Federline on Critics: It Can't Get Worse

By Stephen M. Silverman

02/20/2006 at 09:00 AM EST

Kevin Federline believes there's an upside to the level of bad press he's received: Things can't go any lower.

"'He hates his children, he treats his wife like dirt, he gets high all day,'" says Federline, quoting his critics. "If I was that bad, you think anyone, let alone Britney, would put up with it?"

The 27-year-old dancer – who is married to Britney Spears – says in a new interview with Newsweek that he is now poised to receive more backlash over his new role as white-boy rapper.

"Sure, there'll be initial shock and awe," he tells the magazine about his upcoming debut album, which he plans to release this spring. "But they've already said so much s--- about me, it can't get worse."

Though his single, "PopoZão," was savaged by critics, he got 2 million hits in eight days after releasing it on his Web site. Federline says that he's proved that there's interest in his songs: "If my album has even half that attention, watch out."

The album will not feature his pop-star wife. "We have collaborated," he says. "But I'm not going to put the songs on this album because it's like, 'Respect me first; then I'll show you what I've done with my wife.'"