ROX-TV lands an interview with the Director of “Off Ramp” Nathan Tape. The film is in production and is sure to get the Juggalos and Juggalettes excited when it drops.

Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. We have another special guest with us tonight and I can’t wait to get into this interview. Before we jump into it, I would like to take a moment to put this all into context for the Juggalos out there. I’m from the 1990’s and have been down with the Dark Carnival since the wagons first rolled into the Genesee County, Michigan all those years ago. I have written extensively on ROX-TV about the early years of the Juggalo culture in the Murder Mitten and what it was like for ICP followers back in the day.

To say a lot has changed, might be an understatement today, considering the overwhelming reach of the Wicked Clownz, the culture they started, and the place in music history that they have carved out for themselves and the Juggalos.

Just as much as things have changed, sadly there still remains the stink of pushback and hate from people that never got around to understanding the culture or giving the music a chance. To their credit…the critics accomplished nothing.

The Dark Carnival is still rolling strong and is known all around the world today, either by name recognition or simply by a photograph. Most of the critics either withered away like dying vines, unable to hold on with hate….some avenues simply died off like MTV….and the radio, who was never a friend to the ICP or the Juggalo World has become irrelevant to anyone under the age of forty. It seems like, over time, that the hatred for the ICP actually helped keep the fire burning.

So to all the idiots who “opposed” without standing for much of anything…I say thank you. Perhaps without the hatred, the current state of things could not have been established. Although we will never know for sure since there were so many objectors and haters. I have a theory about it.

I believe that meaningless and unwarranted pushback creates a negative energy, which eats the creator alive slowly, leaving an empty shell in its wake. This negative energy can be converted, under the right circumstances into a propellant and serve as a reason to exist as well.

The opposition, in my opinion helped keep the Juggalos determined to not succumb to the blind and hollow herd that once dominated society. It fed the resistance and kept the Juggalos on their course, or so my magical theory goes (3,6,9).

Where we were once few, we are now many. Attempts to the keep the music “shut out” and un-accessible has given way to yearly Gathering of the Juggalo festivals, seasonal concerts for Halloween and Christmas, and a thriving online presence that just won’t quit.

Where we could once count the Juggalos in a school on two hands, it would take a shit load of hands to count the countries that have Juggalos residing now. Countries….not towns, villages, or schools, but fucking Countries. I laugh out loud as I write this because the Juggalos have won. I will repeat that. The Juggalos have won. “Can you hear me in the back, hello” (thank you Usual Suspects), the Juggalos have won.

Beyond the obvious evidence for this, which I have already highlighted above and in other articles all year, there seems to be a continual drum beat of new activity, which only further strengthens my opinion on the matter. The music, well yes…the music has been with us for three decades. The signs are there, I see them every time I turn on Instagram, the Juggalos get up. But this year in particular, there seems to be a lot of movement within the film industry. What does that tell me? It says “things have gotten to a point where Juggalo history and the culture have become some popular, that movies are being made to support the movement” (Not sure why I quoted myself, but there it is).

Every time I hear about a new project I get excited and swell with pride for the Juggalo community. After thirty years, our time has finally come or at least that’s my own opinion. But I think the evidence is there and when I see it, I bang the fucking drum. So, for this month in particular, shit is coming at a break neck speed.

I was reading an article on Faygoluvers a few weeks ago (run by the dope cat Scottie D) about a new movie in the works called “Off Ramp”. The name struck me as interesting and I read on. Any Juggalo related movie project is a big deal to me and will always grab my attention. In the article Scottie D talked about this new project and the Director Nate Tape.

https://faygoluvers.net/v5/2021/09/juggalos-wanted-for-upcoming-movie-shoot/

I read the article and was excited for this film. I wanted to know more about the Director Nate Tape and talk to him about the project. When I was a kid, journalists and disc jockeys worked hard to ignore the ICP, so to counter balance the historical jip, I pledge to devout as much time as possible to Juggalo culture and items of interests. I reached out to Nate Tape and the homie got right back to me. He agreed to do an interview on the project, which brings us to today.

 

I got a sneak peak at the overall arch of the film and I can say, Juggalos are going to dig it. Although I can’t reveal the details, it looks like forest fire to me. Very dope story line. So without further to do, lets get right to the heart of this thing. Pull up your favorite folding chair, break out a Faygo bottle, and dig the one and only Nate Tape…

I’m excited to be talking to you about your brand-new movie “Off Ramp” but before we get into the weeds on that drop, I’d like to talk a little bit about your history in film. Before we get started, what city and state are you repping tonight Nate?

