50 CENT TO LAUNCH ZWINKTOPIA BOUTIQUE

Apparently 50 CENT is expanding his G-UNIT clothing line - by opening an online virtual boutique to sell garments and promote his forthcoming album CURTIS.

The rapper will join other artists such as rockers Slipknot and The Sex Pistols by launching a store in Zwinktopia, a virtual world with 6.5 million users, who create characters which interact with other inhabitants. They can also purchase virtual clothes and belongings.

According to reports, 50's creative team are still planning how the store will operate, although the rapper's merchandise will be available free to users, unlike that of other performers with a presence on the site.

Chris Romero, the star's creative director of digital media, says, "It's the equivalent of sending a marketing team to a new country where there is a new economy."