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- IN THIS BOOK, I WILL TAKE YOU, THE READER,

WITH ME INTO THE SECRET INNER WORLD OF THE PIMP.

I WILL LAY BARE MY LIFE AND THOUGHTS AS A PIMP.

THE ACCOUNT OF MY BRUTALITY AND CUNNING AS A PIMP

WILL FILL MANY OF YOU WITH REVULSION.

I REGRET THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE

TO RECOUNT TO YOU ALL OF MY EXPERIENCES AS A PIMP.

PERHAPS MY REMORSE FOR MY GHASTLY LIFE

WILL DIMINISH TO THE DEGREE

THAT WITHIN THIS ONE BOOK

I HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO PURGE MYSELF.

- IF PROSTITUTION IS KNOWN AS THE OLDEST PROFESSION,

THEN PIMPING IS THE SECOND OLDEST PROFESSION.

- RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEEN TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT,

BECAUSE MAINSTREAM HAS ADAPTED AND ADOPTED THAT WORD

AND ADOPTED THE FORMULA OF PIMPING

AND THINKIN' THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS.

BUT PIMPING IS A PLAYER

SENDING A BITCH TO THE CORNER TO GET MONEY.

- THERE'S A FASCINATION

WITH ANY TIME YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK FOR MONEY.

WHOEVER'S DOING THE LEAST AMOUNT

FOR SOME CASH, THAT IS FASCINATING.

IT'S, LIKE, WHAT-- WHAT'S HE DO?

SHE DOES THE WORK, HE GETS--

I GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET INTO THIS, YOU KNOW.

- YOU HAD TO KNOW HOW TO CONTROL

AND HOW TO OPERATE A STABLE,

HOW TO DAZZLE, BEFUDDLE,

BEWITCH, ENTRANCE,

AND HYPNOTIZE A WOMAN.

AND NOT ONLY ONE WOMAN, BUT EIGHT, NINE,

AND TO KEEP THEM IN HARMONIOUS EFFORT.

AND IF YOU THINK THAT ISN'T A JOB, MY FRIEND,

YOU ASK ANY MARRIED MAN.

- ICEBERG SLIM IS THE NAME

THAT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE PIMP GAME.

HE'S A WRITER WHO LIVED AN INCREDIBLE LIFE

AND WROTE BOOKS THAT I GREW UP ON.

- I LOVED HIM AND I TOLD HIM THAT

EVERY SINGLE TIME I TALKED TO HIM,

BECAUSE HE WAS MY GOD.

- RUNS THE LADIES, HAS THE RAP,

THE CLOTHES, THE JEWELRY, THE DRUGS,

HAS DONE TIME.

STREET CRED BY THE TRUCKLOAD.

- ICEBERG SLIM WAS A GUY WHO ACTUALLY LIVED THE LIFE

THAT HE WAS WRITING ABOUT.

- PIMPMIGHT BE MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME.

- YEAH, I CHECKED THAT OUT.

THE P-I-M-P.

PIMPHAD A BIG IMPACT ON THE GAME,

TO GIVE BASIC INSTRUCTIONS OF HOW TO PLAY THE GAME.

IF WAS JUST AMAZING, THE THOUGHT OF THAT.

IT WAS JUST FASCINATING.

- HE WOULD PAINT BEAUTIFUL PICTURES

USING UGLY PAINT, YOU KNOW.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS, LIKE, LOOKING AROUND

AND JUST FINDING THE BEAUTY AND THE APPRECIATION

OF WHEREVER YOU ARE,

BE IT IN THE GHETTO OR A HIGH CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD

AND SHOWING THAT IT'S OKAY TO STUMBLE,

BUT IT'S NOT OKAY TO FALL, YOU KNOW.

ALWAYS GET BACK UP AND YOU KEEP GOING.

- HIS BOOKS TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LIFE.

THERE WAS NO ONE MORE ELOQUENT THAN ICEBERG SLIM,

OR NO ONE MORE POETIC OR MORE ACCURATE

IN TERMS OF DESCRIBING WHERE HE CAME FROM.

- I WAS IN A BAR,

AND THERE WAS A FELLA ARGUING WITH ANOTHER FELLA.

AND THIS FELLA DREW A GUN

AND FIRED AT THE FELLA.

THE BULLET WENT THROUGH MY HAT.

I WAS FULL OF COCAINE AT THE TIME

AND I DIDN'T REACT,

SO MY FRIEND SAID, MAN, YOU WERE SO COOL.

HE SAYS, YOU WERE ICY.

AND THEY CALLED ME ICEBERG SLIM.

♪ THICK THIGHS, BUT SHE FULL OF SURPRISES ♪

♪ I SWEAR THIS BITCH IS SHADY ♪

♪ IT'S WHAT I KNOW

♪ SEX ON HER MIND ALL THE TIME ♪

♪ AND YOU THINK THAT THAT'S YOUR BABY ♪

♪ YOU DON'T KNOW

♪ YOU A GOOD GUY THAT'S LIVING A LIE ♪

♪ BUT SHE DOVE AND PLAYED YOUR SAFETY ♪

♪ THAT'S WHAT I KNOW

♪ IF YOU COOL AND SHE'S SATISFIED ♪

♪ HOW COME THAT BITCH JUST PAGED ME? ♪

♪ YOU DON'T KNOW

- WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH PIMPS AND HOs,

THEY HAVE TO LOOK THE PART.

SO AS A KID, YOU KNOW,

SOME PREACHER WALKS IN, IT'S, LIKE, YEAH, WHATEVER.

SOME PIMP WALKS IN, AND, YOU KNOW,

YOU COULD HEAR A CHURCH MOUSE PISS ON THE CARPET

IT'S SO QUIET.

- THE FIRST STAGES OF MY OWN STREET POISONING

HAPPENED WHEN I WAS A BOY.

MY MOTHER HAD A BEAUTY SHOP

AND SHE CATERED TO A COLONY

OF BLACK HOOKERS AND PIMPS.

AND THESE FELLAS WOULD BE DECKED OUT

IN ALL THEIR FINERY WITH ALL THE DIAMONDS

AND ALL THE REST OF IT, AND OF COURSE THEIR WOMEN.

- A PIMP WAS HELD IN REGARD,

LIKE AN ATHLETE OR ENTERTAINER.

HE WASN'T LIKE AN ADVOCATE OF PEACE OR VIOLENCE.

HE WAS MORE OF LESS LIKE A HERO.

- A PIMP IS JUDGED BY HIS FLASH.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

HIS CADILLAC, HIS HOUSE, HIS JEWELRY,

HIS CLOTHES.

THAT'S HOW YOU SIZE UP A PIMP ECONOMY.

- WELL GROOMED, SMELLED GOOD.

YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING,

'CAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO OUTMATCH THIS FEMALE.

YOU WANT THAT WOMAN TO LOOK AT YOU

AND SAY THIS IS THE FINEST MAN I'VE EVER SEEN.

- I MEAN, IMMACULATE DRESSER.

I MEAN, HAIR COIFFED.

BRAND NEW CADILLAC EVERY YEAR.

WHEN YOU'RE A KID, YOU KNOW,

IF SOMEBODY HAD A BRAND NEW CADILLAC EVERY YEAR,

HE WAS SOMETHING.

- AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I WAS IMPRESSED.

BECAUSE YOU MUST REMEMBER,

BACK IN THOSE DAYS, IF YOU WERE BLACK.

YOUR OPPORTUNITIES WERE SO NARROW.

- A BLACK PERSON BORN DURING THAT TIME,

WHAT YOU WERE DEALING WITH WAS ALMOST BEYOND WORDS.

THOSE RACE RIOTS IN CHICAGO

STARTED BECAUSE A BLACK KID

SWAM INTO AN AREA THAT WAS WHITES ONLY.

- SINCE THE TIME WHEN SHE WAS SIX MONTHS PREGNANT,

MY FATHER HAD BEGUN TO SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS.

AFTER MY BIRTH, HE GOT WORSE

AND HAD THE STUPID GALL TO SUGGEST TO MAMA

THAT I BE PUT ON A CATHOLIC CHURCH DOORSTEP.

MAMA NATURALLY REFUSED,

SO HE HURLED ME AGAINST THE WALL IN DISGUST.

I SURVIVED IT AND HE LEFT US.

- HE CAME FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOME.

HIS MOM, YOU KNOW, BY HOOK OR BY CROOK,

SHE NEEDED TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, YOU KNOW,

AND TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE,

SHE HAD TO BE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE WORLD TO DO SO.

AND IT WAS JUST UNFORTUNATE, YOU KNOW,

THAT SHE, YOU KNOW, ENTRUSTED HER BABY BOY

INTO THE HANDS OF THE WRONG PERSON.

- IN THE OPENING OF PIMP,

THE WAY THAT HE DESCRIBES HIS INITIAL FORAY

INTO THE WORLD OF PIMPING

IS THROUGH BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED

BY HIS BABYSITTER MAUDE.

- I REMEMBER MORE VIVIDLY THE MOIST ODOROUS DARKNESS

AND THE BRISTLE-LIKE HAIRS TICKLING MY FACE

AND MOST VIVIDLY, I CAN REMEMBER MY PANIC

WHEN IN THE WILD MOMENT OF HER CLIMAX

SHE WOULD SAVAGELY JERK MY HEAD EVEN TIGHTER

INTO THE HAIRY MAW.

- RIGHT OFF THE BAT,

HE'S SUBJECTED OR DOMINATED

BY A FORCEFUL WOMAN WHO SEXUALIZES HIM.

HE'S TAUGHT ABOUT THE WHOLE NATURE OF SEXUAL DOMINANCE

AND THEN LATER, HE HAS NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES

WITH HIS MOTHER.

SHE HOOKS UP WITH A MAN NAMED HENRY UPSHAW,

- A SUCCESSFUL MAN, LOVED HER TO DEATH.

LOVED HER AND LOVED HER SON.

IT'S THE ONLY MAN IN ICEBERG'S LIFE

THAT HE TALKS ABOUT, IDENTIFIES WITH

AND TALKS ABOUT IN NOT ONLY A RESPECTFUL WAY,

BUT SOMEONE WHO REALLY TOUCHED HIS HEART AND SOUL,

BECAUSE HE REALLY CARED ABOUT HIM

AS A HUMAN BEING.

WITH HENRY UPSHAW, THINGS WERE IDYLLIC

UNTIL HIS MOTHER MET A CON MAN NAMED STEVE.

- HE WAS ONE OF MARY'S CUSTOMERS

IN HER BEAUTY SHOP.

HE WAS A REAL SLICK HUSTLER,

AND HE ESSENTIALLY HUSTLED HER

AND CONVINCED HER TO LEAVE WITH HIM TO CHICAGO.

- HIS MOTHER FALLS FOR THE CON ON HENRY UPSHAW

AND FUCKS UP EVERYTHING.

FUCKS UP EVERYTHING. FUCKS UP ALL THE STABILITY.

FUCKS UP, LIKE, HIS, LIKE, ONE SHOT.

REALLY. IT'S THE ONLY SHOT HE'S GOT.

- WHAT'S SO UPSETTING TO ICEBERG

IS NOT JUST THAT HIS MOM

HAS RIPPED HIM AWAY FROM A MOORING,

FROM A FOUNDATION THAT HE'S FOUND,

BUT THE WAY SHE DOES IT.

- I CAN NEVER FORGET THAT MORNING

WHEN MAMA HAD FINISHED PACKING OUR CLOTHES

AND HENRY LOST HIS INNER FIGHT

FOR HIS PRIDE AND DIGNITY.

HE FELL DOWN ON HIS KNEES

AND BAWLED LIKE A SCALDED CHILD,

PLEADING WITH MAMA NOT TO LEAVE HIM.

I WILL NEVER FORGET HER FACE,

AS COLD AS AN EXECUTIONER'S, WHICH SHE WAS

AS SHE KICKED AND STRUGGLED LOOSE FROM HIM.