I am from New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Can you tell the readers at ROX-TV some of your earliest memories of film or television, that really left a mark on you as a fan, or that might have ultimately paved the way or influenced you as an adult director?

I have always loved film and television, as a child of the 80’s I was glued to MTV and Saturday morning cartoons. When I was probably 6 years old I saw “Raising Arizona” and something clicked. I loved the dynamic camera work, the humor, but also the honest emotion. I loved that the main characters were people on the outskirts of society. And I am a sucker for an outlaw redemption story. There are so many films that I love and it would take a whole other article to discuss them, but the work of Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, Andrei Tarkovsky, Harmony Korine, Spike Jonze, Terry Gilliam, Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman, Quentin Tarantino, Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah (to name a few) have all inspired me over the years. 

As you got older, at what point did you have the realization that working in film or creating projects, was something that you wanted to get involved with, beyond just being a fan of cinema?

I have known that I wanted to work in film and TV since I was in high school. I went to film school at Loyola Marymount University in LA. But after graduating I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was living in LA, and aimless. I did some work in locations, but was very far from my goals and dreams. I came home to Louisiana for a high school reunion and there was a lot of production happening in New Orleans. I went to work with a friend in the lighting department there and quickly moved up to being a Gaffer (head of the lighting department). I was very lucky to find success, but I still wasn’t fulfilling my passion. So I have very recently decided to semi-retire from that part of the industry and concentrate on writing and directing. 

Once the dream was realized, how did you got about making the dream a reality? I believe I read somewhere that you started out with the family video camera and vcr. What was your very first piece?

 I used to make goofy little video experiments with my family’s video camera and I would edit them on two VCR’s with an auxiliary cord hooked up to a cd player. I think the only place my first experiment exists is in the old VHS tape I have in my closet. It was called “Avocado.” My first narrative film was called: Spilled Milk. It was about a sexually frustrated man who has a violent run in with a stranger. I actually act in the film as the main character, Thurman. I made it at the New York Film Academy in 2001. You can see it here: www.vimeo.com/413348618 . Funny enough I met my co-writer Tim Cairo that fateful summer in 2001.

Don’t quote me but I believe I also read that you grew up in the south. What was your coming of age like in the south in relation to music? What was going on down south at that time? What were you listening to if it differed from the accepted sounds of the day?

I did grow up in the South, and music has always been a very important part of my life. I learned to love music by digging through my parents record collection. I think (like a lot of people my age) when Nirvana “Smells like Teen Spirit” came out it completely shifted my perspective. Soon I was into punk, indie rock, and rap. I went to Lollapalooza 2 and saw many of my favorite artists. Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, A Tribe Called Quest, L7, Green Day. Then I fell into a crowd that was really into nerdy indie rock, Sonic Youth, Boredoms, Pavement, Sebadoh, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Modest Mouse, Moonshake, etc.

Around this time I remember getting from the local CD store a cassette maxi-single called “Who’s Going Chicken Hunting” by a new group called Insane Clown Posse. I thought it was funny and wild. When I went to college backpacker/indie rap became my thing. I grew up with the Beastie Boys and soon fell in love with Atmosphere, Company Flow, Mos Def, Outkast and similar artists. I even started making indie hip-hop and started a record label called Media Darling Records. Music and film are both huge passions of mine. I love making music videos and often do it just for the fun of it. The passion that Juggalos have for music is one of the reasons I was so attracted to the culture as subject matter for a film. 

I’m really excited about the movie “Off Ramp”. I was actually reading an article that the homie Scottie D had written on Faygoluvers about the project. The article gave a brief summary about the movie and how it is about a couple of Juggalos, travelling to the Gathering. I love that. It’s really amazing to me that after all these years, the Juggalo scene has grown to such a point that entertainment beyond Psychopathic Records releases are starting to be aimed directly at Juggalos, addressing life behind the paint for so many of us. I came up in the 1990’s and got on board with the Dark Carnival around 1992 after an encounter with Dog Beats and then the Carnival of Carnage. Can you talk a little bit about the motivations for this film and how the idea came to be?

I saw the documentary “American Juggalo” when it came out and it was the first time I was exposed to the FAMILY element of the Juggalo culture. I was touched. It brought tears to my eyes that these misunderstood misfits found love and acceptance amongst each other. I found it to be such a fitting and human metaphor for all of us that may have felt a little different. It occurred to me that if the whole world stopped judging people by the way they look and started judging people on the depth of their character, then the world would be a better place.

