D12 lives Crime Life

Not wanting to be left out of the gangster-turned-rapper-turned-actor-turned-game-star fad, Konami today announced that it has signed rap collective D12 to contribute to its upcoming game Crime Life: Gang Wars. The action game will be released in North America on the PC and Xbox this fall.

Crime Life is an inner-city drama in the vein of the movies Boyz n the Hood and New Jack City, portraying the life of a young gang member. Unlike most gang-related games, Crime Life doesn't glorify the lifestyle but instead attempts to send out warnings of the dangers of thugdom.

D12, comin' straight out of Detroit, will be contributing music to the game's soundtrack and will lend their voices and likenesses to the game as characters. It's not clear whether Eminem, who frequently rolls with the D12 crew, will be featured in the game.

The game is not the first to hire rap artists to lend some gritty authenticity to its feel. 50 Cent has made headlines by getting his own game from VU Games, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which will also feature Eminem and Dr. Dre. Snoop Dogg appeared in Activision's True Crime: Streets of LA and will be in the upcoming Fear & Respect from Midway, and Def Jam features a whole mix tape's worth of notable hip-hop artists.

For more on Crime Life: Gang Wars, take a drive-by GameSpot's previous coverage.