THEN, WITH AN AWFUL GRIN ON HER FACE,

SHE LIED AND SAID, HENRY, HONEY,

I JUST WANT TO GET AWAY FOR A WHILE.

DARLING, WE'LL BE BACK.

- TO SEE HIS MOTHER BETRAY THE ONLY MAN HE EVER LOVED,

HE LEARNED THAT THERE'S ONE THING I'M NOT GONNA BE

IS THOSE GUYS.

I'M GONNA GET HER BEFORE SHE GETS ME,

'CAUSE I KNOW SHE'S GONNA BETRAY ME.

- SHE THEN CONSPIRES WITH STEVE

TO TAKE OFF HER EX-HUSBAND'S LOOT.

- FROM THAT, HE LOST ALL RESPECT FOR WOMEN,

IN A SENSE.

IT'S, LIKE, EVEN YOU FELL FOR THIS SHIT?

AND IN A SENSE, SHE CREATED THE PIMP.

- WHEN THE MONEY RUNS OUT

AND SHE'S ESSENTIALLY OUTLIVED HER USEFULNESS,

STEVE STARTS TO SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS

AND HE STARTS KICKING HER ASS.

AND THIS STEVE IS, LIKE,

ONE OF THE CRUELEST MOTHERFUCKERS

I'VE EVER SEEN IN A BOOK.

LIKE, HE MURDERS THIS KITTEN,

LIKE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF 'EM.

LIKE, WHO DOES THAT?

- STEVE HAD STOMPED ON THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF OUR LIVES.

I WOULD SOON BE 14.

ON AUGUST 4th, MY BIRTHDAY,

MAMA CAME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL

WITH HER BROKEN JAW WIRED

AND HER BODY COVERED WITH BRUISES.

STEVE ATTACKED HER WITH HIS FISTS AND FEET

AND THEN ESCAPED THROUGH THE GRIMY CATACOMBS

OF THE GHETTO.

- SHE WAS ALONE IN THE STREETS,

TRYING TO FIND WORK.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DURING THE DEPRESSION

WHEN PEOPLE-- NOT ONLY BLACK PEOPLE--

PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING.

SHE LEFT ICEBERG BY HIMSELF A LOT,

ISOLATED IN THIS LITTLE PLACE THAT THEY HAD.

HE DISCOVERED THE STREETS.

- THE SLIDE WAS GREASED.

I WAS STARTING MY LONG PLUNGE

TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE GRIM PIT.

MY TRIP DOWNWARD REALLY WAS CINCHED

WHEN I MET A PETTY HUSTLER WHO WAS VERY LIKEABLE,

AND WE BECAME PALS.

MY HUSTLER PAL WAS CALLED PARTY TIME.

HE HAD A HEAD FULL OF WILD RISKY HUSTLES

HE WANTED TO TRY.

HE NEEDED A PARTNER.

- PARTY TIME, HE WAS THIS REAL KNOWLEDGEABLE BROTHER,

SO HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE ICE THE RUNDOWN.

HE WAS ABLE TO BREAK IT DOWN INTO THE SIMPLEST TERMS,

LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND NOT BECOME CROSS WITH HIM

IF HE DIDN'T CATCH ON RIGHT AWAY.

- EVEN THOUGH I HAD STARTED TO ROT INSIDE

FROM THE STREET POISONING,

AMAZINGLY, AT 15, I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL

WITH A 98.4 AVERAGE.

- I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP TO GO TO COLLEGE,

AND I GOT IT BY DAYDREAMING,

BUT I WAS ABLE TO RETAIN ENOUGH OF THE INFORMATION

SO THAT THE BLACK TUSKEGEE CLUB

SENT ME TO TUSKEGEE DURING THE DEPRESSION.

- THIS IS THE HOME OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL BLACK LEADERS EVER.

- IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY STREET POISONED,

I STARTED BOOTLEGGING ON CAMPUS.

IN ALABAMA, OKAY?

SO I GOT EXPELLED. I WAS SENT HOME.

SO MY MOTHER SAT DOWN,

AND HER WORDS OF WISDOM, COME BACK TO ME NOW.

SHE SAYS, BOBBY, APPARENTLY,

YOU LIKE TO RUN AND ASSOCIATE WITH BAD PEOPLE,

WITH STREET PEOPLE.

SHE SAYS YOU CAN BECOME A CRIMINAL LAWYER,

SHE SAYS, AND MAKE 'EM PAY YOU.

SHE SAID, BOBBY, GET YOUR EDUCATION.

BECOME A CRIMINAL LAWYER AND GET A LICENSE

TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE PEOPLE

THAT YOU ADMIRE AND LIKE SO MUCH.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYTHING MORE WISE THAN THAT?

- 1937.

HE'S OUT OF TUSKEGEE. HE'S IN MILWAUKEE.

HE COMES ACROSS A WOMAN NAMED PEPPER IBBETTS.

BOBBY BECK THOUGHT HE WAS THE SLICKEST GUY ON EARTH,

BUT AS SLICK AS HE THOUGHT HE WAS,

PEPPER IBBETTS WAS EVEN SLICKER.

AS FAST AS HE THOUGHT HE WAS,

SHE WAS 10 TIMES FASTER.

SHE WAS OLDER THAN HE WAS.

SHE WAS AN EX-PROSTITUTE.

SHE HAD BEEN AROUND. SHE HAD MARRIED A WHITE GUY.

SHE HAD MONEY.

SHE INTRODUCED HIM TO COCAINE.

SHE TURNED HIM OUT.

- I WAS JUST A HEP PUNK.

I WASN'T IN HER LEAGUE.

THAT FREAK BITCH CAJOLED AND PERSUADED ME

TO DO EVERYTHING IN THE SEXUAL BOOK.

WHAT A THRILL FOR A DOG LIKE HER

TO TURN OUT A TENDER FOOL LIKE ME.

IF PEPPER HAD LIVED

IN THE OLD BIBLICAL CITY OF SODOM,

THE CITIZENS WOULD HAVE STONED HER TO DEATH.

- SHE HAD HIS NOSE WIDE OPEN

AND SHE HAD HIM JUMPING OUT THE WINDOW, SO TO SPEAK,

AND DOING THINGS THAT HE NORMALLY

PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE DONE.

- HE LATER GOT DOUBLE-CROSSED INTO PRISON,

IT WAS PEPPER AND A COP NAMED DELANSKY,

ALONG WITH AN UNKNOWN HEIST MAN.

HE GOT CHARGED WITH ACCESSORY TO ROBBERY.

- AN 18-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN

BEING SENT TO REFORMATORY BACK IN THE 1930s AND 40s

WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY LIKELY

SUBJECTED TO ALL SORTS OF RACISM.

AT THAT TIME, MANY OF THE GUARDS,

OR PROBABLY MOST OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN WHITE.

THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD PUSH THEM AROUND,

PERHAPS PHYSICALLY ABUSE THEM.

HE PROBABLY GOT TREATED VERY, VERY POORLY.

- IT WAS THERE, IN THE DORMITORY,

THAT I GOT THE INSATIABLE DESIRE TO PIMP.

I WAS A MEMBER OF A CLIQUE

THAT TALKED ABOUT NOTHING EXCEPT WHORES AND PIMPING.

I BEGAN TO FEEL A NEW SLICKNESS AND HARDNESS.

- HE'S LIKE A SPONGE.

HE'S SOAKING UP ALL THESE STORIES

AND ALL THE GAME THESE DIFFERENT GUYS ARE RUNNING DOWN,

AND HE'S PLUCKING OUT THE BEST PARTS

TO APPLY TO WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO.

- HE WANTED TO MASTER MANIPULATING THE PSYCHOLOGY

OF THE HOs, OF THE WOMEN,

WHEN HE STARTED TO REALIZE THAT THE BEST PIMPS--

THAT IS TO SAY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ONES--

WERE THE ONES WITH THE COLDEST, WITH THE LEAST EMOTION.

THE REAL ICEBERG HEART.

- WITH GOOD TIME, I WAS FREE, SLICK, AND BITTER.

NO MORE SMALL TOWNS FOR ME.

I WAS GOING TO THE CITY TO GET MY DEGREE IN PIMPING.

WHEN YOU'RE BLACK, MY FRIEND,

AND YOU GET TWISTED,

ONE'S EGO

NEEDED TO BE THOUGHT OF AS GREAT AND GRAND,

AND THIS WAS A WAY TO DO IT,

TO HAVE YOUR OWN LITTLE KINGDOM.

- WHEN I FIRST GOT TO CHICAGO,

I HAD THIS WILD DREAM

OF PICKING THE BRAIN OF THE TOWN'S TOP PIMP,

AND EVENTUALLY I DID.

IN RETROSPECT, I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY

THAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD

FOR A WHORE, YOU SEE.

- CHICAGO AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME

WAS PROFOUNDLY SATURATED

WITH EVERY KIND OF ELEMENT YOU COULD THINK OF.

THERE WERE VERY, VERY GOOD PEOPLE

AND VERY, VERY BAD PEOPLE.

- I COME FROM THAT LIFE, AND I COME FROM CHICAGO.

EVERY STREET HAD A GANG,

AND ALL WE SAW WERE MACHINE GUNS

AND DEAD BODIES EVERY DAY.

HARLEM AND WATTS AND COMPTON, MAN, WAS LIKE BOYSTOWN.

THAT WAS NOTHING AFTER CHICAGO, MAN.

CHICAGO WAS ROUGH, MAN.

- DURING THOSE DAYS IN THE FORTIES,

YOU COULD EITHER BE A BARBER

YOU COULD BE A LAWYER IF YOUR PARENTS HAD MONEY,

YOU COULD BE A BOXER, YOU COULD BE A MUSICIAN,

OR YOU COULD BE A PIMP.

- WE SAW PIMPS EVERYWHERE.

SERIOUS, SERIOUS PIMPS.

I DON'T MEAN JHERI CURL PIMPS.

- BABY BELL WAS THE BIG PIMP IN CHICAGO.

- BABY BELL WAS PHENOMENAL, MAN.

HE WAS BIG TIME.

IT'S A LEVEL THAT PLAYERS WANNA REACH.

BABY BELL USED TO TRAVEL WITH 32 PIECES OF LUGGAGE.

DO YOU HEAR ME?

AND HE USED TO HAVE WHITE WOMEN.

AND THIS WAS AT AN EARLY TIME

WHEN THIS WAS A NO-NO.

- ONCE YOU'RE IN THE STREET, YOU NEED FATHER FIGURES

'CAUSE YOU DON'T JUST WALK OUT IN THE STREET

AND BECOME THE GREATEST PIMP IN THE WORLD BY OSMOSIS.

YOU NEED TO LEARN.

SO IN A WAY, A CAT LIKE BABY BELL,

YOU KNOW, BELL IS LIKE A FATHER FIGURE

AS WELL AS A TEACHER, AS WELL AS A PROFESSOR,

YOU KNOW, A MENTOR.

- I BECAME A PIMP

PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE INFLUENCE

OF WELL-HEELED PIMPS AND OTHER HUSTLERS

DURING A PERIOD OF DIRE POVERTY IN MY LIFE.

AND I FEEL THAT I WAS INFLUENCED

BY THE FLASHY GLAMOUR,

THE INFESTATION OF DIAMONDS ON THESE HUSTLERS,

AND ALSO BY THEIR BIG FLASHY CARS.

AND I WANTED A SENSE OF IMPORTANCE.

- THERE WAS AN AREA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO

CALLED 39th AND COTTAGE GROVE,

AND BASICALLY IT WAS A RED LIGHT DISTRICT.

AND ICEBERG SLIM

WAS ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ROLE MODELS.

WHEN I FIRST HEARD ICEBERG SLIM,

MY IMPRESSION OF HIM WAS A TOWERING INTELLECT.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT

THE ECONOMICS OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE

AND HOW HE LOOKED UPON WHAT HE WAS DOING

AS A BROKER.

- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK

THAT TOP PIMPS ARE DUMMIES.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THEY'RE JUST PERVERTED.