 I understand that you went to the Gathering of the Juggalos 21 at Legend Valley in Ohio. Was this a trip for research into the Juggalo Culture or a vacation as a fan? Perhaps it was a little of both?

My girlfriend and I went to GOTJ21 for a multitude of reasons. I knew in order to tell an authentic story I had to make the pilgrimage to the gathering myself. We brought a camera with us to the gathering and filmed the opening of the movie which plays a bit like a Nature Documentary. I wanted to capture real Juggalos for this part of the film. You may have seen us being escorted around the gathering by Jimmy Soda. I also purchased tickets to The Hunt For Bigfoot to gain an audience with ICP in order to pitch them the story. They were super cool and supportive, and we got a picture with them.

What were some of your takeaways from the GOTJ21? Did it meet or exceed your expectations? Did the experience leave you walking away with any surprises or revelations about the Juggalo/Juggalette Culture?

I arrived at the Gathering as a spectator and I left as a Juggalo. I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of love and support that we received from the Juggalo community. I was introduced to Scottie D by Kenneth Yu, the UPM of the movie Family. Scottie read my script and helped me make the story more authentic and resonate more with Juggalos. When Scottie and I met in person we immediately clicked. Scottie was awesome, he introduced me to Jimmy Soda, Mankini, and Psycho Scott. They were all so welcoming and provided me with insight into the culture and their individual Juggalo experiences. In the end, I made friends. Before I went to the Gathering the characters in my movie were just that, characters, now they are real people who I know and love. 

 What are some of your hopes for the film “Off Ramp”? Is there anything you want to accomplish with the film or perhaps a statement to the world about Juggalos and their culture?

I want to share with the world the beauty and madness of the Juggalo culture. I think Juggalos are one of the most misunderstood groups of people that I have ever encountered. I think that as humans we have a tendency to prejudge people whether we intend to or not. Juggalos seem to be on the losing end of that prejudice. I would like Off Ramp to enlighten people about who Juggalos are and what Juggalo family love really means. I would love for Off Ramp to do for Juggalo culture what Repo Man or Sid and Nancy did for punk culture. 

When you first started out on this film “Off Ramp” did you receive any pushback from peers in the movie industry? What was the initial reaction you received from family and friends?

 I did get some laughs at first, but once people hear the story they are very excited by the idea. I am surprised how many people are unaware of Juggalos, and even more people are not aware of the Family-love aspect of Juggalo culture. I want this to be a film for both Juggalos and for non-Juggalos. I would like to shed new light on a group that have been unfairly judged. I think that the Juggalo desire to love and be loved by your fellow man is a very human idea that a lot of people will connect with.

I know the readers at the ROX-TV website will be excited to see the film and I’m personally excited both as an OG Juggalo from the 810 and also as a writer for the underground music scene. Is there any parting words you’d like to leave the readers with or any news you’d like to tease out about the film?

I met a lot of really cool people at the Gathering. I was touched and inspired by the fact that I met people who were like real life versions of my characters. I want Juggalos to know that I intend to represent them as honestly as I can. I truly feel like I arrived at the Gathering as a spectator and left as a Juggalo. I can’t reveal any casting decisions yet, but I can tell you that we are working tirelessly to create a funny, exciting, action packed, interesting film that will represent Juggalos in an honest way. Whoop whoop.

Shout outs: I’m from the 90’s and back in the day shout outs were a big thing. I still dig them and want to know who Nate tape is shouting out tonight?

I want to shout out all my Juggalo family that I met at the Gathering: Scottie D, Manderz, Jimmy Soda, Mankini, Psycho Scott, Tox, Sykosyz da clown, Less Legs, Trish, my girlfriend Ashley, my dog Lula, and the New Orleans Saints. 

Producer, Writer and Director, Co-Writer, and Composer for “OFF RAMP”

FABIOLA ANDRADRE – PRODUCER Fabiola Andrade is a filmmaker inspired by her multicultural heritage & interdisciplinary background. The constant themes in her projects include identity exploration, human dynamics, and the surreal manifestations of the so called “ordinary life”. She is a Telluride Film Festival Cinephile and NOFF’s Emerging Voices mentee, as well as a member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Women in Film, and the New Orleans Film Society. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production where she received the University of New Orleans- Italy Global Ambassador Award, studying the Roman World in Literature and Film, and Art Appreciation in Rome, Florence, Paris, and Munich. In between her own projects, she has collaborated with Independent and Studio Productions from Paramount Pictures, Universal and Netflix. Her commercial and music video work includes brands like Coca-Cola, Gap, Mitsubishi, The Soul Rebels, Brittany Purdy and NF.

