Richard Lewis - Iceberg Slim: A Biography of Americas Most Notorious Pimp

Iceberg Slim

A Biography

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Introduction

T he life of a pimp is one that is portrayed often on the Hollywood screen today. However, this was not always the case. In fact, about fifty years ago, this type of lifestyle was rarely discussed. It was a form of taboo. Many people believed, that the only type of person that would do such a thing as becoming a pimp was someone who wasnt worth anyones time. In the eyes of many, this type of person wasnt intelligent, had no talent, was addicted to drugs, received very little education, had no family, and was going nowhere in life. Then, one day in 1967, this all started to change because of one man. To the world, he would become known as Iceberg Slim. He was born Robert Maupin but would die Robert Beck.

The book that would start to bring the ghetto African American and pimp world into focus was called Pimp: The Story of My Life. It was written by a man who had been a pimp. It wasnt written to glamourize that type of lifestyle. It wasnt written to tell people to go out on the streets and become a pimp. It wasnt written as a beginners guide to that lifestyle. It was written because Beck didnt want others to follow in his footsteps. It was written because he wanted to find a way to put that part of his life on the top shelf and not have to look at it again. It was written so he could try to forgive himself for what he did to his mother and the hundreds to possibly thousands of women he pimped out over the course of nearly 25 years.

While some people, including some African American organizations such as the Black Panthers, would become heavy critics of Becks work, many other people would idolize it. However, they rarely enjoyed the book because they wanted to become the greatest pimp of their lifetime, they enjoyed the book because it gave them a sense of hope in their own lives. To many people, especially young African Americans, this book gave them hope that they could make something of their life. For some, it gave them hope that they could get off the streets and get an education or a better career. It gave them hope that they could raise a family. Most importantly, it made them feel like there was someone there who cared about them; someone there who wanted to see them succeed and be happy. For many young people in the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, this was an important piece that they were missing in their lives.

While youre reading this book, you might start to wonder how someone who became so cruel could have an inspirational life. The answers to this are right in this book. This is a biography of a man who is best known as Iceberg Slim. A man who achieved his career goal of becoming one of the top pimps on the streets of Chicago during the 1950s. A man who lived in different prisons for over five years. A man who started to cope with his emotional pain through the use of drugs like cocaine. Its a story of someone who was ruthless. Someone physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive to hundreds of women throughout his lifetime. Its the story of a man who many people dont want to read about. However, its also a story of a man who turned his life around and found a way to help other people get off the streets. Its the story of a person who used his mistakes to help better the lives of other people. Its one of the rare stories in the world that isnt often told, until now.

Today, youre more likely to find the names Iceberg Slim, Robert Maupin, or Robert Beck in articles and books. Even five years ago you wouldnt find his name as often as you do now. In fact, one of the most popular biographies about Robert Beck came out in 2012. For years, the name Iceberg Slim was only heard being spoken about by a few celebrities, by listening to gangsta rap, or reading books from the Urban Fiction or Street Literature genre. But, over the last few years, this has all started to change due to a few people who continued to hold on to Robert Becks legacy in the hope that, at some point, the rest of the world would start to pay attention to who this man really was.

This book will give you a glimpse of who Iceberg Slim or Robert Beck really was. This book will follow Beck from the time he was born, through his childhood struggles, onto the streets of Milwaukee and Chicago, into the prison system, and then his journey towards becoming a different person. Through this book, you will read about Robert Maupin, Cavanagh Slim, Iceberg Slim, and Robert Beck. While he went by different names throughout his life, he was technically one person. This book will describe him by the name he was going by at the time. Therefore, in his early life, you will read about Robert Maupin. Once he starts his journey into the underground world you will read about Cavanagh Slim. Then, once he leaves the underground world behind, you will read about Robert Beck, who took the pen name Iceberg Slim as he didnt want to use his real street name in his books. Becks names are written in this way because, as you will see, with each name he became a different person. Its a way to honor the man and his legacy that he left behind.

Chapter 1: Early Life

T here are many stories of triumph and success throughout the course of history and everyones story is different. Some stories are seen as more rags to riches stories while other stories focus on criminals who turned their life around after their prison release. The life of Robert Beck, better known as Iceberg Slim, is one of these stories. Not many people would expect that the story of a man who pimped out hundreds of women over two decades could become a triumphant story. However, Robert Becks story fits this mold.