I'VE NEVER KNOWN A TOP PIMP WHO DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH IQ.

- ACTUALLY, I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN

A GOOD SALESPERSON.

DO YOU NOW HOW IT TAKES A LOT TO SELL A WOMAN,

TO MAKE A WOMAN SELL HER BODY.

- MOST OF THE PROSTITUTES THAT I'VE KNOWN

AND THE ONES THAT I'VE CONTROLLED

WERE FASCINATED AND BEWITCHED

BY MY PHONY GLAMOUR,

OF THE POISONOUS PIMP CHARISMA,

AND THEY LIVED IN MY REFLECTED GLORY, SO TO SPEAK.

IT GAVE THEM A SENSE OF IMPORTANCE.

- WHAT IS THE LIFE OF A PROSTITUTE LIKE?

- IT'S GOT TO BE HOLY HELL.

THE BOOBY TRAPS IN THE STREET,

THE DEATH TRAPS IN THE STREET FOR A PROSTITUTE,

HER LIFE-- THE LIFE OF A PROSTITUTE

IS FILLED WITH TENSION AND THE PRESSURE OF THE PIMP.

I HOPE YOU WON'T MIND

ASKING YOU IN HERE FOR A DRINK

AFTER MEETING YOU ON THE STREET THERE.

- SLIM TELLS HIS GIRLS

THEY CAN LEAVE WHENEVER THEY GET READY.

BUT THEY DON'T WANNA LEAVE 'CAUSE HE'S TOO GOOD TO 'EM,

BUT THEY MUST GET THE MONEY.

OTHERWISE, YOU'RE FIRED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

CAN YOU IMAGINE A PIMP FIRING A WHORE?

- MY TOTAL IMAGE OF MYSELF

WAS THAT I WAS SOME SORT OF BLACK EVIL SVENGALI.

- WHEN YOU LOOK AT OLD PICTURES OF HIM,

YOU SEE THIS FACE,

THIS MASK HE WORE.

THERE WAS NO EMOTION, NO EMOTION WHATSOEVER.

HIS FOOT HAD NO PROBLEM

FINDING ITS WAY TO A WOMAN'S ASS.

- ICEBERG HAD NO HESITATION AT ALL

ABOUT TAKING TWO LINES OF COCAINE

SO HE COULD SLAP UP HIS BITCH, YOU KNOW.

- BRUTALITY WAS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

FIRST OF ALL,

YOU'D SPELL OUT YOUR RULES AND REGULATIONS,

AND IF ANY OF THOSE RULES WERE BROKEN,

YOU HAD TO PUNISH 'EM.

- HE WOULD VISUALIZE BEING COLD AS A REFRIGERATOR,

BEING COLD AS A FREEZER,

WHERE HE WOULD BE ABLE TO GUARD HIS EMOTIONS

AGAINST RIVAL PIMPS, COPS, HIS WOMEN.

THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO READ HIM.

- I'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF WOMEN.

I'VE NEVER ADMITTED TO ONE THAT I EVER HAD A PROBLEM

OR THAT ANYTHING WORRIED ME.

AND THAT'S THE SECRET.

- HE SAID HE WAS A PSYCHOPATH.

HE SAID HE GOT A THRILL OUT OF DEGRADING WOMEN

AND HURTING THEM, BRUTALIZING THEM,

KEEPING A RELENTLESS PSYCHOLOGICAL

AND PHYSICAL PRESSURE ON THEM.

- I WANTED THAT THRILL,

THAT VOLUPTUOUS SENSATION OF CONTROLLING

A STABLE OF WOMEN.

- HE HAD TO GRAB THAT INTELLECT,

GRAB THAT SPIRIT, GRAB THAT HOPE

AND HE WAS-- I DON'T THINK

THERE WAS ANYBODY BETTER AT IT THAN HIM.

- HE SAID THE HARDEST THING FOR ME TO DO EVERY DAY

WAS TO SAY SOMETHING TO MY STABLE

THAT WOULD CONFOUND THEIR MIND

TO MENTALLY KEEP THEM IN CHECK.

- AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S ONLY ONE GAME.

IT'S YOU EITHER WORK FOR SOMEBODY

OR YOU HAVE PEOPLE WORK FOR YOU.

PIMPING IS NO DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU REALLY BREAK IT DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL,

IT'S USING YOUR FINESSE AND YOUR CHARISMA

TO CONVINCE SOMEBODY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.

- YOU CAN'T BE A NORMAL PERSON,

NOT AND SUCCEED IN THAT LIFE.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABSOLUTELY UNFLAPPABLE.

WHAT YOU DO LITERALLY

IS PLAY GOD.

- WHEN YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX HOs,

EVERY ONE OF THEM THINKS THEIR MAN IS GOD.

HE SAID, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T HAVE SEX WITH THEM VERY OFTEN.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE GOD,

AND, HEY, IF SHE CAN TOUCH GOD ANY TIME SHE WANTS,

THEN HE'S NOT GOD ANYMORE.

- THE LIFE OF A PIMP

IS UNREMITTING TENSION AND PRESSURES.

A PIMP LIVES ON THE PRECIPICE OF DISASTER.

I THINK HE'S THE MOST HATED AND FEARED CREATURE

OF THE UNDERWORLD.

- ALL OF US, HONEY. ALL OF US.

- TO TRY TO ACTUALLY CONTROL A FEMALE

WHO'S BASICALLY A CRIMINAL,

A ROBBER, A THIEF,

TO GET THAT TO OPERATE UNDER YOUR MOTIVATION

IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

SO I TELL CATS,

I'M, LIKE, YOU'D DO BETTER SELLING DRUGS.

AT LEAST A KEY OF DOPE

WON'T WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

AND KILL YOU FOR SOMETHING YOU SAID TO IT EARLY THAT DAY.

- HOLDING A STABLE TOGETHER REQUIRES THE PIMP

TO KEEP EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE STABLE

IN APPARENT COMPETITION.

- BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE PREY--

AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU GENTLEMEN

HOW CUNNING THEY ARE--

THE ENEMY.

- YOUR WORD GOT TO BE LAW.

EVEN IF YOU TELL THAT FEMALE,

I'M NOT GONNA ACCEPT YOU OR GEORGIA YOU

OR GIVE YOU ANY LOVE UNTIL YOU GIVE ME MY MONEY.

YOU GOT TO MEAN THAT.

YOU GOTTA KEEP YOUR GANG LIVE

AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOWN

AND THAT YOU ABOUT YOUR MONEY.

- IT'S A SKULL GAME. PIMPING IS A SKULL GAME.

IT'S A GAME OF MANIPULATIVE PSYCHOLOGY.

- AND BELIEVE ME,

TO REALLY BE A PIMP TAKES A LOT.

THE AVERAGE MAN WALKING UP AND DOWN THE STREET,

HE MAY BE UNDER THE IMPRESSION

THAT HE CAN PIMP,

BUT WHEN HE'S PUT TO THE TEST,

HE'LL FLUNK.

- MY BROTHER, MY OLDER BROTHER SHABAZZ

HAD, UM... WHEN HE GOT OUT OF JAIL,

HE CHANGED HIS NAME FROM CHARLES TO SHABAZZ.

HE BECAME A 5 PERCENTER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS KORANS

AND A BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW, ISLAMIC LITERATURE,

AND THEN EVERY ICEBERG SLIM BOOK

WAS RIGHT NEXT TO IT.

- IT WAS DECEMBER 1945.

FOR SEVEN YEARS, I DEVOTED MYSELF

TO GETTING HIP TO THAT PIMP'S BOOK.

I HAD THOUGHT AND ACTED LIKE A BLACK GOD.

SIX MONTHS LATER, SWEET CALLED ME.

HE SAID, BERG, I GOT A WIRE THE FBI'S QUIZZING WHORES.

THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD

A FIVE OR SIX COUNT RAP AGAINST YOU.

- HE'S PICKED UP FOR VIOLATING THE MANN ACT.

TWO OF HIS WOMEN--

HIS BOTTOM WOMAN OF MANY YEARS, PHYLLIS,

HIS FIRST WOMAN, TURNED STATES EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM.

HE WAS INCARCERATED IN LEAVENWORTH,

THE ALMA MATER OF MACHINE GUN KELLY

BUGS MORAN, AL CAPONE.

- ICEBERG SLIM WRITES ABOUT A PSYCHIATRIST IN THE 1940s

THAT HE ENCOUNTERED IN PRISON.

THE PSYCHIATRIST CAME FROM A PSYCHO-ANALYTICAL BACKGROUND

AND BELIEVED THAT PIMPS, PARTICULARLY BLACK PIMPS,

HAD A REAL HATRED OF THEIR MOTHERS.

- THE PERSON THAT HAD THE GREATEST EFFECT ON HIM

PSYCHOLOGICALLY WAS HIS MOTHER.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP HURTING HIS MOTHER,

AND YET THERE WAS A PART HERE

THAT WAS A DIVIDED SOUL.

BECAUSE THERE WERE ALSO PARTS OF HIM

THAT WERE ANGRY AT HIS MOTHER

AND HELD THINGS AGAINST HIS MOTHER,

WHICH REALLY PSYCHOLOGICALLY

HAD SOME THINGS TO DO WITH THE WAY HE TREATED OTHER WOMEN

AND HIS UTTER DISRESPECT FOR WOMEN.

- MY REPUTATION COMING UP

BEFORE I GOT STREET POISONED,

ALL OF MY MOTHER'S FRIENDS,

ALL OF MY ASSOCIATES' MOTHERS AND FATHERS,

THEY ALL THOUGHT I WAS THE MOST CHARMING,

THE SWEETEST-- THEY USED TO TALK ABOUT,

OH, YOUR SON IS SO SWEET.

OH, HE'S SUCH A GENTLEMAN.

YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?

SO TO GET FROM THAT "A"

TO THE HORRIFIC "Z" OF PIMPING

REQUIRED MORE OF ME

THAN IT DID THE AVERAGE PERSON.

- WHICH I THINK PLAYED OUT

IN HIS VERY, VERY DIRECT EXPERIENCES

WITH SOME OF THE GIRLS IN HIS STABLE,

INCLUDING THE GIRL WHO HE BEAT VIOLENTLY,

AND AT THE SAME TIME WANTED TO NURTURE AND HOLD AND HUG.

- BUT I ALWAYS HAD THAT SUCKERS STREAK IN ME.

I DON'T MEAN THAT IT COMPROMISED MY PIMPING.

BUT IT WAS ALWAYS THERE.

- YOU CAN'T JUST DOG A WOMAN OUT

AND JUST GORILLA PIMP A BITCH TO DEATH.

THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME COMPASSION TO PIMPING IN THERE,

SOME SOFT SIDE, SOME TENDER LOVING PIMPING IN THERE.

BECAUSE IF YOU CONSTANTLY WITH THE WOMEN,

YOU GOTTA HAVE A NATURAL FEELING FOR 'EM.

THEY GIVE YOU MONEY. YOU RESPECT 'EM.

YOU ACTUALLY BEING A FATHER FIGURE TO 'EM.

- 28 YEARS OLD, HE'S RELEASED FROM LEAVENWORTH,

HE'S BACK ON THE STREET FLAT ON HIS ASS.

SO AUTOMATICALLY, HIS FIRST THOUGHT IS, LIKE,

OKAY, I GOTTA GET MY PIMPING GAME BACK UP.

- HE HAS NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE

BUT TO TURN TO STRONG-ARMED ROBBERY.

AND WITHIN A MONTH, BAM, HE'S BACK IN THE SLAMMER.

HE'S SENTENCED TO COOK COUNTY HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS

FOR A YEAR.

THEY PUT HIM ON THE COAL PILE.

NEVER DONE A HARD DAY'S WORK IN HIS LIFE.

A PIMP ON A COAL PILE IS LIKE OIL AND WATER.

SO GOOD FRIDAY 1947, HE ESCAPED.

- HE'S A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE.

