Tuesday Tales told by Tyra:

Due to the pandemic, we are all exploring new ways to keep ourselves busy. Some of us have found new hobbies, new television shows, and new passions. I personally found, what us millennials call the weird side of YouTube. The urban dictionary describes the weird side of Youtube as “an unoriginal phrase that describes the part of youtube where all the videos/video suggestions are strange, meaningless.” Although, I wouldn’t describe what I found as meaningless, the videos I found were definitely strange. 

“The soft white underbelly” videos by photographer Mark Laita, quickly grabbed my attention. To a journalist, the interviews and portraits of human conditions were easy to get wrapped into. I spent hours watching Laita dig into homelessness, addiction, molestation, and even incest. 

The video that demanded a re-watch, was that of a pimp named “Sharp.” The interview began with Sharp in fancy apparel, that the average man wouldn’t wear to the store. He wore several chains, a silk shirt, and a diamond studded cup. The interview was captivating, because Sharp had such a charismatic personality. As, I looked through the comments I found I wasn’t the only one that felt this way. 50% of the comments were about his loud boisterous personality. The other 50% were people who thought he wasn’t real.

He was most definitely a real person. He had won awards at the “Player’s ball” and even had an instagram(@tha_sharp_one). Pimpin’ was a profession you wouldn’t believe in until you saw it first hand. I know. I use to be a non-believer until one was staring me in the face. 

I honestly thought pimps were roles that were created for movies, for example “hustle and flow.” I thought they only existed in movies, because they certainly didn’t exist in my suburban life. 

I was having a good Saturday night, the first time I met Profit the pimp. A good Saturday night for a college kid in Memphis, looks like putting on your best outfit and going downtown with a group of friends. We were all enjoying our time downtown, when I was approached by a tall, peanut-butter skinned young man. On his left , there was a female with thick glasses clinging to him. The two were in each other’s personal space, and they seemed to be a couple. At the time, I didn’t understand. I was confused if he came with a girlfriend, why was he having conversations with me? Was his girlfriend ok with this? Were they a polyamorous couple?

By the end of the night, after several conversations I was informed that the girl was his “partner” and not his girlfriend. Her name was Nae, and the two lived together. They both seemed very nice, even though there situation was very confusing. He invited me back to their apartment. I declined, because I watch the I.D. channel too much. 

Over the course of the next few months, Profit spent time showering me with attention and compliments in a process I’ve now come to know as “grooming.” I eventually visited their home with a friend, and it was wild. 

Upon arriving, I knew it was a mistake that I had even come. As soon as I walked in, Nae was already intoxicated and Profit was very aggressive towards her. I sat on the couch, Nae made conversation with me, while profit walked in and out the door. It was like he couldn’t sit still, which left me wondering where was he running off to? 

“If you’re going to be with us, what you need to understand is daddy is like the head, we’re just the body,” Nae in her intoxicated state told my friend. She had even admitted to selling her body, and honestly I was shocked. Before I could question anything about Nae’s revelations a curly-haired baby ran into the apartment with a woman chasing her. Nae quickly told us “She with us too, she’s his baby’s mother.” From Nae’s statement, I was pretty sure the young woman was a prostitute as well. Profit quickly followed yelling at both of them to “get back up to the other apartment.” Nae gave much attitude but both of the girls still complied. 

“I have to go,” My friend blurted out, surprising me. She asked me would I be alright? I nodded, but little did I know what was about to take place. I thought that was as wild as the story could get, but there was so much more.