Street Poison : The Biography of Iceberg Slim

**The first and definitive biography of one of America's bestselling, notorious, and influential writers of the twentieth century: Iceberg Slim, né Robert Beck, author of the multimillion-copy memoir __Pimp__ and such equally popular novels as __Trick Baby__ and __Mama Black Widow__. From a career as a, yes, ruthless pimp in the '40s and '50s, Iceberg Slim refashioned himself as the first and still the greatest of "street lit" masters, whose vivid books have made him an icon to such rappers as Ice-T, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg and a presiding spirit of "blaxploitation" culture. You can't understand contemporary black (and even American) culture without reckoning with Iceberg Slim and his many acolytes and imitators.** Literature professor Justin Gifford has been researching the life and work of Robert Beck for a decade, culminating in __Street Poison__, a colorful and compassionate biography of one of the most complicated figures in twentieth-century literature. Drawing on a wealth of archival material—including FBI files, prison records, and interviews with Beck, his wife, and his daughters—Gifford explores the sexual trauma and racial violence Beck endured that led to his reinvention as Iceberg Slim, one of America's most infamous pimps of the 1940s and '50s. From pimping to penning his profoundly influential confessional autobiography, __Pimp__, to his involvement in radical politics, Gifford's biography illuminates the life and works of one of American literature's most unique renegades. "The first biography of Robert Beck, aka Iceberg Slim, (1918-1992), builds a compelling case that the pimp-turned-popular author provided the foundation for gangsta rap, Blaxploitation movies, and so much of the underground culture that became mainstream. Gifford offers a lively account of a subject he even admits "might at first glance seem like an appalling choice for a biography ... he abused hundreds of women throughout his lifetime, and he is practically unknown to the American mainstream." Yet his autobiography, Pimp, has sold millions of copies since its publication in 1967, though it was never reviewed in the literary press nor widely available in bookstores. Pimp and Slim's subsequent novels and essay collections could be more commonly found in inner-city newsstands, taverns, and barbershops. Such seminal rappers as Ice Cube and Ice-T took their names to honor him, and Mike Tyson considered him a father figure. To Gifford, he's an exemplar of the ambiguous complexity of the pimp in ghetto mythology, a flashy man who has been corrupted by a racist society and who has been able to triumph over white prejudice by exploiting black women who had too few options. The "Street Poison" of the title was the term favored by Slim to describe the insidious effects of ghetto life on an impressionable young man attracted to the worlds of sex, drugs, and glamour and who would deaden his soul to attain all of them. It shows complicated relationships with his mother and a series of father figures, accounts occasionally at odds with Slim's own writing, and it shows how he transitioned from a life of crime to pulp literature. "This is not a story without tragedy ... But it is a story of redemption and breathtaking creativity, too," writes Gifford, who not only tells the story well, but shows why it's so significant." The First And Definitive Biography Of One Of America's Bestselling, Notorious, And Influential Writers Of The Twentieth Century: Iceberg Slim, Né Robert Beck, Author Of The Multimillion-copy Memoir Pimp And Such Equally Popular Novels As Trick Baby And Mama Black Widow. From A Career As A, Yes, Ruthless Pimp In The '40s And '50s, Iceberg Slim Refashioned Himself As The First And Still The Greatest Of Street Lit Masters, Whose Vivid Books Have Made Him An Icon To Such Rappers As Ice-t, Jay-z, And Snoop Dogg And A Presiding Spirit Of Blaxploitation Culture. You Can't Understand Contemporary Black (and Even American) Culture Without Reckoning With Iceberg Slim And His Many Acolytes And Imitators. Literature Professor Justin Gifford Has Been Researching The Life And Work Of Robert Beck For A Decade, Culminating In Street Poison, A Colorful And Compassionate Biography Of One Of The Most Complicated Figures In Twentieth-century Literature. Drawing On A Wealth Of Archival Material--including Fbi Files, Prison Records, And Interviews With Beck, His Wife, And His Daughters--gifford Explores The Sexual Trauma And Racial Violence Beck Endured That Led To His Reinvention As Iceberg Slim, One Of America's Most Infamous Pimps Of The 1940s And '50s. From Pimping To Penning His Profoundly Influential Confessional Autobiography, Pimp, To His Involvement In Radical Politics, Gifford's Biography Illuminates The Life And Works Of One Of American Literature's Most Unique Renegades -- Provided By Publisher. Childhood -- Education -- Prison -- Chicago -- Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary -- On The Road -- Los Angeles -- Hollywood -- Final Years. Justin Gifford. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 245-249) And Index. A biography of the notorious and influential writer explores the sexual trauma and racial violence he endured that led to his reinvention as Iceberg Slim, one of America's most infamous pimps of the 1940s and 50s