The influence of rap music is everywhere, from Grammy winners OutKast and Beyonce to Baby Phat and Sean John clothing brands. Search for "rap music" on Google, and you'll get more than 550,000 hits. But can rap's influence extend to an individual's character and decisions, as one study suggests? Teens at the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility say "no." Most of the girls listen to rap dail

Parents and concerned adults have long worried about rap music's effects on children, with its sexual and sometimes violent imagery and lyrics. Now, one study of teen girls has linked large amounts of rap video viewing to risky or violent behavior. Last year, researchers from Emory University in Atlanta and the University of Alabama at Birmingham reported on a study involving 522 black females enr

"Growing up without a father, you do feel left out, playing baseball, football, father-son breakfasts. There's quite a bit of stuff that dads and sons do together that I couldn't do anymore. "I remember trying different uncles, but it just wasn't the same. I ended up not wanting to mess with anything like that, 'cause it wasn't him, and it just wasn't right doing it without him." Mike Moore was 7

While in Hong Kong, Y-Press interviewed many young people living there, most of whom spoke English. Here, five students from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of perspectives share their views on the territory's transition from British to Chinese control. Jessica Lam Kwok Yiu , 19, is from Tsuen Wan, New Territories. She was attending a YMCA leadership camp when interviewed. Jessica's mo

Many kids ride the bus to school every day, but they may never think of the vehicle's impact on their community. They might know that some motorists get annoyed if a bus gets in their path, but who would ever think a bus could affect someone's health? Until 2002, Katy Dean did not give much thought to the school buses in her hometown of Utica, Mich. Dean, a junior, was sports editor of her high sc