Us Placers

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2007 song by Child Rebel Soldier

"Us Placers"

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

"Us Placers" is the debut song by American supergroup Child Rebel Soldier, a musical collaboration consisting of American hip-hop artists Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams.[1] 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 samples the 2006 song "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke.[2] In "Us Placers," the trio speaks on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter the charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.[3]

## Background

[edit]

"Us Placers" was produced by Lupe Fiasco, who initially crafted the song for inclusion within his mixtape. He intended to create a mashup mixtape of the same name, a hip-hop remake of English 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 group The Streets to appear on the track.[2][4] However, the 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 Williams who came up with their name, Child Rebel Soldier.[2][5] 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."[6] 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.[7]

## Composition

[edit]

"Us Placers"

* * *

Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Us Placers" is an up-tempo hip-hop song. It is set in the time signature of common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute.[citation needed] The song contains samples of Thom Yorke's 2006 song "The Eraser", incorporating its piano loops and a portion of Yorke's vocals for its chorus. It begins with a medium tempo followed by a hesitant piano melody, with Fiasco uttering, "Yeah, just a lil' bit, just a lil' bit. And it goes..." Fiasco, West and Williams, listed in order of appearance, then rap the song's three verses over a sparse, pulsating beat.[8] Each verse is organized around a chorus that is provided by the melodic vocal sample.[9] The chorus is coupled with a harmonic hook delivered by Fiasco, whose vocals implement overdubbing. During the chorus, the song's chord progression changes to and takes on a more moody, atmospheric sound.[10] The song ends with an echoing reiteration of its piano keys.

Lyrically, "Us Placers" is a meditation on the perils of fame.[9][11] Fiasco's verse depicts the over-indulgent lifestyles of rich and famous celebrities.[11] In a stoic voice, he rapidly raps an extensive list of materialistic possessions, including a large mansion, a wardrobe full of exorbitant clothes, Mexican floral arrangers, a big-screen television, and a fifty-foot yacht.[11] Fiasco brings his verse to a close by making a declaration regarding the emptiness of opulence.[9] West uses his verse to expound the ephemerality of fame.[12] Citing aspiring participants of reality television programs such as The Real World and American Idol and internet celebrities as examples, he implies the fate of those who become instantly famous if only for a short time, in that once their fifteen minutes of fame are over, they then fade away into obscurity, possibly never to enter the public eye ever again.[11] Williams takes a more stream-of-consciousness approach to his verse. He swiftly touches on a series of social issues ranging from greenhouse gases, drug dealers, the will God and troubled youth.[8] Williams concludes his verse by exposing the motive behind the Virginia Tech shooting. He states the irony of the suicidal shooter, in that he finally achieved the fame and recognition he sought in life, but is not alive to see it.[11] After each verse, Yorke's melodious vocals sing a mournful yet defiant chorus that complements the song's concept of the sisyphean pursuit of fame: "The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear."[8]

## Critical reception

[edit]

"Us Placers" received overwhelmingly positive reviews from music critics and was widely regarded as the highlight of the Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape. Rolling Stone not only cited the song as the best track on the mixtape but also placed it at number forty-three on their list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.[13] Complimenting the poignant use of the sample as well as the depth of the trio's individual verses, it wrote, "Each brings something wholly new to the other, trading self-effacement and self-possession back and forth until there's no difference between the two. For this 3:53, hip-hop isn't dead, and neither is rock. They're quietly invincible."[8] Thomas Inskeep of Stylus Magazine described "Us Placers" as being both deep and intelligent and praised the dexterity of Williams' verse in particular.[14] Toronto Star columnist John Sakamoto wrote that the recording was a "stunning collaboration."[15] Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune stated that the song was brilliant while Entertainment Weekly called it an "instant Internet classic."[16][17] Luke Lewis of Q Magazine felt it was a shame that "Us Placers" would not be featured on Fiasco's then-forthcoming sophomore album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, as he believed that the song's guest appearances and lyrical content "all adds up to the most atmospheric, and quietly enthralling, hip-hop track we've heard in a long time."[10] Two years later, while reviewing his Enemy of the State: A Love Story mixtape, Allison Stewart from The Washington Post retrospectively referred to "Us Placers" as "the great '07 track" and commended Fiasco's production of the song."[18] At About.com, "Us Placers" was placed at number thirty-two on their list of the Top 100 Rap Songs of 2007 and later at number eighty-three on their 100 Best Rap Songs of the 2000s.[19][20]

## Music video

[edit]

