Rapper Jay-Z is following his peer 50 Cent into social networking - he's set to launch a game based on his life via Facebook.com.

50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, has teamed up with bosses at Game Show Network Digital to create an interactive game of blackjack on the site, which enables users to compete at the rap star's virtual casino.

Now, Jay-Z is working on his own game, Empire, which lets fans take the same journey as the star did from the tough streets of New York to fame and fortune.

A statement about the game reads, "EMPIRE takes you on a journey from the streets of Marcy Housing in Brooklyn to the hotspots of the rich and famous: from hustler, to entrepreneur, to business mogul."

"But don't forget friends and family, or your karma will suffer."