HE'S RUNNING ALL OVER THE MIDWEST

WITH EIGHT PROSTITUTES

AND HE'S AN ADDICT OF HEROIN AND COCAINE.

- DID YOU MAKE A LOT OF MONEY?

- OH...

BUT WHERE'D IT GO? IN MY ARM.

IN A BLIZZARD OF COCAINE

UP MY NOSE.

ALL KINDS OF CLOTHES.

SPENDING IT ACROSS THE BAR IN CABARETS.

- DOPE IS MAYBE ONE OF THE GREATEST PIMPS TO EVER LIVE,

BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO USES DOPE

AND GETS HOOKED ON DOPE,

YOU'RE A HO AND THE DOPE IS PIMPING YOU.

- WHEN YOU'RE IN THE LIFE,

YOU NEVER REALIZE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET OLD.

THAT NEVER OCCURS TO YOU

BECAUSE THE DRUGS KEEP YOU IN A TRACE.

- BY THE LATE 1950s,

HE'S GOT HIS GIRLS IN WHOREHOUSES,

HE GETS BUSTED, THEY RUN HIS FINGERPRINTS

AND FIND OUT HE'S AN ESCAPED CONVICT.

- HIS RUN IN THE GAME IS OVER.

HE'S SENTENCED BACK TO THE HOUSE OF CORRECTIONS.

HE DOES NINE MONTHS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

- I LOOKED AROUND MY NEW HOME.

IT WAS A TIGHT BOX

DESIGNED TO CRUSH AND TORTURE THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

I RAISED MY ARMS ABOVE ME.

MY FINGERTIPS TOUCHED THE COLD STEEL CEILING.

I STRETCHED THEM OUT TO THE SIDE.

I TOUCHED THE STEEL WALLS.

THE MATTRESS COVER WAS STAINED AND STINKING

FROM OLD PUKE AND CRAP.

IT WASN'T JUST THE CELL.

IT WAS THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE MISERY AND TORMENT

ON THE ROW.

[men shouting]

- AT THE END OF THE FOURTH MONTH,

MY SKULL WAS SHAKING ON MY SHOULDERS

LIKE I HAD PALSY.

- HE SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DO THINGS

TO STRENGTHEN HIS MIND

TO KEEP FROM GOING CRAZY.

- HIS WRITING MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEGUN

IN THAT PRISON WORLD IN THAT SETTING

WHERE HE STARTED CREATING STORIES,

WHETHER ABOUT HIS OWN LIFE OR FICTIONAL ONES.

- HE SAID, I HAD TO PLAY MENTAL GAMES WITH MYSELF,

AND I HAD TO HAVE CERTAIN CONVERSATIONS

TO JUST KEEP ME GOING.

HE SAID, BECAUSE I WAS DETERMINED

THAT THE MAN WAS NOT GOING TO BREAK ME.

♪ I COULD JUST LAY RIGHT DOWN ♪

♪ I TELL YOU, CHILDREN, I COULD LAY RIGHT DOWN ♪

- HE HAD A LOT TO COPE WITH.

HIS BEST FRIEND, JOE "PARTY TIME" EVANS,

WAS KILLED.

BABY BELL WAS DEAD.

- HE GETS A LETTER FROM HIS MOTHER,

AND THAT SHE'S VERY SICK

AND THAT HE NEEDS TO GET OUT TO LOS ANGELES.

- I HAD COME TO A DECISION IN THAT AWFUL CELL.

I WAS THROUGH WITH PIMPING AND DRUGS.

I HAD FOUND OUT THAT PIMPING IS FOR YOUNG MEN,

THE STUPID KIND.

I GOT INSIGHT THAT PERHAPS

I COULD NEVER HAVE HOPED TO GET OUTSIDE.

I COULD SEE THE TERRIBLE PATTERN OF MY LIFE.

MAMA MIGHT DIE IN CALIFORNIA AT ANY TIME.

I HAD TO GET TO HER BEFORE SHE DIED.

I HAD TO CONVINCE HER I LOVED HER.

I HAD TO GET THERE

AS MUCH FOR MYSELF AS FOR HER.

- HERE HE IS, HE'S STRUGGLING TRYING KEEP HIS SANITY,

AND DURING THIS TIME,

HE FINDS OUT THEY MAY TACK ON MORE TIME.

HE MAY NOT GET OUT WHEN THEY TELL HIM

THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED.

- IN ORDER TO SECURE HIS FREEDOM

ON THE DAY THAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED,

HE WRITES A LETTER TO THE WARDEN

IN WHICH HE MAKES A LEGAL SOUNDING PLEA

FOR HIS RELEASE.

- USING THE PEN AND THE PAPER

TO GET SOMEWHERE IN LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME

WAS CATHARTIC FOR HIM.

THIS IS WHEN HE BECAME A WRITER, IN EFFECT,

AND THAT WRITING, THEN AND LATER ON,

ENABLED HIM TO LEAVE THE PENITENTIARY,

ENABLED HIM TO LEAVE THE LIFE OF CRIME BEHIND

AND SO THROUGH WRITING,

HE REALLY DID CHANGE HIS LIFE.

- WRITERS ARE BORN AND NOT CREATED,

SO THAT GENE, THAT GENIUS GENE

HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE SOMEWHERE INSIDE OF YOU.

IT JUST TAKES SOMETHING TO TRIGGER IT.

- HE SAYS I HATED BEING IN THE STEEL CASKET

WHERE THEY LOCKED ME AWAY,

BUT THEY SAVED MY LIFE.

BECAUSE IF I HAD TRIED TO CONTINUE ON,

I WOULDN'T HAVE LIVED.

- HE SAID, SO I KNEW

THAT I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE STREET LIFE ALONE

AND DO WHATEVER I HAD TO DO

TO STRAIGHTEN UP

AND LEAD A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIFE.

♪ LOVE AND HAPPINESS

♪ MAKING IT RIGHT

♪ LOVE AND HAPPINESS

♪ MAKING IT RIGHT

♪ LOVE AND HAPPINESS

♪ MAKING IT RIGHT

- LOS ANGELES BECOMES THE END POINT OF HIS JOURNEY

BECAUSE HE'S TRYING TO GET BACK TO MAMA.

- I HAD NO ONE EXCEPT MAMA.

MY COMING TO HER HAD BEEN LIKE A MIRACLE.

IT WAS THE MAGIC THAT GAVE HER STRENGTH.

SHE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD GET MARRIED

AND HAVE CHILDREN.

- I HAD COME OUT HERE TO CALIFORNIA

'CAUSE I WAS JUST BORED, SO I CAME OUT HERE.

[coughs]

I HAD WORKED FOR A HAMBURGER STAND

AND THIS GUY STARTED-- STOPPED BY THERE

AND HE LOOKED LIKE A PROFESSIONAL TO ME,

EITHER A DOCTOR, A LAWYER,

OR A PRESIDENT OF SOME BANK.

IMPECCABLY DRESSED.

SHOES SHINED, THE CAR SPOTLESS.

JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

AND HE SAID COULD I TAKE YOU SOMEWHERE

WHERE YOU COULD EAT SOMETHING BESIDES A HAMBURGER?

I SAID, WHAT THE HELL.

SO WE GO AND WE EAT.

AND I DRANK TOO MUCH,

WHICH I USUALLY DID BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

I DRANK ALL OF MY WHISKEY

AND ALL OF ANYBODY ELSE'S WHISKEY

I COULD GET MY HANDS ON.

AND I GOT SICK

LIKE I HAVE NEVER BEEN SICK BEFORE IN MY LIFE.

AND HE TOOK ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

THE DOCTOR SAID THAT I WAS, UM...

I WAS FOUR MONTHS-- AROUND FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT.

I SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO BE LYING.

AND HE SAID, NO.

AND THEN I STARTED CRYING, AND BOB CAME IN.

HE SAID, WHAT'S THE MATTER?

I SAID, DIDN'T THEY TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

AND HE SAID, YEAH.

I SAID, AND WHO'S GONNA HELP TAKE CARE OF ME?

AND HE SAID, I AM.

SO HE TOOK ME OVER TO THE APARTMENT

WHERE HE WAS LIVING WITH HIS MOTHER.

SHE MARRIED A MAN THAT WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD.

HIS NAME WAS BECK.

THAT'S WHY BOB TOOK BECK AS A LAST NAME.

WHEN HE BROUGHT ME IN THERE,

THEN OF COURSE IMMEDIATELY

THE WHEELS STARTED TURNING IN HER MIND,

AND SHE WOULD GO BACK

AND SHE WOULD SAY, BABY, YOU GET AWAY FROM HIM.

BOBBY'S NO GOOD. HE'S MY SON.

I LOVE HIM. HE'S NO GOOD.

AND I ASKED HIM WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT?

HE SAID, I'LL TELL YOU,

BUT NOW'S NOT THE TIME.

SHE WAS AN OLD WOMAN,

AND SHE DIED,

AND I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE

SEEN ANYBODY SUFFER THE WAY HE DID

THE DAY HIS MAMA DIED.

IN JUNE I HAD ROBIN,

AND THEN 15 MONTHS LATER,

I HAD CAMILLE.

WE WERE SO BROKE, SO HE STARTED EXTERMINATING.

HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING.

HE FIGURED THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT HE COULD DO

WITHOUT GOING BACK INTO THE LIFE.

ALL HE WANTED WAS ME

AND THE CHILDREN SOMETIMES.

THEY WERE TOTALLY MY RESPONSIBILITY.

- SHE WAS, LIKE, THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE.

SHE WAS THE PERSON THAT GAVE DISCIPLINE.

SHE WAS THE PERSON WHO MADE MEALS, RULES.

- ANYTIME THE CHILDREN DID SOMETHING WRONG, HONEY.

OR I'M GONNA TELL MOMMY

AND ALL THIS KIND OF CRAP.

- HE WAS A GREAT DAD.

I MEAN, HE COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER,

BUT WE COULD ALL BE BETTER THAN WHAT WE ARE.

FROM WHAT HE CAME FROM

AND TO WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO DO,

HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH KIDS,

AND THEN SUDDENLY HE HAS FOUR

AND THREE ARE GIRLS. THAT'S--

- THREE OF THEM ARE GIRLS,

AND HE WAS IN A POSITION HIS ENTIRE LIFE

OF PUTTING HIS BOOT IN THE BACK

OF EVERY SINGLE FEMALE THAT HE CAME ACROSS.

- MY DAD USED TO SAY IT WAS A CURSE.

THIS MUST BE MY SENTENCE BEFORE DEATH,

THE THREE OF YOU.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER,

THEY LIVED ON 90th AND CRENSHAW

IN A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD,

AND SOMEONE THREW A BRICK AT MELODY WHEN SHE WAS FOUR.

IT HIT HER IN THE HEAD.

SHE'S, LIKE, A FOUR-YEAR-OLD BABY PLAYING.

I THINK THAT THAT SCENE IN HIS MIND

KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR, WOW.

I'VE GOT THESE MIXED KIDS,

THIS WHITE WOMAN,

AND PEOPLE ARE ANGRY.

- IT TOOK 14,000 TROOPS TO BRING AN END

TO WHAT BOTH NEGRO AND WHITE LEADERS CALLED

INSURRECTION BY HOODLUMS.

- WHEN THEY HAD THAT TERRIBLE RIOT,

IT WAS BAD.

HE TOLD ME TO KEEP THE CHILDREN IN A BEDROOM

AND KEEP THAT BEDROOM LOCKED

AND I WASN'T TO COME OUT OF THAT BEDROOM

UNTIL I HEARD HIS VOICE.

'CAUSE HE WAS SCARED TO DEATH

SOMETHING WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

HE SAID, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE

I AIN'T NEVER, EVER GONNA BE ACCEPTED

IN THE WHITE WORLD,

AND WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO LIVE

ANYWHERE EXCEPT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE GHETTO,

WHERE THERE'S A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE.

- THE CENSUS TAKERS,

THEY DON'T EVEN COUNT PEOPLE IN THE UNDERWORLD.

