace, just venting. That’s one point of view and holds the value that only one perspective can. Inconsequential regardless in relation to the Universe at large)

Ok, I’ve said my mis-information public service announcement for the evening. Now we can get back to the cool and experience the night and how it was for. This would be a good time to go take a piss, pour a drink, load the tower, or zip out the rolling tray. It’s going to get fun in here and we could be in this loop for a while. Ladies and Gentlemen and anything else you identify with…I give to you….The Juggalo Hoedown 2023. Let’s move…

One Week Earlier

About a week earlier, I got a call from the Rude Boy. I was in the hotel lounge drinking Singapore Slings with Mescal on the side. He told me that there was a Juggalo Family event in Detroit called “Juggalo Hoedown 2023”. It sounded cool. I had been in the dumps over missing the reunion in O-H-I-O, but life constraints and prior engagements slowed me down. Sometimes to the point where I just wanted to observe the world from the living room. I was in this space when the phone lit up. It was Rudy, the man who can’t sit still. He is forever rolling down the road of life, taking the ride in. I experienced Rude Boy’s life up close and personal for a year or so when we wrote his book “My Life the Funhouse” (Available on Amazon since 2021). Trying to keep up with this Juggalo Legend is difficult. I’m not fucking around. Sometimes the Cruisin The Barrio clique was going to several events a week during the busy season. And it wasn’t just one thing. They were making videos for artists, running wrestling events for IBW International Bigtime Wrestling, here…there…it was hopping. The El Club, St. Andrews Hall, Harpos, and on and on. The level of participation really kicked my ass. Prior to getting into writing books, I mostly grew marijuana and dreamed of Pismo Beach. I hadn’t been getting out much. In 2015, I had a relapse with the bottle and went down to the local watering hole. I hadn’t been in there in three years. The place had been completely re-done on the inside. I ordered a beer and sat on my miserable stool in the corner. After six or eight cans, I felt chill enough to ask the bar maid when the changes occurred. She was like “oh yeah, this was done a couple of years ago”. Sometimes I don’t get out much.

After hearing from the Rude Boy, I talked with DJ Carlito and Bob about the event. They kept telling me “man you are gonna dig this scene. This is your shit”. I thought about it for thirty or forty seconds and said to hell with it. You have to get out and do shit. We weren’t put here to sit in one place, that’s what fucking furniture is for. We need to move and I needed to get moving then. I was in a rut and I needed out of it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a creature of habit and the rut can be a nice ride if that particular rut suits your fancy. But sometimes I get into the wrong ruts, where the doom and gloom reigns supreme. This was kinda where I was. I just needed some fresh air and birthday balloons. So I agreed to head down and see what there was to see.

Morning of the Juggalo Hoedown

So Saturday finally rolled into town and I needed to get moving. I had to cruise up to the Barn in Burton for some travelling companions. I hate showing up empty handed to a party and refuse to do it if I can afford to. I grabbed some Royal Highness (1/8th), Platinum Lemon Cherry Gelato (1.0z), two packs of pre-rolls that came ready to go in a “cigarette” type pack (I thought that was great and grabbed two with ten fire dogs in each. Weight was .7g per but was infused so I was cool with that), five packs of Choice Indica gummies, and one more Mimosa (1/8) to do the trick. I didn‘t need all that for the show, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can (thank you Fear and Loathing, rest in peace HST). I had a feeling that I might run into some more things as the journey continued but only time would tell. The universe rewards the reverent. I asked the party gods for a safe and fun night, and then I was off to the highway, where my fucking patience with gridlock traffic would be pushed to the test. It was going to get dark before it ever got light…

End of Part One

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV

(Part Two in active progress, this isn’t a shitty horror movie review, so the article should be completed within a fort night)