Urban Tribe 1: Chavs

The first urban tribe I'm going to analyse is 'chavs'.

Chavs tend to listen to a lot of pop/rap/hip-hop. They also tend to dress a lot like the artists including clothing like baggy trousers, snapbacks, lots of jewellery and shades.

Chavs tend to also listen to a lot of mainstream music like Rihanna, Drake and Professor Green which means that this particular urban tribe are more accepted than say emos or punks. According to uktribes.com, chavs are typically described as;

"the most famous UK tribe by a mile, the chavs may be vilified by others - but nowadays they are making big cultural waves in fashion and music"

Chavs wear sports wear (trackies), chunky flat soled trainers, hoodies, jackets and caps. Chavs have quite a heavy dress sense. Chavs are laid back, sarcastic and speak slang. Their hair is usually short, left natural and wavy or tied back. They tend to have more acquaintances than friends and hang in a large cloud.

an example of a chav type music video would be Rita Ora's 'How We Do (Party)':

Conventions

Party
House parties or club raves are usually a convention of the pop music genre, especially if the song revolves around parties hence the word 'party' being in the title. As mentioned earlier, chavs tend to hang around in large groups and this is also an element of a chav type music video. Parties also attract the correct type of audience and as chavs are attracted to large groups, this type of music video will also attract their attention. The bright colours of the music video and the costume of the characters will also catch the eye of the audience as well, as chavs tend to like bright coloured videos.

Designer clothing
Chavs like designer clothes so the appearance of designer clothes like this shot of a Boy London jumper. This continues to attract the audience and also gives the clothing line promotion because if chavs associate with clothing lines like this and they're shown on a music video then chavs are more likely to buy clothing from that website.

Voyeurism
Voyeurism of women is a common convention of a pop/chav music video. Voyeurism is a way of sexualising women, which is very popular in the modern and chav world. This high angle shot of Rita shows her leaning down towards the camera. The high angle shot allows the audience to look further down her shirt, furthermore sexualising the women. Although it isn't much like the music videos like Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball or Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines, it still demonstrates that voyeurism is present in the most subtle of ways. This form of voyeurism allows the audience to let their imagination control them.

Strange clothing
Strange outfits and clothing can be elements of any type of genre music video but recently, since the uprising of Lady Gaga's strange and wonderful outfits she wears in music videos, the use of strange clothing has increased in the popular culture. Outfits like the character is wearing in the left side of this mid shot shows that he stands out from the shot and the audience are automatically attracted to this person.

Swearing
Even though mainstream music is shown on TV almost constantly and nearly all day, this doesn't stop artists from swearing on their track. Most of the time this is blanked out from the music video, so the word (or words) aren't said before watershed. Swearing is a usual element of a chav type music video because chavs themselves use slang and swearing can sometimes be considered as a form of slang. Here in this music video in the bridge before the chorus, Rita sings 'party and bullshit' and repeats it often, however doesn't swear for the remainder of the music video.

Jewellery
Jewellery is a representation of wealth, which is a primary focus in the urban tribe of 'chavs'. They're always fighting over who has more money or the most expensive clothes, so the shots of jewellery show the wealth. 

The songs listened to by chavs tend to be mostly about drugs, sex, money and partying. Here are the lyrics with the party related themes in bold;

And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit...
And party, and party

I stumbled up to the window
Opened the curtains to blinding light
Make-up all over the pillow
What went on? What went on?
What went on last night?
You look so sweet while you're dreaming (yeah)
Holding your bottle of Tanqueray (yeah)
It isn't even the weekend
Baby, that's how I know you're the one for me

I wanna party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party, and party

'Cause when the sun sets baby
On the avenue
I get that drunk sex feeling
Yeah, when I'm with you
So put your arms around me, baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do

We got that sweet, hot loving
Dancing in the dark
Out in the streets we're running
Shut down every bar
So put your arms around me, baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do
How we do, that's just how we do
How we do, that's just how we do

Hangover, I think I'm broken
You said the fix is a shot of Jack
I said, "Man, what are you smoking?"
But alright, pour a glass, and we'll throw 'em back

I wanna party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party, and party

'Cause when the sun sets baby
On the avenue
I get that drunk sex feeling
Yeah when I'm with you
So put your arms around me baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do

We got that sweet, hot loving
Dancing in the dark
Out in the streets we're running
Shut down every bar
So put your arms around me, baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do

How we do, that's just how we do (x5)

I wanna party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit...
And party, and party (x2)

'Cause when the sun sets baby
On the avenue
I get that drunk sex feeling
Yeah when I'm with you
So put your arms around me baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do

We got that sweet hot loving
Dancing in the darkOut in the streets we're running
Shut down every bar
So put your arms around me baby
We're tearing up the town
'Cause that's just how we do

And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and bullshit
And party and party
How we do, that's just how we do
How we do, that's just how we do
How we do, that's just how we do
How we do, that's just how we do

Another example of a chav type music video is Lady Sovereign's 'Random';

This is a really strong example of a chav music video. Even though Lady Sovereign in a female she isn't necessarily used as a reason to use voyeurism. She is a typical female chav (sometimes called a chavetic). In this music video there are elements that are very similar to Rita Ora which includes:

• bright colours
• jewellery
• designer clothing

other elements include

• baggy clothes
• women dressing like men
• braided hair

Lastly, another example of a chav type music video is Flo Rida and 'Low';

This is one of the first chav music videos and includes some description of a chav in the lyrics;

Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low
Them baggy sweat pants
And the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)
She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low

This music video is from the movie Step Up 2 which is a chav orientated movie. This is an older music video which acts a little like a template for future artists. This music video sexualise women highly although for most of the music video the artists are focussed on. Elements of this music video that are chav-like include;

• bling
• shades
• clubs/parties
• voyeurism
• clothing