![]() In a time where most of our young men are either aspiring to be rappers and some sort of ball player, Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp introduces the gritty life of pimping yet, if pimping where so lucrative, that you could retire from it, why would he turn to writing books? Now of course, we had super pimp in the house at the film’s opening, Mr. The family was successful and have since inked a deal with Cash Money Content to re-distribute the Iceberg Slim Collection in conjuction with Kensington. I’m inclined to believe the masterminds behind Holloway Publishing eventually sold themselves to Kensington in order to avoid paying publishing to the estate of Robert Beck. As most black artists back in the 70’s, he was exploited by his publisher and was not given his fair share of royalties. His wife convinced him to put his outlandish tales of street life into written form, and Iceberg Slim the author was revealed. Having married and started a family, Slim would give up the life of pimping women and instead opted to work as an exterminator. ![]() The most touching moments came when we see how his first wife was responsible for being his writing partner, it reminded me of Irreconcilable Differences, a movie where a married couple finds success as screenwriters, then drift apart once the success comes. To learn from his mistakes and see that a life of making money and doing nothing to earn it, would be your downfall. In the movie he states that the premise of his books are to teach others not to go into the life of pimping. His writing set him free but his lack of continuing his education would find him nearly broke upon his death in 1992. With a sick mother and a desire to go home, Slim writes a passionate, moving letter to the authorities to ensure he was released on time to see his mother. ![]() The movie takes a turn while Slim is in jail. In the movie he recalls his mother telling him, “…apparently you like to hang with criminals, you should become a criminal lawyer…get a license and you can hang with them as much as you like…” As a result, he spent many years of his early life in and out of jail. Thus, Slim was brewing.Īs a child left home to fend for himself, he turned to the streets to learn the ways of the land. Watching his mother leave a man who loved her and her son, he watched her fall victim to the “con” of a man, and saw that women could be as heartless as men. Not realizing the effect this would have on her son, he began to lose respect for women at an early age. His mother, a hair stylist, left for Chicago under the spell of a new man in her life. Born and raised by a single mother, he watched her leave the man he would learn to love as his father, not his biological, and fall into the “trick” of a new man she met. Slim, Berg as he was referred to by Leon Isaac Kennedy, was not so different from many of us. ![]() My earliest recollection of a “pimp” was Goldie, from the movie “The Mack”, but what is most intriguing about this film was learning that Slim lived in Inglewood, was a father to 4 children, 3 girls and most interesting was how he evolved from Robert to Iceberg Slim. Going into the movie I didn’t know what to expect, I heard about Iceberg Slim but only through word of mouth through my male friends. Produced by Ice-T and directed by Jorge Hinojosa, also behind the film The Art of Rap, this documentary is a must see for those able to handle the mature content. Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp is a documentary that follows the life of Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck (1918-1992).
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