Brevard-Seminole State Attorney Norm Wolfinger and the 10 winners of the second annual "Rap Against Violence" Contest kick off a massive distribution campaign of the winners' CD Thursday night from the Universal Hard Rock Hotel, Orlando, from 7 until 9 p.m.

Wolfinger, the winning contestants, and representatives of the major sponsors—102 JAMZ, Big Shot Studios, and Bright House Networks—will also be debuting the 10 public service announcements that will run on Bright House channels over the next year, as well as hearing the final polished production of the songs and congratulating the winners.

This is the second annual contest that State Attorney Wolfinger has led in his efforts to change attitudes toward gun crime at their core, among the young people who are the highest risk group for gun violence. This year\'s contest is subtitled "Develop, Not Destroy" which summarizes Wolfinger\'s hopes for communities plagued by gun crime.

"Rap Against Violence" is a prevention component of Operation Cease-Fire, a unique partnership started five years ago by Wolfinger that fast tracks defendants convicted of violent gun crimes into federal prison. The cases are prosecuted by a team of cross-trained state and federal prosecutors from both Wolfinger\'s office and the U. S. Attorney\'s Office. Violent gun offenders go to trial within 90 days of indictment and, in most cases, receive lengthy federal prison terms with no early-out options.

More than 150 aspiring rappers in a five-county area penned rap or hip-hop songs to enter the contest and an all-star cast of judges who included former U. S. Attorney Paul Perez and Magic Basketballer "Bo" Outlaw selected the winners. The main requirement for the contest was that the songs echo a gang-gun violence prevention message.

As a prize, the winners participated in a professional recording session at Big Shot Studios in Altamonte Springs (which they were limoed to) and are having their professionally produced and mixed song distributed across Central Florida as well as aired on 102 JAMZ.

"Music is a powerful instrument to influence behavior. It is our hope that our young rappers can change attitudes when it comes to community members coming forward and speaking out against armed thugs who prey on their neighbors. It has already happened in a Cocoa case where a victim bravely testified in court even though his home had been shot up during the trial. As a result of this man\'s courage, the defendant is now facing life in prison," said State Attorney Wolfinger.

The young winners hail from Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties. The project was partially funded by a U. S. Department of Justice grant through the U. S. Attorney\'s Office in Orlando and sponsored by the sheriffs of Brevard, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties, Crimeline, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar, and the police chiefs and school superintendents of Brevard and Seminole counties.