Us Placers

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"Us Placers"
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

music critics.[3]

Background

"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

"Us Placers"
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"Us Placers" is an up-tempo

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.

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

"Us Placers" received overwhelmingly positive reviews from music critics and was widely regarded as the highlight of the

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

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 has since gone on to have caught the attention of West, who expressed his affinity by posting the video up on his official blog.[23]

Live performances

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

References

  1. Amazon
    . Amazon.com, Inc. 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  2. ^
    MTV Networks
    . Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  3. 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. 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. ^
    Tribune Company
    . Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  10. ^
    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. The Brandeis Hoot. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  12. ^ Sakamoto, John (2007-12-29). "The Anti-Hit List Top 10". Toronto Star. 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. About.com
    . About.com.
  20. ^ Adaso, Henry. "100 Best Rap Songs of the 2000s". About.com. 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. 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. Retrieved 2007-08-12.

External links

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