Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp

Produced by rap legend Ice-T, ICEBERG SLIM: PORTRAIT OF A PIMP documents the storied life of the late Robert Beck, a reformed pimp turned African American literature icon. Beck spent his early days split between prison and the ghettos of Chicago where he committed petty crimes, pimped prostitutes, and fed a severe drug addiction. After serving a stretch in solitary confinement, he decided he'd had enough and retired from the game at 42. In 1969 he recounted his experiences in the book “Pimp: The Story of My Life,” which poetically detailed the bleak realities of the criminal underground. He went on to write several critically-acclaimed books, one of which (Trick Daddy) was adapted for film. This fascinating documentary explores how Beck's troubled childhood affected his decision to start pimping at 18 and how he struggled to separate from his past long after he gave it up. The film also focuses on his incredible influence on modern culture, featuring an impressive list of guests, including Ice-T, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg, Chris Rock, Henry Rollins, and Katt Williams. – E.F.