How to Embrace the Unique Empowerment of a Pimp Mentality
Have you ever watched a person shapeshift when their favorite song comes on? You know, the shy girl becomes Dirty Diana, the nerdy guy turns into a hardcore gangster, and some days the nice, friendly, Texas girl can go straight pimp. (Ya know, in my mind, lol)
Growing up in Southeast Texas, every hip hop fan had some UGK bumpin’ through their speakers. And when listening to the cool, smooth, sounds of Sweet Jones, aka Tony Snow, aka Chad Butler, aka the legend Pimp C, you couldn’t help but walk with lean and know what it feels like to have a little pimp in ya.
Born and raised in Port Arthur Texas, Pimp C was the cool cousin we all wanted to be like, but our mama never wanted us hanging around. We admired the respect he had, the way he spit, and the new soulful southern sound he brought to the rap game. With the passing of Pimp C in 2007, an era of Houston hip-hop went with him. But a little over 10 years later a new H-town artist would emerge on the scene bringing that pimp mentality back to the music.
Channeling everything she learned from the late Pimp C, Megan Thee Stallion is a pimp for a new day. With her second EP titled after her alter ego, Tina Snow, an ode to the late Pimp C’s alter ego, Tony Snow, Meg has successfully set out to keep pimpin’ alive in the music. And in the age of the women’s movement, it’s only befitting that we celebrate the female pimp perspective.
Before we go on let’s clear up what we mean by “pimps” and “pimpin’.”
For my PC (politically correct) peeps, I am only using the term in the metaphorical sense. In this case, a pimp is not, "a person, especially a man, who solicits customers for a prostitute or a brothel, usually in return for a shred’s of the earnings; pander; procurer; a despicable person; or an Australian informer; stool pigeon." I, Kendra Croft, do not endorse or condone the destructive nature of pimping in this form. Just stick with me. (Things you explain when you post on LinkedIn, lol.)
So what is pimpin’?
Pimpin' is a mentality. It's the mentality that you can have whatever you want or desire in this life. It's a mindset of abundance. Pimpin is assessing the situation, looking at the rules at play, and then working the system to your advantage. In the office, we may call it politicking, on the streets we call it hustling, but what we're really talking about is the ability to consistently strategize for success. That's all pimpin' is, a strategy to win. But to win, you have to go in with the right mindset. You can't act on your pimpin' if you don't believe in your pimpin'. To understand what it means to believe in your pimpin', check out these five key points that make up the pimp mentality.
5 Point Pimp Mentality Plan (I just made up)
Pimpin' is Confidence
Pimps know their worth. You have to know you bring something valuable to the table every time you show up. You are a unique mix of talents, skills, and curiosities that can't be found where else. Act like it. Showing up in a room with confidence is the fastest route to earning that respect thing. We respect and trust people who are confidently wrong more often than those who are quietly right. So just be confident and see what you can get away with.
Pimpin' is Leadership
Leadership is a key quality of pimpin'. Pimpin' never acts alone. You have to earn the respect of those around you before the right moves can be made. I repeat, Respect. And to earn that respect, you have to trust and empower your team. Identify talent, grow their skill sets, and execute a plan that benefits all parties to achieve the collective and individual goals.
Pimpin' is Unshakeable
Never let 'em see you sweat. Pimpin' is remaining cool, calm, and collected at all times. Be polite, show respect, state facts, and let your actions speak for themselves. When you do the work, you don't have to talk as much. Eventually, you'll get to a point where the people that ride for you become your mouthpiece, freeing you to keep putting in the work on the back end.
Pimpin' Gets the Money
Pimpin' always has a financial ROI in mind. Remember Pimpin is an abundance mindset that produces the energy to activate the law of attraction. Meaning, whatever you put out into the world will come back to you. When you show up with confidence, lead and grow those around you, and block the haters from knocking you off your game, then the money will come at each move you make.
Pimpin' is Self Love
Nobody loves themselves more than a pimp. They know their flyness, they know their swag, they own the room, and they know you’re looking. Loving yourself means forgiving yourself for any past, present, and future mistakes you've made, or will make. Loving yourself means taking care of yourself first. Loving yourself means to continue bettering yourself to be the best person you can be despite doubt or apprehension. Often times, it means feeding into yourself the way you feed into others. And to practice this kind of self-love, sometimes you just have to face your self, literally. Get in front of a mirror, laugh it out, cry it out, dance it out, and give yourself the pep talk you need. Megan Thee Stallion even talked about this, in her recent Rolling Stone article:
“[The] first step, you got to spend more time in the mirror,” Megan Thee Stallion explains, Rolling Stone March 2020
Confidence, leading, maintaining peace, getting the money, and self-love are just a few things we can learn from adding little "pimpin' in your life". Gaining and maintaining a pimp mentality is no easy task no matter how good Meg and Pimp made it look. I often find myself needing a little external motivation. Whenever I'm feeling down or need to get back at it I go to my third favorite pimp, Katt Williams 2009 stand up special, It's Pimpin' Pimpin'. This is my personal TED Talk for life.
Sometimes we have to step out of ourselves to be our full selves, and stepping into a pimp's bedazzled shoes may be just the tool we need to do that. Taking on different mindsets and personas allows us to get out of our heads and ultimately out of our own way to achieve success. So like Pimp & Meg, find your alter ego and tap into it so you fully show up in every room you enter. Oh, and if you've never driven to work with Big Pimpin' blasting from the speakers are you even really showing up to work?
Stay Pimpin!
RIP PIMP C
1973-2007
