[Harry!]

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Veteran showbiz star Bill Cosby is branching out into a new genre with his first hip-hop album.

The 70-year-old, best-known for his role in sitcom The Cosby Show, will release Cosby Narratives Vol 1: State Of Emergency next month.

The album will blend his stories with a hip-hop, pop and jazz soundtrack.

But fans of the star, who is also a comedian and producer, might be disappointed to hear that he does not rap himself.

Instead, he has invited guest rappers to provide the rhymes to challenge the stereotypes of hip-hop music.

"I do not rap on any of these things," he said.

"I wouldn't know how to fix my mouth to say some of the words."

He added that his album is "the opposite of what I think is the profanity for no particular reason, the misogyny for no particular reason".

The tracklist was put together by Cosby's music partner Bill "Spaceman" Patterson.

"He has always understood rap's potential, but he was appalled by the foul language and the misogyny, the way people used a medium that could be used to elevate people, to open their eyes and provoke thought," said Patterson.

Cosby made the album as a companion to his best-selling book Come On, People: On The Path From Victims To Victors.

And even though he does not expect the CD to be a huge success, he revealed it may not be his last hip-hop venture.