Those involved in prostitution activities refer to this sector of the underground economy as "The Game." Players, Pimps, and Macks are those at the top of the pimping game. To these men in power, it is a game in which they control and manipulate the actions of others subordinate to them. A "Player" or "Pimp" has a particular manner or style of playing the game. A pimp is "a man who procures clients for a prostitute" . It should be mentioned here that by Flowers definition the majority of pimps are white. They are the owners of massage parlors, strip clubs, escorts services and brothels (Flowers, 1998). However,  I will refer to pimp in its street meaning of a man who works outside of the formal economy for the purposes of collecting monies from prostitute women belonging to his stable. In this context, although there has been one known white pimp in the U.S. called "Whitefolks" and one recent female pimp named "Big Lex ," pimps are by in large African American men.

It's all about the game. Nothing in the game changes, but the name. It's all about getting that money. Some women have pimps that they give the money to, some are just out there on their own.

The pimping game requires strict adherence to the rules. The idea of a "game" parallels the formal economy in that one can be said to be in a game, e.g., he's in the real estate game. Players and pimps are also said to "have" game. To have game is to possess a certain amount of charisma and smooth talking, persuasive conversation toward women. The term "he got game" has been made popular in Spike Lee's movie "He got game" that opened in theaters in 1998. Spike Lee created a play on words, using the term "he got game" to mean basketball instead of its root urban meaning denoting black male charisma.

More to come,

Ya Man Tj