"Us Placers" | ||||
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Song by Child Rebel Soldier | ||||
from the album Can't Tell Me Nothing | ||||
Released | May 27, 2007 | |||
Recorded | 2007 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 3:53 | |||
Label | 1st & 15th, GOOD, Star Trak | |||
Songwriter(s) | Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Thom Yorke | |||
Producer(s) | Lupe Fiasco | |||
Can't Tell Me Nothing track listing | ||||
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"Us Placers" is the debut song by American supergroup Child Rebel Soldier, a musical collaboration consisting of hip-hop artists Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams. It was released as the third song on the track-listing of West's 2007 mixtape Can't Tell Me Nothing. The song was produced by Fiasco and contains samples of the recording "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke, lead singer of the alternative rock band Radiohead. On "Us Placers," the trio speak on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.
"Us Placers" was produced by Lupe Fiasco, who initially crafted the song for inclusion within his own mixtape. His intention was to create a mashup mixtape entitled, Us Placers, a hip-hop remake of alternative rock musician Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album, The Eraser, along with a few Radiohead songs. Fiasco originally wanted Kanye West—who also deeply enjoyed Yorke's album—and English hip-hop artist The Streets to appear on the track. However, Streets failed to respond while West sent the song over to Pharrell Williams after laying down a verse. The three enjoyed the collaboration so much that they decided to form their very own group. It was Pharrell who came up with their name, Child Rebel Soldier. According to Fiasco, "It was Pharrell's idea one day in the studio 'cause we're all similar, same likes and same dislikes, same goals and aspirations." Early track-listings for West's third studio album Graduation indicated that he intended to feature the group's song on his album, but it was subsequently not included.