Blues Man Mack

Book excerpt: In his memoir, O. G. Fillmore Slim breaks down how he went from being the most prolific pimp in America, the legendary gentleman Mack, to an eminent blues musician later in life. Known as The Godfather and Pope of the Game, Slim leads his prostitution operation with charisma, kindness, and charm turning out more than ten thousand women in over thirty years in the game. He preaches the ethics of safe sex and nonviolence. "I pimped with my brain, not with my fists." His gentlemanly approach promotes his highly lucrative business, and in the eyes of many, gives him a highly celebrated and revered reputation in urban street culture. But when Slim emerges from his longest stint in prison-five years-he leaves the pimping life behind and transforms himself into a famous blues musician, which was his original dream. Despite the odds, his stardom soars and he goes on to perform with an array of famous musicians, from B. B. King to Ike and Tina Turner, touring America, Europe, Russia, and beyond. Slim explains how his two worlds-the streets and the entertainment industry-are much more linked than the average person would guess as he tells the unbelievable story of his life.