Pimpology: The 48 Laws of the Game »

Karen Hunter is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a celebrated radio talk-show host, and co-author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Confessions of a Video Vixen, On the Down Low, and Wendy's Got the Heat. She is also an assistant professor in the Film & Media Department at Hunter College

The pimp has reached nearly mythical status. We are fascinated by the question of how a guy from the ghetto with no startup capital and no credit — nothing but the words out of his mouth — comes not only to have a stable of sexy women who consider him "their man," but to drive a Rolls, sport diamonds, and wear custom suits and alligator shoes from Italy.

His secret is to follow the "unwritten rules of the game" — a set of regulations handed down orally from older, wiser macks — which give him superhuman powers of charm, psychological manipulation, and persuasion.

In Pimpology, star of the documentaries Pimps Up, Ho's Down and American Pimp and Annual Players Ball Mack of the Year winner Ken Ivy pulls a square's coat on the unwritten rules that took him from the ghetto streets to the executive suites. Ken's lessons will serve any person in any interaction: Whether at work, in relationships, or among friends, somebody's got to be on top. To be the one with the upper hand, you've got to have good game, and good game starts with knowing the rules.

If you want the money, power, and respect you dream of, you can't just "pimp your ride," you need to pimp your whole life. And unless you've seen Ray Charles leading Stevie Wonder somewhere, you need Ken's guidelines to do it. They'll reach out and touch you like AT&T and bring good things to life like GE. Then you can be the boss with the hot sauce who gets it all like Monty Hall.

Introduction Pimps Are Born, Not Sworn

Law 1 Purse First, Ass Last

Law 2 Get a Name in a Game

Law 3 Don't Chase 'Em, Replace 'Em

Law 4 Keep a Ho in Arrears

Law 5 Prey on the Weak

Law 6 When Pimpin' Begins, Friendship Ends

Law 7 Pimp the Game

Law 8 Don't Let Your History Be a Mystery

Law 9 Learn the Rules

Law 10 Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

Law 11 Avoid Gorillas and Godzillas

Law 12 Ain't No Love in This Shit

Law 13 Pimp Like You're Ho-less

Law 14 Better a Turnout Than a Burnout

Law 15 Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

Law 16 Give Motivation and Inspiration

Law 17 Get You a Bottom Bitch

Law 18 Cop and Blow

Law 19 Turn Ho Ends into Dividends

Law 20 Get In a Ho's Head

Law 21 A Ho Without Instruction Is Headed for Self-Destruction

Law 22 Keep Hoes on Their Toes

Law 23 A Ho Joins a Stable to Ruin It

Law 24 Set the Trend

Law 25 Grind for Your Shine

Law 26 The Game Is to Be Sold, Not Told

Law 27 Keep Your Game on the Low

Law 28 Be a Leader

Law 29 Play One Ho Against the Next

Law 30 Prosperity over Popularity

Law 31 Look Out for Suzy Choosy

Law 32 Turn a Tramp into a Champ

Law 33 Bring Your People with You to the Top

Law 34 Show Respect to Get Respect

Law 35 Trust Nothing but the Game

Law 36 Be Internationally Known, Nationally Recognized, and Locally Accepted

Law 37 Let a Ho Know

Law 38 Wreck a Hater

Law 39 Switch Up

Law 40 Don't Down 'Em, Crown 'Em

Law 41 Keep Your Front Up Till You Come Up

Law 42 If You Can See It, You Can Be It

Law 43 Talk Shit and Swallow Spit

Law 44 You Need Fire and Desire

Law 45 Get Rid of the Word "If"

Law 46 Move and Shake Like a Pimp Shakes

Law 47 Pimpin' Is What You Do, Not Who You Are

Law 48 Don't Believe the Hype

Pimptionary

Acknowledgments