Us Placers

* Single
* Mixtape

## Single by Child Rebel Soldier

"**Us Placers**" is the debut song by American hip hop group Child Rebel Soldier, released as the third track from Kanye West's 2007 mixtape *Can't Tell Me Nothing*. The song was produced by Lupe Fiasco and samples the 2006 song "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke. Fiasco performed "Us Placers" live on August 5, 2007 during his set at Lollapalooza.

## Background

Fiasco told MTV News that Pharrell Williams came up with the idea of a group, so he created a song. He sampled Thom Yorke's "Eraser" and "cut it up, put 'Us Placers' on it," for his own mixtape that would remake Yorke's album *Eraser* and Radiohead music. Originally the track was going to feature Kayne and The Streets, though he got no response from the latter. He continued, "Then Kanye jumped on it and was like, 'I'm going to send it to P.' Then P sent it back, and it was like, 'This is the first song right here. Let's do it.'"

## Music video

Though no official music video was created, American music video director and designer Vashtie "Va$htie" Kola created one that was uploaded to YouTube on December 19, 2007. It featured child versions of the trio, where she stated, "this video was shot for the love of the song on zero budget! ie: all the clothes and props were mine or a friends." As of March 2023, it garnered 2.8 million views.

## Critical reception

*Chicago Tribune* wrote, "Fiasco flexes his relaxed, yet rapid-fire flow to set the scene: a picture of opulence that appears like a mirage, then dissipates. [...] West brings his South Side twang to bear on a verse about artists who nearly make the big time, then fade into obscurity. Williams finishes the track with a surreal series of images that reference the recent Virginia Tech massacre." *DJBooth* stated, "Although the concept is interesting, the delivery falls a bit flat with its repetitive piano track. Still, this trio is made up of such strong performers, that we are likely to see a lot of noteworthy tracks from CRS in the near future."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]

Yeah, just a little bit

Just a little bit

And it goes...

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

Bought a big house and a whole lot of Ranges

A fresh new couch and a whole lot of trainers

A closet full of clothes and some brand new dangers

And, some Mexican floral arrangers

A great big TV that'll entertain us

Some colorful commissions from some high-paid painters

Someone to take the rap so that I stay stainless

And, a new relationship with a banker

And two pinky rings for my manicured fingers

A trained German Shepherd that bark when it's angered

To watch my possessions and look out for strangers

And, a fifty-foot yacht with an anchor

A young supermodel that shall remain nameless

Ups and the downs, the sames and the changes

All the money in the world don't make it painless, no

[Hook: Lupe Fiasco, *Thom Yorke*]

But they love it, and they love it, the more

*The more you try to erase me*

And they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it, and they love it, the more

*The more that I appear, oh*

Ugh, and they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more you try the eraser*

And they love it and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more that you appear*

[Verse 2: Kanye West]

Plain Pat, what up?

Ugh, ugh, lifestyles of the broke and famous

Let you know how crazy this game is

Look at all the new, beautiful faces

At home, supermodel Myspaces

Long for they shot on the TV screens

American Idol never seen these dreams

Just last week, they want to see ID

Now, they got you in V.I.P., huh?

How many people almost famous?

You almost remember what they name is

Like "Hey, didn't you play in?

No, it couldn't be, quit playin'"

And tryna keep that balance after MTV

That's a Real World Challenge

Back on that train

Never to be heard from again

[Hook: Lupe Fiasco, *Thom Yorke*]

But they love it, and they love it, the more

*The more you try to erase me*

And they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it, and they love it, the more

*The more that I appear, oh*

Ugh, and they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more you try the eraser*

And they love it and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more that you appear*

[Verse 3: Pharrell]

G-R-I-P, P-I-M-P

I, any spelling, bitch, come on, that's me

I bring a burning sensation to the urban eye

Like an eye-drop of turpentine

You can listen to the serpent, fine

But the earth got gas; once it burps, it's fine

Some around me, they talk about degrees

Not GHG, how to cook a quarter key (Ugh)

Talking all nasal, he ain't over that cold

No glove, scrub, man, he just over that stove

Perfect paradigm, wrong place, wrong time

Should have been Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline

Number one chemist, look at him, no blemish

Eggshell off-white like a DuPont finish

Young, dumb, high-strung, who could handle us?

I wonder how God's gon' paint todays canvases

'Cause who knew that day that man would just

Go to V.A. with a Tec and spray campuses?

What a way to see the cover of Time

I know that n\*\*\*a wish he was standing in line

[Hook: Lupe Fiasco, Thom Yorke, & Pharrell]

But they love it, and they love it, the more (**To see it**)

The more you try to erase me (**As if he didn't do it**)

And they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it, and they love it, the more

*The more that I appear, oh*

Ugh, and they love it, and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more you try the eraser*

And they love it and they love it

*The more, the more*

And they love it and they love it the more

*The more that you appear*

## References

1. ↑ Harris, Chris and Kaufman, Gil (August 6, 2007). "Pearl Jam Electrify; Amy Winehouse, Lupe Fiasco, Kings of Leon Also Help Cap Lollapalooza". *MTV*. Archived from the original on August 24, 2007.
2. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (April 14, 2008). "Lupe Fiasco Wants to Quit Music Biz, But Promises More Collabos with Kanye, Pharrell; Fabolous Makes the Band: *Mixtape Monday*". *MTV*. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008.
3. ↑ "va$htie - "Us Placers" by Lupe, Kanye & Pharrell (CRS)". *YouTube*. December 19, 2007.
4. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (December 20, 2007). "Meet 10-Year-Old Kanye, Lupe, and Pharrell". *Entertainment Weekly*.
5. ↑ Kot, Greg (June 1, 2007). "Kanye, Lupe, Pharrell Collaborate on Thom Yorke Track". *Chicago Tribune*. Archived from the original on June 17, 2008.
6. ↑ "CRS - Us Placers". *DJBooth*. June 11, 2007.