Though no official music video for "Us Placers" was released, a non-commissioned video was produced by music video director Va$htie.[21] The video features then-ten-year-old child impersonators standing in for Fiasco, West, Williams and Yorke. They lip-sync to and illustrate the song's lyrics and hold up cue cards in reference to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues".[22] Despite its "zero-budget," unofficial nature, the music video was very well received, garnering well over two million views on YouTube alone. It went on to catch the attention of West, who expressed his affinity for it by posting the video up on his official blog.[23]

## Live performances

[edit]

Fiasco performed "Us Placers" on August 5, 2007 during his set at Lollapalooza, to the delight of the largely alternative rock audience.[24]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Can't Tell Me Nothing". Amazon. Amazon.com, Inc. 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
2. ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (2008-04-18). "Lupe Fiasco Wants To Quit Music Biz, But Promises More Collabos With Kanye, Pharrell; Fabolous Makes The Band: Mixtape Monday". MTV. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
3. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (2008-01-30). "Kanye Touring With Rihanna, Lupe, N.E.R.D." Billboard. Nielson Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
4. ^ Scaggs, Austin (2007-09-20). "Kanye West: A Genius In Praise of Himself". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
5. ^ Collins, Hattie (2008-04-12). "Lupe Dreams". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
6. ^ Geoghegan, Kev (2008-04-04). "Lupe Fiasco 'Ready to Quit Albums'". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
7. ^ Spin Staff (2007-08-08). "Kanye Unveils Tracklisting; MTV's VMA Noms Announced". Spin. Spin Media, LLC. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
8. ^ a b c d Levy, Joe (2007-07-27). "Alternate Takes: Go West to the Future". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
9. ^ a b c Kot, Greg (2007-06-01). "Kanye, Lupe, Pharrell Collaborate on Thom Yorke Track". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
10. ^ a b Lewis, Luke (2007-07-20). "Thom Yorke Gets a Hip-hop Makeover". Q Magazine. Bauer. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
11. ^ a b c d e Louis, Justin (2008-02-08). "The Power of Three". The Brandeis Hoot. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
12. ^ Sakamoto, John (2007-12-29). "The Anti-Hit List Top 10". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
13. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2007". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. 2007-12-27. Archived from the original on December 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
14. ^ Inskeep, Thomas (2007-08-31). "Kanye West Can't Tell Me Nothing – Music Review". Stylus Magazine. stylusmagazine.com. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
15. ^ Sakamoto, John (2007-07-28). "The Anti-Hit List for July 28". Toronto Star. Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
16. ^ Kot, Greg (2008-05-24). "Kanye West Takes a One-man Trip to Dark Side of the Moon". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
17. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (2007-12-20). "Meet 10-year-old Kanye, Lupe, and Pharrell". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly Inc. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
18. ^ Stewart, Allison (2009-12-09). "Singles File". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-12-09.
19. ^ Adaso, Henry (2007). "Top 100 Rap Songs of 2007". About.com. About.com.
20. ^ Adaso, Henry. "100 Best Rap Songs of the 2000s". About.com.
21. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2008-01-28). "Mixtape Monday: Lupe Fiasco Plans His Cool Viral Video; Joe Budden Compares Jay-Z To A 'Bully'". MTV. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
22. ^ Kreps, Daniel (2007-12-20). "Video for Lupe/Kanye/Pharrell/Yorke Collabo Gets Unofficially Kidz-Bopped". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on July 20, 2014. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
23. ^ West, Kanye (2008-01-03). "va$htie - "Us Placers" by Lupe, Kanye & Pharrell (CRS)". Kanye West Blog. Kanye West/Mascotte Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
24. ^ Harris, Chris; Kaufman, Gil (2007-08-06). "Pearl Jam Electrify; Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, Kings Of Leon Also Help Cap Lollapalooza". MTV. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on August 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-12.

## External links

[edit]

* "Us Placers" music video on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Child Rebel Soldier

* Pharrell Williams
* Kanye West
* Lupe Fiasco

Singles|

* "Us Placers"

Featured singles|

* "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)"

* v
* t
* e

Lupe Fiasco singles

Discography

Food & Liquor|

* "Kick, Push"
* "I Gotcha"
* "Daydreamin'"

The Cool|

* "Superstar"
* "Paris, Tokyo"
* "Hip Hop Saved My Life"

Lasers|

* "The Show Goes On"
* "Words I Never Said"
* "Out of My Head"
* "I Don't Wanna Care Right Now"

Food & Liquor II: The Great
American Rap Album Pt. 1|

* "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)"
* "Bitch Bad"
* "Lamborghini Angels"
* "Battle Scars"

Featured singles|

* "Touch the Sky"
* "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)" (Remix)
* "This City"
* "I'm On"
* "Poor Decisions"

Other songs|

* "Hurt Me Soul"
* "Us Placers"
* "I'm Beamin'"
* "Shining Down"
* "Old School Love"
* "Mural"

