Nelly has sealed a partnership with a South African holding company that will see his controversial "Pimpjuice" sports drink rolled out in Africa.

Peter Friedman, creative director of diversified South African holding company Mojalife, said the company would be going into partnership with three of Nelly's companies including one which produces "Pimpjuice", a non carbonated sports drink.

"We have already pre-produced 1.5 million cans for South Africa and we are looking at producing between 1 and 1.5 million units locally every month," he said in an interview on Wednesday.

"Another 3 million units will be going out into our international export market in Australia, Nigeria and New Zealand," Friedmann said.

"Pimpjuice" was launched in the United States in 2003 amid widespread complaints over the offensive connotations of the term "pimp", a colloquial reference to a person who finds customers for prostitutes.

However, according to Mojalife chairman Mathews Phosa, a prominent member of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), the term stands for "positive, intellectually motivated persons."

U.S. hip hop stars are currently riding on a wave of success in African markets, where the appeal of their music has risen continuously over the past two decades and boosted the development of an African hip hop culture which a lso now at times celebrates "gangster" culture.

"Pimpjuice" will be available in South African shops from May 18 and will pave the way for the launch of Nelly's Vokal and Applebottom clothing labels later in the year.

Friedmann said the rap star's Derry Entertainment record label would also be launched in South Africa.

Mojalife said it had been in negotiations with the rapper for two years before this month's launch, and had gotten into the partnership because there was "a lot of common ground between our company and Nelly's companies."