Why Child Rebel Solider is the Greatest Rap Group That Never Was
In 2007, three of rap music’s biggest stars formed a supergroup that almost took over the world. Here’s what happened.
To celebrate Kanye West’s birthday, here’s a story on the greatest rap supergroup that never was. Child Rebel Soldier is a short-lived rap supergroup consisting of; Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West.
CRS was started when Lupe reached out to West and UK rapper Mike Skinner for the song ‘Us Placers’. Skinner failed to get back to Lupe in time, in turn sending the song to Pharrell instead.
Us Placers received a music video in 2007 featuring child actors playing the trio as well as Tom Yorke who is sampled throughout the song.
The group name was coined by Pharrell, although the song didn’t chart well, it appeared on Rolling Stone’s best songs of 2007.
Following the song, Lupe had plans to record a full-length group album between the three but this was a slow process because of each artist’s respective label agreements.
It was speculated that the group was meant to make their live debut on West’s ‘Glow in The Dark Tour’ with Lady Gaga. These plans fell through following the tour’s cancellation because of West’s infamous VMA Taylor Swift incident.
Between 2007 and 2009, the group completed four songs together for their album titled ‘God Unwilling’.
The album process was slow as West was working on his magnum opus ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. Around this time, Pharrell was also busy producing with The Neptunes and working with his funk rock band N*E*R*D.
In late 2010, West started his ‘GOOD Friday’ series of free track downloads to fans to build anticipation for his new album at the time.
One of those tracks was ‘Don’t Stop’ under the CRS name. This was the group’s first track in two years since the remix to N*E*R*D’s ‘All the Girls Standing in The Line For the Bathroom’.
Lupe revealed ‘Don’t Stop’ was recorded back in 2008 when there was still the potential for a CRS album.
The CRS project was further put on the backburner when West decided to do the Jay-Z collaboration ‘Watch the Throne’ instead of the CRS album, ultimately putting it on indefinite hold.
In July 2013, Lupe officially announced on Twitter CRS was no more.
Listen to Don’t Stop on Soundcloud here.