THAT'S WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT.

YOU SEE?

I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE BRUISED AND WOUNDED

IN MY EFFORTS TO MAKE A LIVING

BY COMING IN CONTACT WITH WHITE SOCIETY.

I WAS NEVER REMINDED THAT I WAS A NIGGER.

- ALL DAY LONG,

HE WOULD GO AND KILL THOSE ROACHES AND RATS

AND SHIT LIKE THAT.

HE WOULD COME IN NASTY AND SWEATY AND...

HE HATED IT.

EVEN THEN, THOUGH,

THIS MAN COULD NOT GET UP AND GO OUT IN THE STREETS

WITHOUT PUTTING ON A PAIR OF DRESS PANTS

AND A DRESS SHIRT AND A GODDAMN HAT.

WHEN HE GOT HOME FROM CANVASSING,

AS HE CALLED IT, TO FIND OTHER JOBS,

HE'D WANT TO TALK.

AND HE WOULD TELL ME THESE OUTRAGEOUS THINGS

AND I SAID, A WOMAN WOULD GO OUT AND SELL HERSELF

AND GIVE THE MONEY TO A MAN?

I SAID, YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND.

AND THEN HE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES

THAT HE WOULD HAVE.

I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? GIVE ME A NOTE PAD.

YOU START TALKING TO ME,

AND I'LL START WRITING IT DOWN.

AND I DID.

AFTER I PUT THE CHILDREN TO BED,

IT WAS IN THERE.

AND THEN HE'D SAY,

YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ANY TYPING DONE TONIGHT?

AND I'D SAY, I'LL SEE.

AND 12:00, 12:30, I'D GO OUT AND TURN THAT TYPEWRITER ON.

- SHE COULD TYPE 160, 170 WORDS A MINUTE.

- AND HE WAS REALLY ANIMATED.

- YEAH. - AND EXCITED.

- AND HE WOULD ACT OUT THE WHOLE BOOK RIGHT THERE.

- HE WOULD BE TELLING ME WHAT TO WRITE DOWN,

AND I'M SITTING IN A CHAIR AND I'M WRITING,

AND HE'S STANDING-- DO YOU--

AND ALL UP IN MY FACE.

HE WAS A CONSUMMATE ACTOR ABSOLUTELY.

- SHE COULD PUT THIS THING TOGETHER

AND ACT IT OUT WITH HIM.

IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

I WISH THAT ALL OF YOU COULD HAVE SEEN IT.

- WE COULD FINISH EACH OTHER'S SENTENCES.

HIS STORIES, THEY WERE SO FASCINATING TO ME.

I FELT THAT IF THEY WERE THAT FASCINATING TO ME,

THEY OBVIOUSLY WERE GOING TO BE FASCINATING

TO MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE.

I HAD SEEN THE AD IN THE SENTINEL,

THE BLACK NEWSPAPER FOR LOS ANGELES.

HOLLOWAY HOUSE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE AD

FOR BLACK WRITERS.

- AT THAT TIME,

THERE WAS NO VENUE

FOR A TALENTED YOUNG BLACK AUTHOR PERIOD.

- WHEN YOU'RE ATTACHED TO SOMETHING LIKE HOLLOWAY HOUSE,

IT'S SUCH AN ICONIC PLACE

BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE THE DOORWAY

FOR SO MANY UNIQUE AMERICAN VOICES

LIKE JOSEPH NAZEL, DONALD GOINES,

AND ODIE HAWKINS.

BENTLEY MORRISS I THINK

SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A PIONEER IN ONE SENSE

BUT A DRAG IN ANOTHER.

- BENTLEY IS THIS REALLY EPIC PERSONALITY.

HE WAS INTERESTED IN A TRAJECTORY

THAT KEPT HIM UNDER THE RADAR

OF FABULOUS SUCCESS.

- HOLLOWAY HOUSE FIRST CAME INTO BEING IN 1961.

WE FELT THAT WE COULD...NOT COMPETE,

BUT AT LEAST BE A PART OF THE WORLD OF PUBLICATION.

NOW, WE'RE NOT HARDCOVER. WE'RE PAPERBACK,

WHICH IS THE LOW RING OF PUBLISHING.

- IT WAS A THIRD-TIER PUBLISHER,

WHICH WOULD, AT THAT POINT IN TIME

LOCK YOU OUT, FREEZE YOU OUT

OF THE NEW YORK LITERARY SCENE.

- I THOUGHT HE DID A LOUSY JOB

BRINGING OUT BOOKS WITH LOUSY COVERS.

HE DID ALMOST NOTHING TO PROMOTE THE BOOKS.

THEY WERE ALMOST SOLD BY WORD OF MOUTH.

- THEY WERE SOLD IN DRUGSTORES AND NEWSSTANDS.

THAT'S HOW YOU FIND YOUR HOLLOWAY HOUSE BOOKS.

- THEY DIDN'T WANT TO CALL THEIR BOOKS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOOKS.

THEY WANTED TO CALL THEM BOOKS FROM THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.

- BENTLEY IS NOT A RACIST IN ANY KIND OF WAY.

IF THEY COULD FIND A WAY

THAT YOU COULD MAKE MONEY FOR THEM,

THEY DIDN'T CARE WHO YOU WERE.

THEY WERE WILLING TO EXPLOIT ANYONE

WHO COULD MAKE MONEY FOR THEM.

- WE WERE NOT PROSELYTIZERS.

WE WEREN'T SOCIALLY INCLINED.

WE WERE IN THE BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY.

BUT WITH IT WAS THE ADDITIONAL CAVEAT

OF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING GOOD.

YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

AND, HEY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT FORMULA.

- I ASKED BOB WHY HE DIDN'T FIND OUT

WHAT THESE PEOPLE REQUIRED

AND LET'S SEE IF IT'S SELLABLE.

BECAUSE IF IT'S SELLABLE,

THEN WE'RE SETTING HERE STRUGGLING LIKE THIS

WITH NO MONEY TO FEED THE KIDS,

NO MILK MONEY, NO CIGARETTE MONEY,

NO NOTHING, BARELY GETTING BY ON THE RENT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE-- 'CAUSE WRITERS MAKE MONEY.

AND I GOT 100 PAGES TOGETHER.

AND HE TOOK IT TO BENTLEY MORRISS.

- I CAN SEE HIM AT THE DOOR AT THIS MOMENT.

JUST IMMACULATE.

THIS EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN BEING

OF ABOUT--I THINK ABOUT 6-3 IN HEIGHT

CAME AND SAID HE'S AN AUTHOR

AND HE'D LIKE TO LEAVE A MANUSCRIPT.

THE EDITOR AT THE TIME

WAS A CHAP BY THE NAME OF MILTON VAN SICKLE.

HE READ IT, BROUGHT IT IN TO ME,

AND I SAID, WOW.

IT WAS SUCH A REVELATION

TO RECEIVE A BOOK WITH SUCH INTENSITY

AND WITH SUCH TRUTHFULNESS.

- BENTLEY MORRISS GAVE US A $5,000 ADVANCE.

AND WE WERE DOWN TO FIVE.

YOU GOT $5.00,

SOMEBODY GONNA CUT YOU A CHECK FOR 5 GRAND,

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

ARE YOU GONNA GIVE THEM THAT PORTION OF YOUR WORK

AND THEN PROMISE THEM

THAT THE REST OF IT WILL BE DELIVERED WITHIN TWO MONTHS?

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

- CERTAINLY, HIM COMING UP

WITH THE NOM DE PLUME OF ICEBERG SLIM

WAS AN EXTREMELY CLEVER WRITER'S DEVICE

BECAUSE IT TELLS YOU RIGHT IN THE NAME,

SLIM, OKAY, HE'S GOOD LOOKING.

HE'S CAT-LIKE.

ICEBERG: HE'S COLD, COLD, COLD,

AND ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG SHOWED,

JUST WHAT HE WANTED YOU TO SEE.

MOST OF IT WAS HIDDEN FROM VIEW.

HE SAID, NO, ON THE STREET, THEY CALL ME CAVANAUGH.

THAT WAS MY NAME. CAVANAUGH.

- EVERYBODY WAS ENTHRALLED BY THE BOOK,

AND WE FIGURED, LET'S GO.

- PIMPWAS THE FIRST REAL BOOK

ABOUT THE STREET LIFE,

AND THE FIRST REAL BLACK EXPERIENCE

PUT INTO A BOOK FORM.

- YOU HAD JAMES BALDWIN, FOR EXAMPLE,

OR RALPH ELLISON, VERY LITERATE BLACK WRITERS

WHO DID NOT REFLECT THE NITTY GRITTY

OF LIFE ON THE STREET.

ICEBERG SLIM WAS THE REAL THING.

IF WAS INSIGHTFUL IN TERMS OF

THE LIFE OF THE STREET ITSELF.

HE'D TAKE SOMETHING VERY GORY OR SIMPLE,

BUT HE'D BRING POETRY TO IT SOMEHOW.

- THE DELIVERY IS SO POETIC IN NATURE

THAT YOU ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE WORDS

EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY ARE WORD OF VIOLENCE

AND WORDS OF TURMOIL AND TERROR.

- IT WAS SO INTRIGUING.

HERE I AM, A LITTLE GIRL, A YOUNG GIRL,

AND I'M READING THIS STUFF ABOUT PIMPS

AND DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION

AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR IMAGINATION JUST GOES HAYWIRE.

- JUST DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING ELSE

OR FEEL LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.

IT'S A SNAPSHOT

OF THINGS YOU'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE.

- YOU CRACK ANY PAGE ON THE BOOK

AND READ OUT A PARAGRAPH

AND IT'S THE CRAZIEST SHIT YOU'VE EVER HEARD.

IT'S NOT JUST THE GAME, IT'S THE PAIN OF THE GAME.

- HE REALLY TELLS YOU WHERE THIS PIMP IS FROM

AND TAKES YOU INTO EVERYTHING

THIS PIMP HAS GONE THROUGH

AND WHAT HAS MADE THIS PIMP.

- IT WAS RAW.

TO BE ABLE TO WRITE ABOUT SUCH THINGS

IN A WAY THAT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE

OF WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED

AS WELL AS GIVING THESE EVENTS A CERTAIN LITERARY FLAIR

IS, I THINK, WHAT MAKES PIMPSTAND OUT.

- UNRELENTINGLY BRUTAL.

AND ICEBERG SLIM'S WRITING IS SO VIVID AND SO CLEAR,

HE MAKES IT ALL INESCAPABLE.

- THE WHOLE BOOK'S GRIPPING.

YOU CANNOT PUT IT DOWN.

- THE SHIT WAS SO DEEP-- WRITTEN IN DEEP SLANG,

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE EVEN HEARD THAT

AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK ICEBERG WAS TALKING ABOUT,

AND THAT WAS THE COOL PART ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW.

- HIS PUBLISHER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE DAMN BOOK.

I SAID TO HIM, THESE TERMS THAT YOU USE,

CATCHING, BLOWING, TRICKING,

BITCHES, BOTTOM WOMAN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

- SO I ASKED BOB

WOULD HE ENDEAVOR TO COMPILE

A SECTION OF GLOSSARY

IN DEFINITION OF SOME OF THE PHRASES.

HE SAID HE'D BE DELIGHTED TO.

- CHILI PIMP IS DEFINED AS A SMALL TIME PIMP,

PROBABLY ONLY HAS ONE HO WORKING FOR HIM

AND HE'S NEW TO THE GAME.

THE BOTTOM BITCH IS THE PIMP'S MAIN WOMAN

WHO RUNS ALL THE OTHER HOs.

VIC OR A TRICK, THAT'S A MARK OR A VICTIM.

WHY A TRICK?

THE TRICK PAYS FOR SOMETHING

THAT A REAL MAN GETS FOR FREE.

THAT'S THE TRICK OF IT.

- AND THEN WHEN HE DID THAT AND I REREAD THE BOOK--

AND I REREAD IT MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES--

AND I HAD THE GLOSSARY TO REFER TO,

I FELT I KNEW WHAT I WAS READING.

