A load of rap from Posh

Victoria Beckham built her career on breezy pop music, with saccharine lyrics and catchy tunes. Now she has forged an unlikely alliance with some of America's most controversial gangsta rappers.

The former Spice Girl has teamed up with artists associated with drugs and violence as she tries to become a star in the US and win the credibility she craves.

New York hip-hop mogul Damon Dash recently signed Victoria to his record label, Roc-A-Fella. Now he has revealed that his new recruit has been working with his gangsta rap stars - and claims she has won them over with her dedication and love of black music.

Beckham has been working with Ol' Dirty Bastard - real name Russell Jones - a member of the notorious Wu-Tang Clan rap group and a convicted felon associated with class-A drugs. Other colleagues include Cam'ron, who was jailed for three years over crack cocaine possession. His lyrics are mostly unprintable and his song I Love You pays tribute to September 11 hijacker Mohammed Atta.

She was also introduced to Brooklyn-based collective M.O.P. - whose anthems include Born 2 Kill, To The Death and Heistmasters - an ode to an armed robbery. Dash told MTV: "She went into the gutter. I mean, M.O.P. is the grimiest group we got, and she took it there. I wanted to push her limits."

Dash said M.O.P. had not known who Beckham was. Dash said: "They thought they were just doing me a favour. But she won them over. They liked her as an individual."

The label boss, who met the singer in Paris, is pre-empting any criticism by hip-hop fans that his deal with Beckham is a cynical ploy.

He said: "I think I've built up enough respect in hip-hop that they should trust my opinion. You watch - I'm not just going to make her a pop star, but a Roc star too.

"I've never helped anyone outside the Roc like this. But when we talked, I got to feeling she wants to win like I want to win. I got to see where her heart is and how she'd work hard to promote her record. She truly loves hip-hop and R&B."

The venture has proved fruitful. The Beckhams will feature on the September cover of American Vogue and Victoria has been signed up as the face of America's top-selling streetwear company Roca Wear, also owned by Dash.