Hip-hop mogul Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter has laughed off any talk of entering politics - insisting he'd be assassinated if he ever tried to run for president.

The 99 Problems star has expanded his business empire to include music publishing, clothing and alcohol - as well as owning shares in basketball team the New Jersey Nets.

But he has dismissed the idea of turning his attentions to politics and the state of America, because he would face heavy criticism over his personal life and criminal history.

And he compares it to the backlash U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama experienced when his pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, was forced to step down from his White House campaign after making several controversial comments about 9/11 and Black America earlier this year.

Asked by London's Time Out magazine whether he'd ever stand for office, the rapper jokes, "No, they'll kill me in 30 seconds. 'S**t! This guy's in!' Bang! Ha ha! I won't make it past the primaries!"

"They talk about Obama's priest - imagine what they'd do to me!"

Jay-Z has a criminal record from an incident in 1999, when he was accused of stabbing record executive Lance 'Un' Rivera. He denied the charge and reached a plea with prosecutors, which resulted in the star pleading guilty to a misdemeanour and sentenced to three years' probation.