- HE REALLY LAID OUT THE ETIQUETTE OF THE PIMP,

THE GENTLEMAN OF LEISURE.

YOU KNOW, HOW FLAMBOYANT AND HOW FLY

CAN THIS LIFESTYLE BE?

- THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A ROMANTIC ELEMENT

THAT APPEALED TO A YOUNG BLACK MAN

OF, GEE, THAT'D BE A GREAT LIFE TO HAVE.

- THE WAY HE ARTICULATES HIS WORDS

AND THROUGH HIS LIFESTYLE,

IT MAKES PIMPING SEEM FUN.

IT MAKES PIMPING SEEM LIKE

IT'S THE COOLEST SHIT IN THE WORLD.

BUT REALLY IT'S NOT. IT'S A TOUGH SPORT.

- WHEN YOU'RE STREET POISONED,

A YOUNGSTER READS THE BOOK AND HE RATIONALIZES.

YOU SEE, WE MUST HAVE A RATIONALE FOR STUPIDITY.

ANY TIME WE DO SOMETHING STUPID,

WE FIRST GOT TO CONVINCE OURSELVES

THAT WE GOT TO DO THAT STUPID THING.

SO THEY RATIONALIZE.

OH, THIS STUD, I'M HIPPER THAN THIS.

I WON'T GET CRACKED, YOU KNOW.

I WON'T GET CAUGHT.

I WON'T GO TO THE JOINT. I WON'T GO TO THE PENITENTIARY.

I WON'T USE DRUGS.

I WON'T USE HEROIN. I WON'T GET HOOKED.

I WON'T BE A JUNKIE.

I'LL BE COOLER, YOU KNOW.

SURE, THE DUDE IS RIGHTEOUS,

BUT I'M MORE RIGHTEOUS, YOU KNOW.

I'M MORE TOGETHER THAN THIS DUDE.

THIS DUDE IS OLD, YOU KNOW.

YOU SEE? THIS IS THE RATIONALE.

THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.

IN L.A., WHERE I'VE BEEN LIVING THE LAST 10 YEARS,

JUST HORDES OF YOUNGSTERS APPROACH ME ON THE STREET,

AND THEY TRY TO PICK MY BRAIN

FOR THE HIDDEN TREASURES

THEY THINK ARE BURIED INSIDE MY SKULL.

AND I ALWAYS SLAP THEIR WRIST

BEFORE THEY REACH FOR IT.

- HE JUST WANTED YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE

TO REALIZE THAT YOUR HEAD CAN HELP YOU

GET ON A HIGHER PLANE.

AND HE DE-GLAMOURIZED IT.

HE TOOK ALL THE GLAMOUR OUT OF THAT.

- WE FELT THIS WAS GONNA BE AN UNUSUAL BOOK,

AND SO WE PURSUED UNUSUAL METHODS.

AND THERE WAS A CHAP BY THE NAME OF JOE PYNE

ON KTTV

WHO RAN WILD INTERVIEWS

OF THE MOST BIZARRE AND OFF-BEAT PEOPLE,

BUT HE HAD AN INCREDIBLE AUDIENCE.

AND SO WE CALLED KTTV

AND PRESENTED TO THEM THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS AUTHOR.

WOULD HE LIKE TO DO AN INTERVIEW?

HE PUT HIM ON, AND ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

- THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE REVEREND'S EVIL SPIRITS.

OUR GUEST MASQUERADES UNDER THE NAME OF ICEBERG SLIM.

MANY OF YOU REMEMBER HIS STORY

OF HIS DAYS AS A PROCURER

OR IF YOU WILL A PIMP.

NOW HE LEADS A RESPECTABLE FAMILY LIFE.

ICEBERG SLIM HAS GONE STRAIGHT.

FOR THIS REASON, HE CONTINUES TO HIDE HIS IDENTITY.

IT REALLY PAINED YOU TO GO STRAIGHT.

- OH, YES. THIS IS A BETTER BAG, AS THEY SAY.

[audience laughs]

- YOU DON'T MISS ALL THAT EXCITEMENT, HUH?

- OH, OF COURSE NOT.

I MEAN...

- YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR MONEY NOW.

- THAT'S RIGHT, AND PIMP IS A RUNAWAY BEST SELLER.

- IS THAT RIGHT?

- THEY CAN'T KEEP THEM ON THE STANDS.

- WE COULDN'T KEEP THE PHONES SILENT.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PUNCH 911 IF WE HAD TO

'CAUSE CALLS WERE COMING IN.

WHERE CAN I BUY THE BOOK?

WHEN WE GOT THAT BOX OF BOOKS

AND HE BROUGHT 'EM HOME WITH PIMP,

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE DANCE THAT I DID.

AND I SAID, I TOLD YOU, GODDAMMIT.

LOOK AT THIS.

DIDN'T I TELL YOU THIS WAS A BOOK?

DIDN'T I TELL YOU?

AND HE SAID, SO WHAT SHOULD BE THE NEXT ONE?

- HE RETURNS NOW

TO TELL US ABOUT THE MOST INCREDIBLE CON MAN

HE EVER KNEW:

A BLONDE-HAIRED, BLUE-EYED NEGRO

CALLED WHITE FOLKS.

YOU'RE NOT PUTTING US ON, ARE YOU, SLIM?

- NO, THAT'S FACTUAL.

- ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT SLIM IS INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT AT DOING

IS BEING ABLE TO IMPERSONATE

THE VOICES OF MANY PEOPLE AT ONCE.

- HOW DID HE GET THAT NAME?

BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT HE COULD PASS OVER THE LINE,

OF THE COLOR LINE?

- THAT'S RIGHT.

"WHITE FOLKS" WAS A TERM APPLIED TO HIM

BY HIS FRIENDS.

HIS ENEMIES IN THE BLACK GHETTO

CALLED HIM TRICK BABY.

- THE NAME OF YOUR BOOK IS TRICK BABY.

- THAT'S RIGHT.

- HERE'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT TRICK BABY.

IT'S THE STRUCTURE OF IT.

BECAUSE WHAT IT STARTS WITH IS

ICEBERG HIMSELF BEING IN A JAIL CELL.

AND IN COMES WHAT SEEMS TO THIS WHITE CAT

GETS PUT INTO HIS CELL.

AND THEN, ICEBERG THEN PROCEEDS TO TELL YOU THIS STORY,

BUT THE STORY IS TOLD FROM FIRST PERSON

FROM WHITE FOLKS POINT OF VIEW.

- ICEBERG SLIM'S TALENT

IS THE ABILITY, THE UNCANNY ABILITY

TO BE ABLE TO MEMORIZE THESE SNIPPETS OF CONVERSATION

THAT HE'S HAD THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE

AND CONSTRUCT THEM INTO NARRATIVES AND CHARACTERS.

- THE BOOK IS AN INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE STORY

OF THE CON AS IT'S PLAYED IN THE STREET.

- AND, I MIGHT ADD,

BECAUSE IT'S TOLD IN FIRST PERSON,

IT'S CLASSIC NOIR STRUCTURE.

- I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO READ THIS,

BUT HE KNOWS I READ HIS OTHER ONE

AND I JUST GOT THIS ONE AT THIS MOMENT.

IF THIS IS ANYTHING LIKE YOUR FIRST BOOK,

IT OUGHT TO REALLY DO WELL.

- WHEN A BOOK REACHES THE LEVEL

OF A MOTION PICTURE,

THE CAPABILITY FOR EXPLOITATION IS ENORMOUS.

IN 1972, TRICK BABYBECAME A FILM.

- TRICK BABY,

ICEBERG SLIM'S BEST SELLING GUT STORY

OF THE WORLD OF THE CON,

THE HUSTLERS, THE HIGH-ROLLERS,

AND THE HATCHET MEN WHO MADE IT UP.

- HIS WHITE SKIN GIVES US A SLICK EDGE.

I CATCH THE BLACK MARKS, HE CATCHES THE HONEYS.

- TRICK BABY: ICEBERG SLIM WROTE IT

THE WAY HE LIVED IT.

IT'S HIS WORLD, SOMETIMES BRUTAL,

BUT ALWAYS REAL.

RATED "R."

SEE IT.

TRICK BABYCAME OUT IN JANUARY 1973

FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES

AND WAS REALLY ONE OF THE FIRST

SO-CALLED BLAXPLOITATION FILMS

TO BE BASED ON A TRUE STORY.

- I WASN'T REALLY A FAN

OF THE BLACK EXPLOITATION FILMS THAT I'D SEEN,

AND I DIDN'T CONSIDER TRICK BABYTO BE ONE.

IT WAS A CON MAN STORY.

- THERE WERE LINES OF PIMPS AND HUSTLERS

AROUND THE BLOCK IN EVERY CITY

TO SEE THIS FILM.

- WE GOT $25,000 FROM UNIVERSAL,

AND HE CAME HOME WITH IT.

HE CASHED THE CHECK

AND BROUGHT IT ALL IN CASH, NATURALLY.

AND HE THREW A FULL-LENGTH WHITE MINK COAT

OUT ON THE BED

AND THEN ALL THESE $100 BILLS.

HE SAID, SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

AND I SAID, WE CAN GET THE HELL OUT OF THIS HOUSE.

AND I SAID, AND WHAT IS THIS?

HE SAID, A WHITE MINK COAT.

AND I SAID, I NEVER TOLD YOU I WANTED A WHITE MINK COAT.

I DON'T LIKE COATS.

YOU'RE GONNA WEAR THIS ONE.

SO I GOT A $10,000 WHITE MINK COAT.

- I NEVER SAW ROBERT IN A STATE OF EUPHORIA.

IT WAS ALL VERY EVEN,

BUT HE WENT FROM THIS PLATFORM OF LITERATI

INTO FILM.

HE EXPERIENCED THAT MOMENT IN THE SUN.

- WELL, I ACTUALLY TRIED TO PIMP

WITH AN ICEBERG SLIM BOOK.

I'LL NEVER FORGET ONE TIME, ONE OF MY PARTNERS NAMED GARY,

WE HAD SOME HOs, YOU KNOW.

SO I GOT IN MY LITTLE PIMP SUIT,

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

SO WE SHOWED UP, SO, YOU KNOW.

WE CHOPPING 'EM. WE, LIKE, YEAH, BABY.

YOU KNOW, WE REAL LIVE PIMPING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S PIMPING JUMPING OFF.

BUT THESE WAS REAL HOs, SO THEY'D BEEN AROUND PIMPS.

SO OF COURSE THEY KNEW, YOU KNOW.

SO WE TRYING TO PIMP ON 'EM,

AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PIMPING,

WE RUNNING INTO THE OTHER ROOM,

BREAKING ICEBERG SLIM BOOKS OPEN, LIKE, YO,

AND THEN RUNNING BACK. YO, BITCH.

WHAT THE HELL? YOU BITCH, YOU KNOW.

AND THEY, LIKE, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

THE NEXT DAY, THE TWO HOs WOKE UP

AND STOLE HIS CAR.

- AFTER HE WROTE TRICK BABY IN 1967,

HE PUBLISHED MAMA BLACK WIDOWIN 1969,

THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOMOSEXUAL.

- HOMOSEXUALITY IN THOSE DAYS WAS TABOO.

IF YOU WERE IN THE CLOSET, YOU WERE IN THE CLOSET.

- HE REALLY TOOK THOSE CHARACTERS

FROM THE DEPTHS OF SOCIETY

AND BROUGHT THEM TO THE AUDIENCE THAT HE HAD.

- I WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN HIS BOOK OF ESSAYS,

THE NAKED SOUL OF ICEBERG SLIM,

WHICH WAS A COLLECTION OF HIS THOUGHTS

ON POLITICAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES.

- HE ALSO HAS A LETTER TO HIS FATHER,

IN WHICH HE TRIES TO INVITE HIM

BACK INTO HIS LIFE.

