Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Hip hop

2008-05-14T19:01:48Z

Sportner:

'''Hip-hop''', or '''rap''', is a music style that developed in the mid-1970s in the [[United States]], particularly among youth in cities. It became widely successful with its anti-establishment themes, sometimes even urging violence. It has two main types, rapping and DJing (which includes scratching records for added effect during the piece).

Like other forms of vocal music, rap songs typically tell a story, through the use of speech set to music. More so than any other music genre, rap is usually similar to regular speech, with the exception that it is sped up. Traditional singing is often only entailed during the chorus.

Some successful rappers have included [[Eminem]], [[Dr. Dre]], [[Run Dmc]], [[DJ Skip]] (also known as A2thaM), The [[Sugarhill Gang]], [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Ice-T]], and [[Tupac Shakur]].

==Criticism==

Many groups, including Christian groups, widely decry the sub-genre of [[gangsta rap]], because it often demeans women and strongly promotes violence as well as an overly materialistic sense of life. Songs such as "Big Pimpin'" by Jay-Z promote prostitution while songs like "Dre Day" describe the performers Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre performing depraved sexual acts. Songs like "Where the Hood At?" have become anthems for young gangs and some conservatives believe the songs incite listeners into behaving violently. Also, many of the performers are unabashed negros.

===Genres of Rap===
*[[Gangsta Rap]]
*[[Crunk]]

[[category:music]]

Japanese animation

2008-05-14T18:53:48Z

Sportner:

The '''Japanese animation''' industry has attracted much interest in the West, with English-speaking fans avidly adopting Japanese terminology such as ''anime'' (short for "animation", but used almost exclusively to refer to animated features originating from Japan) and even ''otaku'' (derogatory term meaning "obsessive fan").

The best known ''anime'' director in Japan is [[Hayao Miyazaki]], founder of Studio Ghibli and famous for "[[My Neighbor Totoro]]," "[[Spirited Away]]," and "[[Princess Mononoke]]."

As in the West, Japanese animation tends to follow Japanese comic book styles (called ''[[manga]]''). An author/illustrator of a manga is called a manga-ka. Many anime begin as manga in magizines such as Shounen Jump, one of the most popular compilations in Japan.
 
'''Many of Anime's genres fall into the following categories: '''
'''Shounen''' - Japanese for boy, Shounen is the most popular genre in Japan and the most well known outside the country. Aimed at prepubescent boys, Shounen are often action/adventure series featuring martial arts, Japanese and Chinese folklore, simplistic animation and conceptual fantasy and science fiction. Popular titles that have been translated to English include [[Naruto]], Bleach, [[One Piece]], Dragonball/Z, Gundam, [[Fullmetal Alchemist]], Prince of Tennis. Pokemon, the 1990's superfad, is also Shounen. 

'''Shoujo''' - Japanese for girl, Shoujo is also popular outside of Japan, with such famous dubs as Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura (Cardcaptors in America), Tokyo Mew Mew and Fruits Basket. Within Shoujo there is the subgenre of Magical Girl, where an otherwise average Japanese girl has magical powers with which she saves the world. More often than Shounen, Shoujo are romance tales or rely heavily on romance in the plot. The Heroine is often saving the world by night and snagging the boy of her dreams by day. 

'''Seinen''' - Japanese for young man, Seinen (or seijin) targets the 18 to 40 male audience, though it is not uncommon to find much older men reading manga on the train ride to work. Good examples of seinen anime and manga include: Ghost in the Shell, Gunslinger Girl, Bartender, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Cowboy Bebop, Elfen Lied, Aria, Bokura no, as well as the feature films of [[Satoshi Kon]] and [[Makoto Shinkai]]. Titles like [[Cowboy Bebop]] and [[Ghost in the Shell]] are considered classics, while Cowboy Bebop was the first anime aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Seinen has all the elements of its juvenile, but is often darker and more mature (or immature, depending on the sense of humor) than Shounen, with horror, mystery and suspense. Often it will also take a slice-of-life look at stories, and provide deeper character insights than shounen action-driven works. 

'''Josei''' - Japanese for young woman, and targets women in the 18 to 40 age band. Can also be referred to as 'redisu' and 'redikomi', the latter being taken from the English 'lady comic'. It differs from shoujo in that the artistic styles of josei tend to be more realistic and restrained, and the stories tend to be more realistic and mature. Examples of josei manga and anime are Paradise Kiss, Hataraki Man and Honey and Clover. 

'''Kodomo''' - Japanese for child, Kodomo are the cartoons most like American cartoons, as in for small children. They are often moral teachings with simple animation. Astro Boy is the first anime brought to America, having the notoriety that comes with being a child icon for 60 years. Modern titles include Hamtaro and Doraemon. 
[[category:culture]]

'''Tentacle Monster Rape''' - Self-explanatory.

==Links==
*[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ Anime News Network]

[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Anime]]

Grand Theft Auto

2008-05-14T18:49:17Z

Sportner:

'''Grand Theft Auto''' is a totally awesome [[video game]] series that glamorizes car theft and other forms of [[illegal]] and [[immoral]] activity. Its title derives from police and legal classification of stealing car as a type of [[grand theft]]. It has been subject to criticism and controversy as it encourages the player to perform various [[crime]]s ranging from [[speeding]] to serial [[murder]]. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352835,00.html 'Grand Theft Auto' Promo Campaign Kept Quiet], [[Associated Press]], ''[[Fox News Channel]]'', April 28, 2008. "As Bellic, players can hijack cars, earn cash for criminal activities, flee from police, drive drunk, kill innocent bystanders and patronize strip clubs." I killed all the strippers once.</ref>

==Games==
*Grand Theft Auto ([[PSX]], [[PC]], [[GBC]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto 2 ([[PSX]], [[PC]], [[Dreamcast]], [[GBC]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto III ([[PS2]], [[Xbox]], [[PC]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ([[PS2]], [[Xbox]], [[PC]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ([[PS2]], [[Xbox]], [[PC]]. [[ESRB]] rating: AO)
*Grand Theft Auto Advance ([[GBA]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories ([[PSP]], [[PS2]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories ([[PSP]], [[PS2]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)
*Grand Theft Auto IV ([[PS3]], [[XBox 360]]. [[ESRB]] rating: M)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Video Games]]