The shooting death of recording artist Tupac Shakur has put gangsta rap music back in the spotlight. On Wednesday, Oct. 9, leading rap music executive Bill Stephney will lecture at the School of Public Health about rap music and its role in modern society. Stephney, CEO of StepSun Music, will speak about the origins of rap music and the conditions in society that created it. He will also discuss how the mainstream media portray this artform, and how the lyrics of rap music deliver a great deal of information about the state of modern society.

Stephney's presentation is scheduled for 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Room G-13 of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building, 651 Huntington Ave., Boston. His speech will kick off a new series of seminars on mass media and health, sponsored by the School's Center for Health Communication and Department of Health and Social Behavior.

Says Dr. Jay Winsten, associate dean and director of the Center for Health Communication, "Rap music has a lot to teach and can serve as a positive force to prevent youth violence. Bill Stephney is one of the rap music industry's most eloquent spokespersons."

Stephney is one of several record label CEOs participating in the Center for Health Communication's "Squash It!" Campaign. "Squash It!" is a youth violence prevention campaign conducted by the Center in collaboration with the entertainment industry. Its goals are to empower young people, promote positive alternatives to violence, and lend social legitimacy to teenagers' decisions to walk away from potentially violent confrontations.