- SOME OF THE CHAPTERS, IF YOU READ THEM INTENSELY,

LITERALLY DRAWS TEARS 'CAUSE THEY'RE SO CONFESSIONAL.

- AFTER THE NAKED SOUL OF ICEBERG SLIM,

HE PUBLISHES DEATH WISH IN 1977.

IT'S A STORY ABOUT THE MAFIA.

HE SHOWS AN ARTISTIC MATURITY

BY BEING ABLE TO ENVISION LIVES

THAT HE DID NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY HAVE CONTACT WITH.

- IN THE BOOK, THE CHARACTER TRICK BABY

BASICALLY IS WILLING TO PLAY A DEEP HUSTLE

OR A DEEP CON.

AFTER READING THE BOOKS,

SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW DUDE GOT AN ALBUM.

I'M, LIKE, WHAT?

- ♪ I WAS STALKING HOs IN THE CENTER OF TOWN ♪

♪ RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE ♪

♪ WAITING FOR MY MAN

♪ 'CAUSE I HAD A PLAN TO COP SOME REEFER THERE ♪

♪ AND I WAS FLYING FAIRLY HIGH ♪

♪ JUST STANDING THERE DIGGING THE HOs ♪

- OH, SHIT.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST, LIKE, HIS VOICE

AND THE WAY HE-- BITCH, DRY YOUR TEARS.

NOW WE HAD A VOICE TO ADD TO THE WORDS.

AS KIDS, PICKING THAT LITTLE BIT OF LIFE UP

CHANGED OUR WHOLE STYLE.

WE GOT TURNED OUT.

I MEAN, MY WHOLE CREW GOT TURNED OUT.

- THE VERY LIFE THAT HAD SHAPED HIM

AND THE VERY LIFE THAT HE COULD THEN TURN AROUND

AND WRITE IN A LITERARY WAY AND REFLECT ON,

WHICH SHOULD HAVE THEN CATAPULTED HIM OUT OF THAT LIFE,

AT THE SAME TIME, THEN,

BECAUSE HE'S WRITING FOR A THIRD TIER HOUSE,

EVEN THOUGH THOSE BOOKS ARE SELLING,

HE HAS TO STILL THEN STEP BACK INTO THE LIFE

JUST TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE

AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE'S WRITING ABOUT IT.

THAT'S, LIKE, THE DOUBLE LIFE,

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF ROBERT BECK.

- THE FIRST TIME I REALLY SAW SLIM

WAS IN THE PARISIAN ROOM

ON LA BREA AND WASHINGTON HERE IN LOS ANGELES.

AND HE WOULD SIT THERE,

AND THEN HIS LADIES WOULD COME IN

AND THEY WOULD GIVE HIM MONEY.

BUT ONE NIGHT, I HEAR THIS COMMOTION.

I RUN BACK THERE IN THE BACK

TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON, YOU KNOW.

HE SAID, THIS BITCH BRING ME 50 FUCKING DOLLARS

AND SHE BEEN GONE ALL DAY.

AND HE SAID, BITCH,

WHERE IN THE FUCK YOU BEEN ALL DAY?

SHE SAID, WELL, I HAD MY PERIOD

AND I JUST DIDN'T FEEL WELL.

HE SAID, YOU AIN'T GOT LOCKJAW, HAVE YOU?

- YOU THINK HE WAS STILL PIMPING?

BECAUSE SOMEONE TOLD YOU THAT, HUH?

PIMPING WHO?

WHAT WOULD BE THE REASON, THOUGH? THE PURPOSE?

LIKE, A STABLE OF GIRLS

GOING OUT AND-- WHO TOLD YOU THAT?

HE USED TO MOVE, LIKE, THESE HOOKERS INTO THE HOUSE.

- WELL, THEY WERE HIS ASSISTANTS.

- THEY WERE, LIKE, SUPPOSED TO BE ASSISTANTS--

- OR PUBLICISTS.

- BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE ROOMS.

- I'D HAVE TO SAY 150% THAT IS NOT TRUE.

MY MOM WAS PSYCHOTIC.

THERE IS NO WAY--

I MEAN, YEAH, HE HAD SEX WITH OTHER WOMEN,

BUT MAKING MONEY OFF OF THEM?

MM-MMM. REFORMED.

- AIRTIGHT WILLIE & ME,

A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES,

IS HIS LAST BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED BY HOLLOWAY HOUSE

IN 1979.

- FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE BOOKS,

WE WERE GETTING ADVANCES FROM BENTLEY.

AND THEN ROYALTIES

AND BENTLEY WOULD PAY WHATEVER HE WANTED TO ON ROYALTIES.

- WELL, THE ROYALTY STATEMENTS OF HOLLOWAY HOUSE

ARE REALLY COMICAL BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE A FARCE

AND THEY HAVE NO BEARING TO ANY KIND OF REALITY.

I'M HAPPY WHEN MY, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY BEER MONEY COMES

IN THE FORM OF MY ROYALTY CHECK.

- WELL, WE WERE A SMALL HOUSE.

WE HAD VERY MODEST TYPE OF FINANCING.

WE'D LAY IT ON THE LINE TO THE AUTHOR,

THIS IS WHAT WE PAY,

AND IF YOU CAN LIVE WITH IT,

WE'LL BECOME PARTNERS.

IT WAS NEVER THAT AN AUTHOR WAS WORKING FOR HOLLOWAY.

IT WAS ALWAYS A PARTNERSHIP.

- HOW MANY AUTHORS DID NOT TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER?

- NONE.

- THERE'S A STORY TOLD ABOUT BENTLEY

WHERE ONE OF HIS WRITERS GOES TO HIM.

LISTEN, I KNOW YOU'RE CHEATING ME

AND YOU NEED TO PAY ME MORE.

AND BENTLEY SAT BEHIND HIS DESK

GOT UP, WALKED TO HIS WINDOW,

LOOKED DOWN AT THE STREET, DOWN AT MELROSE BELOW

AT THE CARS GOING BY

AND SAYING, YOU SEE THAT STREET OUT THERE?

YES.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SCORES OF WRITERS DOWN THERE.

I COULD THROW A ROCK DOWN THERE

AND KILL 20 WRITERS.

I DON'T NEED YOU, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE PUBLISHED BY ME,

YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP AND TAKE WHAT I GIVE YOU.

- HE SENT ME DOWN THERE

WHEN BENTLEY HAD TO BE MOTHERFUCKED

'CAUSE BENTLEY WOULDN'T SEND THE GODDAMN ROYALTY CHECKS OUT.

- THEN HE STARTED LOOKING AT THE BREAKDOWN SHEETS

AND HE WAS, LIKE, THEY SOLD?

BUT THE CHECKS DON'T ADD UP. - DON'T REFLECT IT.

- DON'T ADD UP TO THE NUMBERS OF BOOKS THAT ARE SOLD.

- THEY ALWAYS RECEIVED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED.

WE DID AN HONEST JOB.

WE NEVER TOOK ADVANTAGE OF OUR AUTHORS

BECAUSE THEY WERE, IN EFFECT,

OUR BREAD AND BUTTER.

HOLLOWAY WOULD RECEIVE MANY CALLS

FOR PERSONAL APPEARANCES, BOOK SIGNINGS, AND SO ON,

AND WE WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY ONE

BECAUSE IT WAS ADDITIONAL PROMOTION AND MERCHANDISING.

- HE WAS DEFINITELY OUT OF THE HOUSE A LOT

WHEN THE BOOKS STARTED TAKING OFF.

THAT WAS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MY PARENTS

WAS HIM JUST KIND OF OFF,

YOU KNOW, BECOMING, YOU KNOW, THIS WRITER.

ACTUALLY A PIMP AGAIN, IS WHAT SHE WOULD SAY.

YOU KNOW, HE'S BACK OUT THERE

AND THEN SHE'S LEFT AT HOME WITH FOUR KIDS.

SHE WAS UNHAPPY,

AND THAT MADE FOR AN UNHAPPY UNION.

- YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

I HAD FOUR KIDS TO FEED,

WASH CLOTHES, HOUSE TO CLEAN,

TYPING TO DO,

AND HE'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES,

SO I'VE GOT THAT TRAUMA

TAKING CARE OF HIM.

- MY MOM WAS DRINKING A LOT,

AND REALLY SAD AND DEPRESSED

WITH MY DAD'S PHILANDERING AROUND TOWN AND THINGS.

I BELIEVE A LOT OF DEPRESSION SET IN

DURING THAT TIME, TOO.

- HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO ME.

HOWEVER, HE WASN'T MEAN TO ME.

AND I WAS THE ONE THAT ALWAYS STARTED THE ARGUMENTS,

AND WHEN THEY GOT REALLY HEATED,

HE WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD LEAVE THE HOUSE.

- MY MOTHER USED TO CALL MY FATHER A GOD

WHEN THEY WERE ARGUING.

SHE WOULD SAY YOU'RE GOD, SO YOU MUST KNOW EVERYTHING.

AND IT WASN'T A TERM OF ENDEARMENT.

SHE DID WANT A LITTLE BIT OF THE LIMELIGHT

AND KIND OF WANTED TO TRAVEL

AND DO THINGS WITH HIM.

SHE PROBABLY WANTED MORE OF A CELEBRATION WITH OUR LIVES

AS FAR AS JUST, LIKE,

NOW WE HAVE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A NICE HOUSE,

AND IT ONLY MADE HIM MORE DISTANT.

- HE WAS A TOTAL LONER.

THE ONLY ONE THAT HE HAD

THAT CAME ON A CONSISTENT BASIS

WAS R.G. ARMSTRONG.

AND HE AND R.G. USED TO SIT IN THERE

AND WRITE MOVIE SCRIPTS.

I SAID, BOB, WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING A NOVEL?

YOU HAVEN'T WRITTEN A DAMN THING SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN THE HOUSE.

WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING?

HOW MANY MORE TIMES I HAVE TO GO UP THERE

AND MOTHERFUCK THAT JEW

AND MAKE HIM GIVE ME SOME MORE MONEY

TO FEED THESE CHILDREN?

AND THEN I GOT A PART TIME JOB.

AND THEN HE QUIT WRITING ALTOGETHER.

AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID, UH-UH. NO, BABY.

WE AIN'T PIMPING ME, ALL RIGHT?

I NEVER PAID A MAN'S RENT IN MY LIFE,

AND I GODDAMN SURE DON'T INTEND

TO START PAYING YOURS NOW.

YOU EITHER DO WHAT YOU KNOW HOW TO DO,

AND LET'S GET SOME MONEY ROLLING IN HERE,

OR YOU LAY HERE ON YOUR DEAD ASS

AND I'M MOVING OUT WITH MY CHILDREN.

AND I DID.

- HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY.

THAT'S ALL HE HAD.

THAT'S ALL HE WORKED FOR WAS US.

- YEAH, I THINK MY MOM-- - HE DIDN'T JUST DO THAT--

HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

- I THINK SHE'S THE ONE THAT WANTED TO LEAVE TOWN.

- HE DIDN'T DO THAT SHIT FOR ANY OTHER REASON

BUT FOR HIS KIDS AND HIS WOMAN.

- MM-HMM.

- AND HE HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF HER,

BECAUSE SHE WAS CRAZY AND SHE WAS OUT OF HER MIND.

- MY FATHER DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP,

WHETHER IT'S WITH A WOMAN, WITH A BUDDY,

I MEAN, CERTAINLY NOT CHILDREN.

- I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE

TO UNEARTH WHAT IT WAS,

BUT THERE WAS SOME NEED THAT HE HAD FOR ME

THAT JUST CRUSHED HIM WHEN I LEFT.

'CAUSE HE DIDN'T THINK I WAS GONNA DO IT.

HE JUST DID NOT BELIEVE THAT I WOULD LEAVE HIM.

- TOWARD THE LATTER YEARS,

HE WAS LIVING IN A ONE-ROOM EFFICIENCY

OVER AT 48th AND CRENSHAW.

