Joseph Bruce aka Violent J Net Worth

What is Joseph Bruce aka Violent J Net Worth?

Joseph Bruce, by his celebrity name Violent J, is an American rapper, record producer, and professional wrestler with a net worth estimated to be $13.5 million. With Joseph Utsler, he forms the second half of the dynamic hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse, who run not only the highly respected record label Psychopathic Records but also front Juggalo Championship Wrestling, a high-profile independent professional wrestling promotion.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Joseph Bruce, born in 1972 in Berkley, Michigan, the son of Linda and Richard Bruce, two siblings older than him: Robert and Theresa. At the age of two, his father disappeared, which left the whole family at a loss. Things were not always the way they appeared, even though there had been early hardship in the family. Joseph had moved to Oak Park with his family when he met John Utsler and his younger brother Joey. It was to open new doors in his life.

They had a rapport over music, and soon Joseph, John, and Joey were fans of rap music. They released a single in 1989 under the name “JJ Boys” titled “Party at the Top of the Hill”. Joseph’s dedication to music intensified to the extent that he dropped out of school during the ninth grade. He then sought refuge with his friend Rudy at River Rouge and took part in activities of a gang going by the name Inner City Posse. The specialty of ICP was the use of tear gas as a weapon.

Tragedy, however, came to strike—he had to go on the run up north to Bonnie Doone, North Carolina, where his mom and his brother had gone into hiding.

He returned to Michigan at the age of 17 and had a brush with professional wrestling before he sought to make a career in music. In 1989, he founded a music trio with Joey and John Utsler, naming it Inner City Posse, and they released the EP “Bass-Ment Cuts.” In 1991, the trio, plus record store owner Alex Abbiss, went out to find a place to make their recording label, which would be called Psychopathic Records, a home. This marked the beginning of their journey into the world of music production and entrepreneurship.

Insane Clown Posse

In the later part of 1991, the Inner City Posse decided to come up with another name for themselves, and henceforth, they got named Insane Clown Posse. After changing the name, the band came up with an album in the next year, which they named “Carnival of Carnage. Before this change, John Utsler, who left the group, left Insane Clown Posse a duo, with Bruce, who was also known as Violent J, and Joey Utsler, who took up the name Shaggy 2 Dope. After the success in the early ’90s, the duo launched some of the albums that comprised “Ringmaster,” “Riddle Box,” “The Great Milenko,” and “The Amazing Jeckel Brothers.” Post releases have been “Bizaar,” “The Tempest,” “The Marvelous Missing Link: Lost,” and “Fearless Fred Fury.” In a whole career, Insane Clown Posse has since gone on to secure two albums that went platinum, while another five went gold—not to mention a base of fans known as Juggalos. Their musical direction is largely supernatural theme-based, with one of the main ideas being the Dark Carnival, sort of limbo for the judged departed. Known for their sharp, sometimes violent, lyrics and equally known for their outrageous and flamboyant live performances, one way or another, Insane Clown Posse seems to succeed in their mission.

Other Projects

In addition to his work with the Insane Clown Posse, Bruce has been involved in several other projects and bands. One of his more notable efforts found him teamed with Golden Goldies, a comedy group that wrote lyrics about gold. He joined Dark Lotus in the year 1998 and in the following year became a contributor for the hip-hop group called Psychopathic Rydas. Notably, the Psychopathic Rydas were known for using the popular hip-hop beats sans licenses to the original songs, hence producing albums that were bootlegged. Finally, from 2002 to 2005, Bruce was part of the supergroup Soopa Villainz, who released the only album, “Furious,” in 2005.

Start of Professional Wrestling Career

The major decision in the life of Bruce came when in the early nineties, when he decided to step away from his association with gang life and decided to enter the field of professional wrestling. He started his career in the wrestling world on the independent circuit. He ventured back into the wrestling realm in 1994 with the role of Hector Hatchet, wrestling for Midwest Championship Wrestling between commitments with recording sessions.

The following years would see Bruce compete on independent wrestling, taking on various competitors at such promotions as NWA Mid American Wrestling and IWA Mid-South. In 1997, he reteamed with Utsler for a match at the Extreme Championship Wrestling event Hardcore Heaven. During the same occasion, both of them not only wrestled but also sang a song to show their skills in singing.

WWF and WCW

In 1998, the World Wrestling Federation invited Insane Clown Posse to compose the entrance theme for a wrestling faction known as the Oddities. In addition to this music collaboration, Bruce and Utsler were scheduled to appear on WWF’s SummerSlam event to perform live, which later attracted their performance to an additional showing as a live guest spot on Monday Night Raw. Then, on the show, the two would say they wanted to wrestle, and promoter Vincent McMahon would give them the go-ahead. Afterward, Insane Clown Posse would have a feud with the wrestling tag team, the Headbangers.

