Pimp: The Story of My Life

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, sexual violence, child abuse, child sexual abuse, substance use, addiction, graphic violence, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.

Throughout the book, ice stands as a symbol of traditional portrayals of masculinity, which often require men to withhold emotion and stifle their own humanity, particularly when dealing with women. Iceberg Slim is so named for his acquired ability to be completely calm and expressionless in the face of intense stress. He first earns this name when he is almost shot and has no reaction to the experience; when a bullet flies over his head, knocking off his hat, he reacts as though it were just a light breeze. As Glass Top tells Slim, “I’ve seen some cool studs in my time, but I ain’t never seen nothing equal to that” (204). However, Slim admits that his “icy” demeanor comes from his constant use of cocaine, which dulls and hides negative emotions. As he wryly states, “My icy front was really backed by the freezing cocaine I snorted and banged every day” (207).

The image of emotional “iciness” also arises when Sweet advises Slim to “never get friendly and confide” (179) in women, declaring that “a good pimp is always really alone” (179).