On the latest episode of Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW)’s hit YouTube series Lunacy, there was a segment within the first couple minutes where JCW Commissioner Violent J spoke with the current JCW World Juggalo Tag Team Champions 2 Tuff Tony & Willie Mack about “getting the band back together”. 2 Tuff Tony would later make a joke insinuating he was referring to Dark Lotus instead of the Juggalo World Order (jWo), which J replied “Fuck that no not them. That band is dead forever”. A few days later, Jamie Madrox made an announcement on Twiztid’s socials announcing that the Eastside Ninjas comprised of them & fellow Psychopathic Records alumni Drive-By (Blaze Ya Dead Homie & Anybody Killa) would be releasing their sophomore effort Return of the Lotus within the coming months. BUT there are juggalos who’ve justifiably voiced their displeasure with this because it truly isn’t Dark Lotus without the 2 men who created it: the Insane Clown Posse. As stated in ICP’s historic 2017 interview with the good people over at Faygoluvers & in Violent J’s interview with Bootleg Kev back in 2023, ties between Psychopathic & Majik Ninja Entertainment were severed in 2017 after MNE declined to participate in the Juggalo March on Washington & mainly James Garcia or the artist/producer formerly known as Young Wicked of the Axe Murder Boyz joining Majik Ninja after betraying the inaugural JCW World Juggalo Heavyweight Champion Evil Dead a.k.a. Jumpsteady. Dark Lotus released 3 full-lengths in the 2000s & their final LP The Mud, Water, Air & Blood came out at the 2014 Gathering of the Juggalos. Now do I plan on listening to & reviewing Return of the Lotus? Yes, because I think Dark Lotus made some of the greatest music that Psychopathic has ever released. I even had J & Shaggy 2 Dope sign my original copy of Tales from the Lotus Pod at the 2021 Gathering. However, in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM would I consider this a true comeback for them since it’s the Eastside Ninjas cosplaying as Lotus in actuality. And if the Clowns were to continue Dark Lotus without the Eastside Ninjas, I wouldn’t consider that much of a return either.
