Bay Area rapper and entrepreneur Mistah F.A.B. (Stanley Petey Cox) will be coming to Contra Costa College to promote his book “Dope Era” on March 28 at 4:30 p.m. in GE-225.

The event will be hosted by the Associated Student Union (ASU) and include an overview of the book presented by Cox, along with a discussion and question and answer session for attendees.

“Having a speaker on campus that a lot of students can relate to can be very impactful,” ASU Vice President Laciee Brown said. “We think students will really enjoy hearing from an activist whose efforts relate to a lot of students.”

Cox, whose first book was published back in October, explores his journey from being a rapper in the streets of Oakland to owning and operating a clothing line to now becoming an author.

ASU asked students via Surveymonkey, which is an online survey generator, what type of events they would like to see on campus.

Brown said students asked for more Bay Area rappers and book readings.

“We want students to be motivated and entertained,” she said. “So, we found a way to do both at the same time.”

Cox, who became an established emcee in 2005 with his first album “Son of a Pimp,” didn’t release a second album until 2015.

After having issues with his record label and family turmoil surrounding the death of his mother and life sentence of his brother, Cox focused on branching out on a businessman and activist.

“He may inspire students to create a clothing line or advocate for their community or even write a book, with the relatable story he has to tell,” Brown said. “He can provide realistic motivation to students teaching ways to create, reach and obtain goals.”

According to realmistahfab.com, Cox said, “My evolution as an artist is basically expanding on where I was. Ten years is a long time. A person goes through a lot.”

ASU Senator Zachary Frappier said although he is not from West Contra Costa County, what interested him in Mistah F.A.B. is his connection with the community.

“He got all these artists together to bring Bay Area culture together and a sense of community and pride in our roots,” he said. “After making his money, he continues to give back to his community through nonprofits and donates school supplies to kids.”

Frappier said he doesn’t know much about the evolution of hip-hop, but he is familiar with activism.

“It’s this is a quality I believe our students can learn from,” Frappier said. “Where our passion and our drive come from, who we are and where we come from — all these things are a part of our journey and it’s important to remember that.”

CCC EMT major Bret Fitzgerald said the Bay Area is known for being a place with people and communities fighting on multiple fronts

“There is a lot of activism around us and I feel some people don’t do it for the right reasons. It’s one sided most of the time so, it’s good to see genuine activism.”

Mechanical engineering major Ivan Garcia said it’s important to have celebrities or important figures from the community as examples for the younger generation.

“I think activism and being an entrepreneur is a great thing,” Garcia said. “There is a lot of poverty and not enough resources (in the East Bay), so it’s good to have advocates for those types of issues.”

In 2014, then Oakland mayor Jean Quan recognized Cox for his humanitarian achievements, recognizing Feb. 8 as Mistah F.A.B. Day.