Driving charge for rapper Rhymes

Busta Rhymes was in court earlier this week charged with assault

US rapper Busta Rhymes has been charged with driving with a suspended licence after police said they stopped him for driving through a red light.

The star, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was taken into custody in Manhattan, New York, in the early hours on Thursday.

If convicted, he could face up to 15 days in prison.

Mr Smith, 34, was recently accused of assault in two separate cases which are still ongoing.

Deal breaker

In one case, the rapper is accused of assaulting his former driver, Edward Hatchett, on 26 December last year in a dispute over pay.

The other case relates to an incident on 12 August 2006.

Mr Smith is charged with assaulting a fan for allegedly spitting on his car after a show.

He is still considering a judge's deal that would allow him to plead guilty to third-degree assault and do community service instead of going to prison.

The rapper's hits include Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Dangerous and Touch It. He has also appeared in films including 2000's Shaft and Finding Forrester.