* v
* t
* e

Kanye West songs

* Singles discography
* Songs

The College Dropout|

* "All Falls Down"
* "Spaceship"
* "Jesus Walks"
* "Never Let Me Down"
* "The New Workout Plan"
* "Slow Jamz"
* "Two Words"
* "Through the Wire"
* "Family Business"

Late Registration|

* "Heard 'Em Say"
* "Touch the Sky"
* "Gold Digger"
* "Drive Slow"
* "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)"
* "Hey Mama"
* "Gone"
* "Diamonds from Sierra Leone"

Graduation|

* "Good Morning"
* "Champion"
* "Stronger"
* "I Wonder"
* "Good Life"
* "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
* "Flashing Lights"
* "Everything I Am"
* "Homecoming"
* "Big Brother"

808s & Heartbreak|

* "Say You Will"
* "Welcome to Heartbreak"
* "Heartless"
* "Amazing"
* "Love Lockdown"
* "Paranoid"
* "RoboCop"
* "Street Lights"
* "See You in My Nightmares"
* "Coldest Winter"

My Beautiful Dark
Twisted Fantasy|

* "Dark Fantasy"
* "Gorgeous"
* "Power"
* "All of the Lights"
* "Monster"
* "So Appalled"
* "Devil in a New Dress"
* "Runaway"
* "Hell of a Life"
* "Blame Game"
* "Lost in the World"
* "See Me Now"

Watch the Throne|

* "No Church in the Wild"
* "Lift Off"
* "Niggas in Paris"
* "Otis"
* "Gotta Have It"
* "Welcome to the Jungle"
* "Who Gon Stop Me"
* "Murder to Excellence"
* "Made in America"
* "Why I Love You"

| Deluxe|

* "H•A•M"

|

Cruel Summer|

* "To the World"
* "Clique"
* "Mercy"
* "New God Flow"
* "Cold"
* "Don't Like.1"

Yeezus|

* "On Sight"
* "Black Skinhead"
* "I Am a God"
* "New Slaves"
* "Hold My Liquor"
* "I'm in It"
* "Blood on the Leaves"
* "Guilt Trip"
* "Send It Up"
* "Bound 2"

The Life of Pablo|

* "Ultralight Beam"
* "Father Stretch My Hands"
* "Famous"
* "Feedback"
* "Low Lights"
* "Highlights"
* "Freestyle 4"
* "I Love Kanye"
* "Waves"
* "FML"
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* "Frank's Track"
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* "No More Parties in LA"
* "Facts (Charlie Heat Version)"
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* "Saint Pablo"

Ye|

* "I Thought About Killing You"
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* "No Mistakes"
* "Ghost Town"
* "Violent Crimes"

Kids See Ghosts|

* "Feel the Love"
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* "Cudi Montage"

Jesus Is King|

* "Selah"
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* "Closed on Sunday"
* "On God"
* "Everything We Need"
* "Water"
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* "Hands On"
* "Use This Gospel"
* "Jesus Is Lord"

Donda|

* "Donda Chant"
* "Jail"
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* "Praise God"
* "Jonah"
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* "Believe What I Say"
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* "Lord I Need You"
* "Pure Souls"
* "Come to Life"
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* "Jail pt 2"
* "Ok Ok pt 2"
* "Junya pt 2"

| Deluxe|

* "Life of the Party"
* "Up from the Ashes"
* "Remote Control pt 2"

|

Donda 2|

* "City of Gods"
* "Eazy"
* "True Love"

Vultures 1|

* "Stars"
* "Talking / Once Again"
* "Back to Me"
* "Hoodrat"
* "Paperwork"
* "Fuk Sumn"
* "Vultures"
* "Carnival"
* "Beg Forgiveness"
* "Good (Don't Die)"

Vultures 2|

* "Slide"
* "Fried"
* "Promotion"
* "River"

| Deluxe|

* "Can U Be"

|

Bully|

* "Beauty and the Beast"

Cuck|

* "WW3"
* "Cousins"
* "Heil Hitler"

Other singles|

* "Impossible"
* "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)"
* "Forever"
* "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"
* "Christmas in Harlem"
* "Only One"
* "FourFiveSeconds"
* "All Day"
* "Facts"
* "Champions"
* "Lift Yourself"
* "Ye vs. the People"
* "XTCY"
* "I Love It"
* "Wash Us in the Blood"
* "Nah Nah Nah"
* "No Face"
* "Alive"

