Absolutely not. I've worked for many years completely independently. I would also question the language of “pimp”. If by “pimp” one means a manager, then of course one can work with or without one. It is the case, though, that if you have somebody watching out for you, it can help with things like bail costs, security, and navigating the system. It can help with all sorts of specifics.
That said, I can't speak to particular subregions across the country where, particularly around gang activity, there may be particular contexts and dynamics that could mean you can't work if you don't have a man.