Aspiring rapper Kevin Federline has filed legal papers in a Los Angeles court seeking sole custody of the two children he has with pop singer Britney Spears.

Federline is also demanding spousal support from Spears, who filed for divorce on Tuesday citing irreconcilable differences.

Former backup dancer and aspiring rapper Kevin Federline is shown after performing in Chicago on Wednesday. He has begun a custody dispute with Britney Spears over their two children.
(Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press)

Federline's attorney said the former backup dancer is determined to protect their two children, Jayden James, eight weeks, and Sean Preston, 14 months.

"Kevin is prepared to go the distance in order to do what he feels is necessary to protect and safeguard the children and will not be intimidated or dissuaded from pursuit of those goals," said Michael Sands, spokesman for Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

Spears also applied for custody of the children, with visiting rights for Federline.

She had no comment after reports of the custody dispute.

Spears and Federline are believed to have a prenuptial agreement and Spears listed no community assets in her divorce filing.

Limited spousal support

Website TMZ is reporting the terms of the agreement limit spousal support to one year and prevent Federline from getting more than 20 per cent of the couple's Malibu estate, valued at $10 million US.

However, custody of the children would entitle Federline to child support payments.

TMZ also reports Federline was talking to divorce lawyer Kaplan more than a month ago, indicating the divorce has been in the works for some time.

The couple have been communicating only by e-mail and text message for a few weeks, TMZ said.

In an interview with the Associated Press just two weeks ago, Federline was praising Spears as a positive force in his life.

"Her influence on me has been really big," he said. "She's a strong woman and she knows what she wants out of life and that helps build a strong man. I look up to you, baby.''

Spears, the pop princess who started out on The New Mickey Mouse Show at age 11 and shot to fame with Baby One More Time in 1999, married Federline in 2004.

Federline had one child with another woman, Shar Jackson, and she was pregnant with his second child when he met Spears.

Federline appeared in the 2004 movie You Got Served and performed as a backup dancer for Justin Timberlake, Pink and Michael Jackson. He released his debut CD, Playing With Fire, on Oct. 31 and currently is touring to support it.