A Family Underground is an American documentary film

Documentary film

Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...

 written and directed by Paul Andresen. Filmed at the 2008 Gathering of the Juggalos

Gathering of the Juggalos

The Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground artists. It was founded by Robert Bruce, Insane Clown Posse , and their label in 2000...

, the film focus on the event and the Juggalo

Juggalo

Juggalo or Juggalette is a name given to fans of Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang, and characteristics.-History:...

 fan base. Gathering of the Juggalos is a music festival hosted by Psychopathic Records

Psychopathic Records

Psychopathic Records, also known as "The Hatchet", is an American independent record label based in Farmington Hills, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1991 by Alex Abbiss and hip hop group Insane Clown Posse....

 every summer. Their fan base, known as Juggalos, have become an underground

Underground music

Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...

 musical subculture.

The film features concert performances and interviews about the event and fanbase by the entire Psychopathic Records roster and other artists which performed at the festival. Released direct-to-video

Direct-to-video

Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

 in 2009, it is the second documentary produced by Psychopathic Records, after Shockumentary, released in 1998.

Plot

The film loosely follows an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 couple that travels to Cave-In-Rock, Illinois

Cave-In-Rock, Illinois

Cave-In-Rock is a village in Hardin County, Illinois, United States. Its principal feature and attraction is a large nearby cave on the banks of the Ohio River. Cave-in-Rock was originally a stronghold for outlaws including; river pirates and highwaymen, Samuel Mason and James Ford, tavern...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 to attend the ninth annual Gathering of the Juggalos

Gathering of the Juggalos

The Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground artists. It was founded by Robert Bruce, Insane Clown Posse , and their label in 2000...

. The 2008 event is the first Gathering that the couple has attended. While the couple explores the festival grounds, clips from the multiple events occurring are captured, including professional wrestling from Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Interviews about the fan base are conducted with artists Anybody Killa

Anybody Killa

James Lowery, also known as Anybody Killa, or ABK, is a Native American rapper from Detroit, Michigan whose stage persona is that of a Native American warrior. He is signed to Psychopathic Records.-Biography:...

, Ice-T

ICE-T

* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...

, Afroman

Afroman

Joseph Edgar Foreman , better known by his stage name Afroman, is an American rapper who came to prominence with his singles "Because I Got High" and "Crazy Rap". "Because I Got High" circulated around the Internet before becoming a hit worldwide...

, Boondox

Boondox

David Hutto is an American rapper from Covington, Georgia. Hutto is most commonly known as Boondox, whose stage persona is that of a killer scarecrow. He is currently signed to Psychopathic Records.-Biography:...

, Blaze Ya Dead Homie

Blaze Ya Dead Homie

Chris Rouleau, also known as Blaze Ya Dead Homie, is an American rapper from Romeo, Michigan. His stage persona is that of a reincarnated gang member killed in the late 1980s, and his music is a fusion of gangsta rap and horrorcore.-Biography:...

, Three 6 Mafia

Three 6 Mafia

Three 6 Mafia are an Academy Award-winning, American rap group originating from Memphis, Tennessee. Formed in 1991 as Triple 6 Mafia, by DJ Paul, Juicy J, & Lord Infamous, the group at its most featured six members including; Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca...

, Twiztid

Twiztid

Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Warren, Michigan. The group is composed of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric, who perform under the respective personas of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child...

, and Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...

. Concert footage of the interviewed artists as well as the supergroup

Supergroup (music)

In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....

s Psychopathic Rydas

Psychopathic Rydas

Psychopathic Rydas is an American hip hop group based in Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1999, the group consists of Psychopathic Records-associated rappers performing under alternate stage names in the style of mainstream gangsta rap...

 and Dark Lotus

Dark Lotus

Dark Lotus is an American hip hop supergroup based in Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1998, the group consists of Psychopathic Records-associated rappers Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler of Insane Clown Posse, Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric of Twiztid, and Chris Rouleau.-History:Dark Lotus made its...

 is included. The film concludes with the English couple getting unofficially married by Insane Clown Posse member Violent J

Joseph Bruce

Joseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...

.

Production

Psychopathic Records' first documentary, Shockumentary, focused solely on hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. The focus of A Family Underground is directed toward "the true story of ICP", their Juggalo

Juggalo

Juggalo or Juggalette is a name given to fans of Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Juggalos have developed their own idioms, slang, and characteristics.-History:...

 fan base. The documentary is intended be an in-depth look at the Juggalo musical subculture, and "tries to [visually] explain what Juggalos are." The film was shot at the 2008 Gathering of the Juggalos, with film crews exploring the festival grounds and capturing activities at the event. Live concert footage was also filmed, which included angles showing the Juggalo crowd.

Release

A Family Underground was released on DVD on May 12, 2009. In 2010, the documentary was reissued as part of the "Nuclear Edition" of Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse

Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...

's album Bang! Pow! Boom!

Bang! Pow! Boom!

Bang! Pow! Boom! is the 11th studio album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. Released on September 1, 2009 by Psychopathic Records, it was the group's second album with producer Mike E. Clark since his return to Psychopathic Records, and the first album to focus on the Dark Carnival...

.

Reception

In June 2009, A Family Underground peaked at #10 on the Top Music Video Sales. Rapper Aesop Rock

Aesop Rock

Ian Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...

called it one of his favorite films of the year.