TIM CAIRO – CO-WRITER Tim was born and raised in Edmonton Alberta, where he grew up watching Wayne Gretzky and spending way too much time at a giant mall. He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, both from the University of Alberta. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from The American Film Institute where he received the David Pincus Memorial Award for Screenwriting. He has written, produced, and/or directed for ESPN, Funny or Die, All Def Digital, Bedrocket Media, Maker Studio, Black Pills, Mucho Mas Productions, Divide/Conquer Productions, AGC Studios amongst others. He has produced music videos for such artists as E-40, Ab-Soul, as well as Grammy winners like Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Hit-Boy. He also produced the acclaimed documentary JAY ROCK: ROAD TO REDEMPTION. Tim co-wrote and produced the feature film LOWLIFE, which premiered at Montreal’s Fantasia Fest where it won a Special Jury Prize and was purchased by IFC Midnight. Tim is currently working on his next film, NIGHT PATROL which he co-wrote and is executive producing with David Goyer’s Phantom Four Productions. He is also writing an original crime-drama for XYZ

RICK G NELSON – COMPOSER Rick Nelson is a professional musician and record producer residing in New Orleans. He is a touring member of The Afghan Whigs, The Twilight Singers, and The Polyphonic Spree. While Rick is usually playing the violin, viola, cello or upright bass, the multi[1]instrumentalist’s musical versatility allows him to be a one-man symphony both on stage, and in the studio. Rick graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) in 2001, earning a degree in bass performance, with a secondary concentration in violin and minors in both piano performance and music theory. Following graduation, Rick joined Tim DeLaughter (formerly of Tripping Daisy) and his new group The Polyphonic Spree. The Polyphonic Spree gave Rick his first opportunity to perform in arenas, festivals and venues all over the world. Still a member of the twenty-four piece rock ensemble, Rick has recorded on all three of their full-length albums and continues to perform with them to this day. In 2005, Rick moved to New Orleans to help rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina . In New Orleans he has worked with musicians and producers such as Mike Napolitano, Jeff Klein, Mike Dillon, Greg Dulli, Mark Lanagan and Dave Rosser, Alexis and the Samurai, John Oates, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The New Orleans Bingo! Show, and Alexandra Scott. Rick and Nathan collaborated on Nathan’s student film Wake in 2006, and then again in 2020 on MORIAH. Rick won best original music at the South Dakota Film festival for his work on MORIAH.

NATHAN TAPE – WRITER / DIRECTOR Nathan Tape grew up in the Deep South and as a teenager, he made movies using his family’s home movie camera and VCR to edit them together. As a Filmmaker, Nathan tells stories about outsiders on the fringes of society. With his background in photography and music, his films have a bold visual style and exhibit a strong connection to music. Nathan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University in New Orleans in 2002, and obtained his Master’s Degree in Film Production in 2006 from Loyola Marymount Los Angeles. After school, Nathan returned to Louisiana and began working in the lighting department on major Hollywood productions, soon graduating to becoming a Gaffer for films and television (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Night Teeth, Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger). Meanwhile, Nathan continued to work as cinematographer on short films (Stick Up, One Last Ride), and feature films (The King of New Orleans, Demigod). Nathan has also directed, produced and photographed music videos for artists such as: Rotary Downs, Kristin Diable, Flaunt, The Buttons, The Asylum Chorus, Cha Wa, Silent Em and his own group Know-One and DamNathan. In 2020, Nathan wrote, directed, photographed and edited MORIAH, his first narrative short film since graduate school. MORIAH has won multiple awards and screened at over 30 festivals world-wide. OFF RAMP is Nathan’s debut feature film. Nathan lives in New Orleans and is a big fan of peanut butter and the New Orleans Saints.

So there you have it Juggalos and Juggalettes. Another dope film project is in the works as we speak and I strongly suggest you keep the film and Director Nate Tape on your dark carnival radar. As time unfolds, we will be reaching back out to Nate to speak more about the film so stay tuned. I’d like to extend a thank you to Nate for his work and for taking the time to getting down with ROX-TV. Keep coming back, because the future looks very bright indeed. Until next time….

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

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