Featured singles|

* "Selfish"
* "Talk About Our Love"
* "This Way"
* "The Food"
* "I Changed My Mind"
* "Down and Out"
* "The Corner"
* "Go!"
* "Number One"
* "Extravaganza"
* "Brand New"
* "Grammy Family"
* "Number One"
* "Wouldn't Get Far"
* "I Still Love H.E.R."
* "Pro Nails"
* "Finer Things"
* "American Boy"
* "Put On"
* "Stay Up! (Viagra)"
* "Swagga Like Us"
* "Go Hard"
* "Knock You Down"
* "Kinda Like a Big Deal"
* "Walkin' on the Moon"
* "Supernova"
* "Maybach Music 2"
* "Make Her Say"
* "Run This Town"
* "Whatever U Want"
* "Live Fast, Die Young"
* "Erase Me"
* "Deuces" (remix)
* "Start It Up"
* "Hurricane 2.0"
* "E.T."
* "Marvin & Chardonnay"
* "Pride N Joy"
* "I Wish You Would"
* "Birthday Song"
* "Thank You"
* "I Won"
* "Blessings"
* "U Mad"
* "One Man Can Change the World"
* "Pop Style"
* "Figure It Out"
* "That Part"
* "Friends"
* "Ballin"
* "Castro"
* "Feel Me"
* "Love Yourself"
* "Glow"
* "Watch"
* "Take Me to the Light"
* "Ego Death"
* "Keep It Burnin"
* "Hot Shit"

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Pharrell Williams

* Awards and nominations
* Discography
* Production discography

Studio albums|

* In My Mind (2006)
* Girl (2014)

Soundtracks|

* Despicable Me (2010)
* Despicable Me 2 (2013)
* The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
* Hidden Figures soundtrack (2016)
* Hidden Figures score (2017)
* Despicable Me 3 (2017)
* Piece by Piece (2024)

Singles|

* "Frontin'"
* "Can I Have It Like That"
* "Angel"
* "Number One"
* "My Drive Thru"
* "Happy"
* "Marilyn Monroe"
* "Come Get It Bae"
* "Gust of Wind"
* "It Girl"
* "Freedom"
* "Sangria Wine"
* "Just a Cloud Away"
* "Cash In Cash Out"
* "Stay with Me"
* "Down in Atlanta"
* "Doctor (Work It Out)"
* "Double Life"

Featured songs|

* "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)"
* "Formal Invite"
* "Nothin'"
* "Boys (The Co-Ed Remix)"
* "When the Last Time"
* "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II"
* "Beautiful"
* "Excuse Me Miss"
* "Belly Dancer"
* "Change Clothes"
* "Drop It Like It's Hot"
* "Let's Get Blown"
* "Wanna Love You Girl"
* "Margarita"
* "Mr. Me Too"
* "Money Maker"
* "Yummy"
* "Sex 'n' Money"
* "Give It Up"
* "Blue Magic"
* "I Know"
* "Zock On!"
* "Universal Mind Control"
* "Announcement"
* "Work That!"
* "I'm Good"
* "ADD SUV"
* "One (Your Name)"
* "Celebrate"
* "Blurred Lines"
* "IFHY"
* "Get Lucky"
* "Feds Watching"
* "Get Like Me"
* "Lose Yourself to Dance"
* "ATM Jam"
* "Move That Dope"
* "Aerosol Can"
* "Hugs"
* "Tacky"
* "Shine"
* "WTF (Where They From)"
* "Safari"
* "Surfin'"
* "Heatstroke"
* "Feels"
* "Skeletons"
* "Juggernaut"
* "Neck & Wrist"
* "At the Party"
* "LV Bag"

Concert tours|

* Dear Girl Tour

Businesses|

* I Am Other
* Billionaire Boys Club

Related|

* The Neptunes
* N.E.R.D.
* Child Rebel Soldier
* Piece by Piece
* Golden (cancelled film)

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Thom Yorke / Atoms for Peace

* Thom Yorke
* Flea
* Nigel Godrich
* Mauro Refosco
* Joey Waronker

Studio albums|

| Solo|

* The Eraser
* Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
* Anima

|

Soundtracks|

* Suspiria
* Confidenza

Atoms for Peace|

* Amok

Collaborations|

* Tall Tales

Remix albums|

* The Eraser Rmxs

Singles|

| Solo|

* "Harrowdown Hill"
* "Analyse"
* "FeelingPulledApartbyHorses" / "TheHollowEarth"

|

Atoms for Peace|

* "Default"
* "Judge, Jury and Executioner"

Other songs|

* "Rabbit in Your Headlights"
* "I've Seen It All"
* "Us Placers"
* "Náttúra"
* "Gazzillion Ear (Thom Yorke Remix)"
* "Back in the Game"

Related articles|

* Solo discography
* Radiohead
* The Smile
* Ultraísta
* Stanley Donwood
* Mark Pritchard
* Dead Children Playing
* Dasyomyliobatis thomyorkei
* Everything

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