โ[In Pimp], Iceberg Slim breaks down some of the coldest, capitalist concepts Iโve ever heard in my life.โ โDave Chappelle, from his Nextflix special The Bird Revelation
Pimp sent shockwaves throughout the literary world when it published in 1969. Iceberg Slimโs autobiographical novel offered readers a never-before-seen account of the sex trade, and an unforgettable look at the mores of Chicagoโs street life during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. In the preface, Slim says it best, โIn this book, I will take you, the reader, with me into the secret inner world of the pimp.โ An immersive experience unlike anything before it, Pimp would go on to sell millions of copies, with translations throughout the world. And it would have a profound impact upon generations of writers, entertainers, and filmmakers, making it the classic hustlerโs tale that never seems to go out of style.