Insane Poetry

Insane Poetry was one of the first horrorcore rap groups to emerge in hip-hop when they debuted with the underground single "Twelve Strokes Till Midnight" (1988) and offered their critically praised full-length debut, Grim Reality (1992). Blending horror flick-influenced surrealism with graphic, California-styled gangsta raps, the Los Angeles outfit had developed its own cult following before acts like <a href="spotify:artist:2eQPDhVoSa5aeWROa5wfxZ">Esham</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5NIhgQ08PBzMux08ndi8Ae">Gravediggaz</a> had got underway. Members of Insane Poetry came and went, but lead MC/producer Cyco (born Andrew Holiman) remained as the constant, creative drive maintaining the group's presence as horrorcore hip-hop became a mostly underground phenomenon in the new millennium.

Cyco founded Insane Poetry in the late '80s with DJ Streek and Shakespear the One-Man Riot after he obtained a DJ residency at L.A. hip-hop radio station KDAY. The threesome's 1988 single "Twelve Strokes Till Midnight" placed Cyco in the right industry circles as he befriended <a href="spotify:artist:1xhLJFJK9sXK9B2CPGzt11">Rodney O</a>, known as part of old-school L.A. rap duo <a href="spotify:artist:7vmYkpbvGnUuJGhzHD0Hu2">Rodney O & Joe Cooley</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:1xhLJFJK9sXK9B2CPGzt11">Rodney O</a> helped bring IP (with new member Em-Dee in place of <a href="spotify:artist:6zZxir5fIucftO8LQvblV9">Shakespear</a>) over to <a href="spotify:artist:3TQ9JTBI2n2hfo7aRONEYV">Sir Mix-a-Lot</a>'s Nastymix Records, who released their Grim Reality debut. Despite the favorable reception of the album and its cult-favorite single "How Ya Gonna Reason with a Psycho," Nastymix, whose roster was mainly club- and party-rap acts, didn't know what to do with the horrorcore group's maniacal image. Regardless, Nastymix folded, prompting IP (with Em-Dee now replaced by <a href="spotify:artist:411JyhL1Ne9j2CMR5iXMwd">Pope</a>) to record their second album, Blacc Plague (1996), for React/Polygram. Due to similar disagreements with Polygram in terms of promotion and support, IP departed the label.

Except for a few 12"s and a three-track EP, Let 'Em Know (1999), IP was largely quiet during the late '90s. But as the L.A. underground hip-hop scene started to take off in the early 2000s, Cyco resurrected the group's name, collaborating with M-Boogie, <a href="spotify:artist:56OMwqr8qaLIRH4ZrvvdXq">Dilated Peoples</a>, and Wake Up Show turntablist <a href="spotify:artist:5OsTd4JBco0XckFuy3vCql">DJ Revolution</a>. In 2001, Cyco co-founded Grim Reality Entertainment alongside producer Jason "JP" Pearl. With Cyco as the only remaining member, IP issued Faith in Chaos in 2003, followed by Fallen from Grace in 2007. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi