Sources close to Joaquin Phoenix say that the actor-turned-rapper is fooling his fans with a Andy Kaufman-style hoax.

The Gladiator star - who currently looks more like a hobo than Hollywood star - made a fool of himself not once but twice when he took centre stage at The Palazzo in Las Vegas.

The actor/rapper made his debut as hip hop artist with a cringeworthy performance, shortly followed by a clumsy fall off the stage.

But EW.com quotes sources close to the star as saying, "He said, 'It's a put-on. I'm going to pretend to have a meltdown and change careers, and Casey is going to film it.'"

"It's an art project for him. He's going full out. He probably has told his reps that he's quit acting.

"Joaquin is very smart. This is very conscious. He has a huge degree of control."

However, Joaquin's rep tells MTV News, "He intends on exploring his musical interests, despite speculative, negative or positive reactions."

See Joaquin's disastrous rap debut below