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NEWS : STORIES
Violent J, a member of the notorious horror-core rap crew Insane Clown Posse, was hospitalized for two days last week following a series of panic attacks that forced the cancellation of the rap duo's remaining U.S. dates. Island Records
According to The Official Insane Clown Posse Wicked Website (http://www.insaneclownposse.com), the 25-year-old Violent J and his horror- core partner in rhyme, Shaggy 2 Dope (a.k.a. Joey Ulster), were in the middle of a performance at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Minn., on April 19 when Violent J suffered a panic attack that caused him to temporarily step out of the spotlight during the performance. John Kerr, a 15-year-old fan who attended the show, wrote in an e-mail that he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but was able to put the pieces together after reading the website's report. "All the lights but one went off and Shaggy was in the spotlight by himself for a while," Kerr wrote. "When Violent J came back, all the lights went back on. I didn't even know anything was wrong until I checked the website." The duo, known for their outlandish stage performances and clown makeup, canceled the tour's remaining seven dates and headed back to their Detroit homes to rest for an upcoming European tour. It was during this break that Violent J experienced a more severe attack while playing video games in his basement, Condon said. He was rushed to a hospital by his brother, whose rap name is Jumpsteady. According to Condon, Violent J was hospitalized for two days by the Wayne County Mental Heath Program and then released. "He was given some medication and told to rest," Condon said, adding that he didn't know what treatment Violent J received for his disorder. A spokesperson for the Wayne County Mental Health Program could not comment on whether the rapper was admitted to the hospital. Cyma Siegel, president of National Panic Anxiety Disorder, Inc., and former publisher of the National Panic/Anxiety Disorder Newsletter, said on Monday afternoon that people who experience panic attacks are usually genetically predisposed to the condition and do not require hospitalization unless they are perceived as an extreme danger to themselves or to others. "There are a number of different therapies and drug combinations to treat panic attacks," she said. "Each patient responds differently." According to DSM-IV, the official diagnostic manual of the American Psychological Association, victims of panic attacks experience the following symptoms: pounding heart or rapid heart rate, sweating, tremors, sensations of smothering or shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, dizziness, lightheadedness or faint derealization, depersonalization, fear of losing control or going crazy, fear of dying, paraesthesia or hot flashes. Additionally, a single attack could be followed by one month or more of persistent concern about future attacks, worrying about the attacks causing physical illness, worrying about going crazy or significant behavioral changes. The group's European dates, which start on May 12 in Paris and wind up on May 31 in Nuremberg, Germany, are set to go on as scheduled.
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