Their debut match, however, didn’t have that level of intensity; McMahon felt the need to jump in and dissolve the burgeoning feud. Despite this loss, Bruce and Utsler continued to be placed in a number of matches, including one with Steve Austin.

After an unsuccessful eighty-city tour with his own wrestling promotion, Bruce switched over to the World Championship Wrestling. There, he would form two stables with Utsler and make their debuts on Monday Nitro in 1999 in a six-man tag team match that was, as always, very high energy. Insane Clown Posse would go on to make appearances on Monday Nitro, where they displayed their wrestling skills by defeating what was considered the most challenging team: Public Enemy, Lenny Lane, Lodi, and 3 Count.

Other Promotions

Bruce and Utsler, by December 1999, ventured into wrestling promotion by forming their own federation, Juggalo Championshit Wrestling (JCW), having evaded the problems in Jive Records. Their term in the wrestling scene was marked when they were victorious over the Doink the Clowns to capture the first-ever JCW Tag Team Championship. Their reign saw off successful defences throughout 2003. His gimmick Violent J saw Bruce still active in wrestling inside JCW by plying his trade under the gimmick. He is also making appearances at several independent circuit promotions, thus stamping his stay in the wrestling world.

Personal Life and Legal Troubles

He got married to Michelle Rapp in 2013. From the marriage, she bore him two children, Joseph II and Ruby. However, 2016 bore separation. After that, Bruce had an affair with a lady artist called Blahzay Rose, but it only lasted for a short time.

The history of Bruce is very much entwined with a long line of encounters with the long arm of the law. Between 1989 and 1990, he was imprisoned for 90 days for such offenses as robbery, issuing death threats, and violation of probation. By the time the late ’90s were on the horizon, he had even been arrested on aggravated battery charges—the accusations flew from a charge that he hit a member of the audience with a microphone at one of his concerts. Furthermore, Bruce has faced charges for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and misdemeanor assault on separate occasions.

FAQ about Joseph Bruce aka Violent J Net Worth

1. What is Joseph Bruce aka Violent J Net Worth?
   • Joseph Bruce aka Violent J net worth of $13.5 million, also known as Joseph Bruce. He is a prominent American rapper, producer, and professional wrestler.
2. How did Violent J rise to fame?
   • Violent J gained fame as one half of the hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse, alongside Joseph Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope). They founded Psychopathic Records and spearheaded Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
3. What are Violent J’s notable achievements in music?
   • Violent J and Insane Clown Posse have released several successful albums, including “Carnival of Carnage,” “The Great Milenko,” and “The Amazing Jeckel Brothers,” earning two platinum and five gold certifications.
4. Is Violent J involved in any other projects?
   • Apart from Insane Clown Posse, Violent J has contributed to various musical projects and bands such as Golden Goldies, Dark Lotus, and Psychopathic Rydas. He was also a member of the supergroup Soopa Villainz.
5. What is Violent J’s background and early life?
   • Violent J was born in 1972 in Berkley, Michigan. His father’s disappearance led to financial struggles for his family, but he found solace in music. He formed Inner City Posse before transitioning to Insane Clown Posse.
6. Has Violent J faced any legal troubles?
   • Yes, Violent J has encountered legal issues, including serving time for robbery and facing charges for assault and disorderly conduct. Despite these challenges, he continues to contribute to the music and wrestling industries.
7. What is Violent J’s involvement in professional wrestling?
   • Violent J briefly pursued a career in professional wrestling, participating in independent promotions like Midwest Championship Wrestling and NWA Mid American Wrestling. He also wrestled in major promotions like WWF and WCW, alongside his music career.

Quick Summary

1. Joseph Bruce (born April 28, 1972), more popularly known as Violent J, is an American rapper, producer, and professional wrestler. He is one-half of the hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse, along with Joey Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope). They later started their own record label, Psychopathic Records, and a wrestling promotion, Juggalo Championship Wrestling. J has a net worth of $13.5 million, gotten from two platinum and five gold albums.
2. However, with this success came personal trials in Violent J’s life. He was raised in a family with a father who disappeared early and left him with a lot of financial pressure. He married Michelle Rapp, and to this union, two children were born before parting ways in the year 2016. His share of run-ins with the law has been many throughout his life. He has done time for robbery and had his problems with assault and disorderly conduct charges. Despite these challenges, Violent J continues to leave a significant impact on the music and wrestling industries.

Mahbubur R. Mamun

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