Police spy on gangsta rappers

Rap stars including 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes are under covert surveillance by US police.

Fearing that gang rivalries between artists may lead to violence, officers in Florida have compiled a dossier on the stars and track their movements when they are in the state.

Detectives say the operation is for the safety of the rappers as much as the public.

'A lot, if not most, rappers belong to some sort of gang,' said one Miami officer. 'We keep track of their arrests and associates.'

The decision is thought to been taken after the killings of high-profile industry stars such as Tupac Shakur, the Notorious B.I.G. and Jam Master Jay. 'We have to keep an eye on these rivalries,' said Charles Press, assistant police chief in Miami Beach.

'The last thing we need in this city is violence. If 50 Cent is coming to town, we have to be alert. We know there have been multiple attempts on his life.'

Rappers are photographed arriving at the airport and are often trailed and have their hotels watched. The police department also has a 6in-thick dossier of rappers' names and details, compiled after a 'hip-hop training session' with officers from New York.