Child Rebel Soldier
Child Rebel Soldier was conceived with the conception of the song "Us Placers", which appears on Kanye West's mixtape Can't Tell Me Nothing (2007), released just before his third studio album Graduation (2007). Lupe Fiasco produced the song in an attempt to construct a mashup mixtape containing hip hop remakes of alternative rock singer Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser, along with a few Radiohead songs. He originally wanted Kanye West and English rapper The Streets to feature on the mixtape's first track "Us Placers", but Skinner did not respond as West sent the song to Pharrell Williams after writing a verse. After ending the collaboration, the trio decided to form a group, billed by Pharrell as "Child Rebel Soldier". Their first song, "Us Placers", was ranked number 43 on Rolling Stone'''s magazines list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.