THE SUGAR DIABETES HAD TAKEN ITS TOLL,

AND HE WAS MARRIED AT THAT TIME

TO ANOTHER WOMAN.

- AFTER I READ DEATH WISH,

I WROTE HIM A LETTER THANKING HIM FOR WRITING IT

AND I NEVER EXPECTED A RESPONSE.

OH, I HAD PUT MY PHONE NUMBER IN THE LETTER,

AND A COUPLE WEEKS LATER HE CALLED

AND WE JUST STARTED TALKING.

- BUT HE ONLY LET HER COME BY AND VISIT.

WE WAS MORE IN ISOLATION,

ALMOST IN SECLUSION.

- I THINK HIS HEALTH WAS REALLY DETERIORATING,

AND IT WAS HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME,

I WANNA SAY A GOOD SIX YEARS

WHERE HE WAS GOING THROUGH DIALYSIS.

ONCE YOUR BODY IS FAILING ON YOU,

THAT PRETTY MUCH TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR CREATIVITY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HE REALLY DID

CARE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, WORLD EVENTS.

IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD THE TOOLS

TO ENTER WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD.

- YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REALIZATION

THAT WHEN YOU EXPLOIT YOUR OWN KIND,

THAT YOU ARE IN EFFECT COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY.

THAT YOU ARE HOBBLING AND CRIPPLING

THE STRUGGLE OF BLACK PEOPLE,

OF FREEDOM AND DIGNITY.

- HE WAS MY GOD. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I KNEW THAT HE KNEW SHIT

THAT PEOPLE...DON'T KNOW.

DON'T KNOW, WOULD NEVER FIGURE OUT,

OR EVEN TRY.

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.

BECAUSE THEY HAD A SUPPORT SYSTEM,

SOMETHING THAT HE NEVER HAD.

I MEAN, WHEN I GOT ARRESTED THAT TIME--

THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME

I WAS ARRESTED WHEN HE WAS ALIVE.

IT'S BEEN MANY TIMES SINCE THEN.

- OH, BOY.

- ANYWAY, I GOT ARRESTED WITH 10 KILOS OF COCAINE

AND A MILLION DOLLARS CASH.

SO THEY CALLED MY FATHER

'CAUSE THEY WANTED TO GIVE ME 50 YEARS.

I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A SCARY PHONE CALL TO MAKE,

BUT IT WASN'T 'CAUSE HE JUST TOOK IT ALL...

UH-HUH, AND THEN WHAT DID YOU HAVE

IN YOUR POSSESSION, MY DEAR?

NOTHING, DAD. I SWEAR. I WOULDN'T LIE.

[laughs]

AND HE WAS, LIKE, OKAY.

I'M GONNA CALL THE PROSECUTOR RIGHT NOW

AND PLEAD YOUR CASE.

AND HE DID, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT.

AND HE DIDN'T LET ANYTHING STAND...

GET IN THE WAY OF HIM BEING ABLE TO DELIVER HIMSELF

UNTO YOU IF YOU NEEDED IT.

- HE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE

AS FAR AS, LIKE, GIVING YOU KIND OF...

AN INSIGHT ON WHAT WILL COME,

BEING A GIRL, BEING A WOMAN.

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER,

I DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING HE HAD TO SAY,

AS ANY TEENAGE GIRL,

BUT HE WAS GIVING ME LOVE.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS LOVE BACK THEN.

I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS, YOU KNOW,

THIS NON-EXISTING FATHER.

BUT NOW, OBVIOUSLY, YEAH, THAT WAS LOVE.

IT WAS THE THIRD DAY OF THE RIOTS,

LOS ANGELES, WITH THE RODNEY KING THING.

AND IT WAS PRETTY EVIDENT

THAT MY FATHER WAS NOT DOING WELL.

- GANGRENE HAD SET IN

BECAUSE OF THE DIABETES IN HIS FOOT,

AND HE WAS GONNA HAVE TO HAVE

SOME PARTS OF IT AMPUTATED.

- MELODY CALLED ME AT THE OFFICE,

AND SHE SAID DADDY'S IN THE HOSPITAL

AND THEY WANT TO TAKE HIS LEG OFF,

AND HE REFUSED TO LET 'EM TAKE HIS LEG OFF.

AND I SAID, MELODY, CALL YOUR DAD BACK

AND TELL HIM THAT I WILL BE THERE TO SEE HIM

AND TELL HIM I SAID GOOD NIGHT.

AND HE DIED THAT NIGHT.

EVERY TIME THAT I PUT MY HAND OUT

TO TRY TO SHOW HIM

THAT THE ANIMOSITY WASN'T AS STRONG AND AS RAGING

AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE BEGINNING,

SOMETHING BAD WOULD HAPPEN TO HIM.

- I WAS IN FRANCE.

BY THE TIME I GOT HERE, HE WAS ALREADY DEAD,

AND I KNEW IT WHEN THE PLANE HIT THE TARMAC.

- I GOT A CALL FROM BETTY,

AND SHE SAID, LEON, DADDY'S GONE.

- I WAS ONE OF THE PALLBEARERS AT HIS FUNERAL.

I KNOW THEY NEVER HAVE WOMEN PALLBEARERS.

- BUT SHE WAS RIGHT IN THERE.

- I WAS RIGHT IN THERE.

- I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO BE AN ADULT

AND KIND OF APOLOGIZE FOR BEING ESTRANGED FROM HIM.

HE DIED WITH US ON BAD, BAD TERMS,

WHICH, YOU KNOW.

EVERYONE HAS REGRETS, SO...

- NO ONE WOULD KNOW THAT HE WAS AS INFLUENTIAL AS HE IS,

EVEN TODAY, 20 YEARS LATER AFTER HIS DEATH,

BY THE WAY THAT HE LIVED AND THE THINGS THAT HE HAD.

HE HAD NOTHING.

- IF I HAD KNOWN IT WAS THAT BAD,

I THINK I WOULD HAVE GONE

AND SAID THAT'S OKAY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE LET HIM--

I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE LET HIM STAY LIKE THAT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I WOULD.

I COULDN'T BECAUSE HE WAS PART OF ME.

I MEAN, WE MADE ICEBERG SLIM TOGETHER.

IT WASN'T A ONE-PERSON PROCESS,

IT WAS A TWO-PEOPLE PROCESS, YOU KNOW.

HE WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON,

AND I LOVE HIM

AND I MISS HIM.

- ICEBERG SLIM BOOKS WILL ALWAYS SELL WELL.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE SOLD WELL, AND WHEN WE ORDER THEM,

WE ORDER, YOU KNOW, 50 OR 100 AT A TIME

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER RUN OUT.

SOMETIMES SOMEBODY WILL COME IN

AND LITERALLY PICK UP ONE OF EACH

BECAUSE PEOPLE WANNA PASS THEM ALONG TO THEIR FRIENDS

AND HAVE THE ENTIRE SET, SO IT'S INTERESTING.

- THE ACCEPTANCE OF ICEBERG SLIM

HAS BEEN LITERALLY UNIVERSAL.

IF I'M CORRECT,

I BELIEVE IT'S 8 OR 10 LANGUAGES.

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS, IN THE MAIN,

ARE ALL PEOPLE OF HIGH REPUTE,

THAT FELT THAT THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF WORTH HERE.

- HE USED TO SAY, I COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING.

I COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY.

I SAID, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

YOU'RE A WRITER

THAT'S READY BY MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

YOU ARE SOMEBODY.

- TO DESCRIBE THE LIFE OF ICEBERG SLIM,

I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT A STORY

TO GLAMOURIZE A PLAYER'S LIFE.

IT'S RATHER A STORY OF REDEMPTION.

- HIS CONTRIBUTION TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE

HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED BY ANYONE.

HE WAS LITERALLY AN ICON IN THIS GENRE.

- ICEBERG SLIM REPRESENTS CHANGE.

HE REPRESENTS-- HE'S LIKE A BEACON OF HOPE

FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LIVING IN IMPOVERISHED CONDITIONS

THAT WANTS TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW,

AND IS LOOKING FOR THAT OUTLET.

- I AM A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR,

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR ICEBERG SLIM,

I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE A PLATFORM.

HE'S ONE OF THE PIONEERS, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

- THE BOOK COMPANY'S CALLED CASH MONEY CONTENT,

AND WE DEFINITELY PROUD OF THE FACT

THAT WE PUBLISH ICEBERG SLIM BOOKS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PROTECT HIS LEGACY.

THESE BOOKS WILL LIVE FOREVER, GUARANTEED.

- THOSE OF US THAT KNOW ICEBERG SLIM

WILL PUT HIM WITH BALDWIN AND CHESTER HIMES,

RICHARD WRIGHT AND ALEX HALEY, EVEN.

AS THE WRAP GIFT

FOR EVERY MOVIE I'VE EVER DONE,

I GIVE OUT COPIES OF PIMP TO THE WHOLE CAST AND CREW.

ALL THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE

CAN BE ANSWERED IF YOU READ THIS BOOK.

- FROM READING ICEBERG SLIMS AND REALLY GETTING INTO IT,

I KNEW THAT THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY

TO TELL A STORY: TO TELL BOTH SIDES OF IT.

WHENEVER YOU WOULD LISTEN TO AN ICE-T RECORD,

IT'S THE GAME, BUT IT'S THE B-SIDE, TOO.

- HE REALLY HAD, LIKE, A BIG HEART,

EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER SHOWED ANYONE.

I THINK THAT HIS HEART

WAS ABSOLUTELY BURSTING INSIDE OF HIM HALF THE TIME.

- YOU KNOW, BROTHER BECK,

YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY, PIMP,WHICH YOU WROTE,

IT MAY HAVE ENCOURAGED A LOT OF YOUNG BROTHERS

TO BECOME PIMPS.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?

- I THINK IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE

THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MISGUIDED YOUNG BLACK MEN

WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER,

WHO MISSED THE WHOLE MESSAGE IN THE BOOK,

AND THAT WAS THAT NOTHING GOOD

CAME TO ME EXCEPT THE PENITENTIARY

AND A HEROIN HABIT

AND MISERY

AND THE COMPLETE WASTE OF MY LIFE.

I STUPIDLY TRIED TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

AND ANY TIME THAT YOU TRY TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING,

YOU'RE GONNA SUFFER...

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

♪ THIS IS A MAN'S WORLD

♪ THIS IS A MAN'S WORLD

♪ BUT IT WOULDN'T BE NOTHING ♪

♪ NOTHING WITHOUT A WOMAN OR A GIRL ♪

♪ YOU SEE, MAN MADE THE CARS ♪

♪ TO TAKE US OVER THE ROAD

♪ MAN MADE THE TRAIN

♪ TO CARRY THE HEAVY LOAD

♪ MAN MADE THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ♪

♪ TO TAKE US OUT OF THE DARK ♪

♪ MAN MADE THE BOAT FOR THE WATER ♪

♪ LIKE NOAH MADE THE ARK

♪ THIS IS A MAN'S, MAN'S, MAN'S WORLD ♪

♪ BUT IT WOULDN'T BE NOTHING ♪

♪ NOTHING WITHOUT A WOMAN OR A GIRL ♪

♪ MAN THINKS ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF BABY GIRLS ♪

♪ AND OF BABY BOYS

♪ MAN MAKE THEM HAPPY

♪ 'CAUSE MAN MAKE THEM TOYS ♪

♪ AND AFTER MAN MAKE EVERYTHING ♪

♪ EVERYTHING HE CAN

♪ YOU KNOW THAT MAN MAKES MONEY ♪

♪ TO BUY FROM OTHER MEN

♪ THIS IS A MAN'S WORLD

♪ BUT IT WOULDN'T BE NOTHING ♪

♪ NOTHING, NOT ONE LITTLE THING ♪

♪ WITHOUT A WOMAN OR A GIRL ♪

♪ HE'S LOST

♪ IN THE WILDERNESS

♪ HE'S LOST

♪ IN BITTERNESS

♪ HE'S LOST