Iceberg Slim

Iceberg Slim is the pen name of Robert Beck (August 4, 1918 – April 28,1992), an African American writer.

Related Topics:
Pen name - August 4 - 1918 - April 28 - 1992 - African American

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Born into abject poverty, Beck quickly drifted into criminality, and became a pimp in the brutal Chicago underworld. He became rich as a pimp. It was during his third prison stay, a 10 month prison sentence in solitary confinement at the Cook County House of Corrections that he finally decided to "square up", and turn to writing.

Related Topics:
Pimp - Chicago - Solitary confinement

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Beck's first work, Pimp was published in 1969 and was quickly categorised as being typical of the black 'revolutionary' literature then being created; however, Beck's vision was considerably bleaker than most other black writers of the time. His work tended to be based on his personal experiences in the criminal underworld, and revealed a world of seemingly bottomless brutality and viciousness.

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His other novels include Doom Fox, Trick Baby (1973), Mama Black Widow, The Naked Soul of Iceberg Slim, Long White Con, Airtight Willie and Me and Death Wish.

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Iceberg Slim was an important influence on hip-hop artists and rappers such as Ice-T, who adopted his name in part from reading the author.

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