Composition
"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. It is written in the key of The song contains samples of "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke, incorporating the song's 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 chords arranged in the progression of and Lupe uttering, "Yeah, just a lil' bit, just a lil' bit. And it goes..." Lupe, Kanye, and Pharrell then respectively rap the song's three verses over a sparse, pulsating beat. Each verse is organized around a chorus that is provided by the melodic vocal sample. The chorus is coupled with a harmonic hook delivered by Lupe, whose vocals implement overdubbing. During the chorus, the song's chord progression changes to and takes on a more moody, atmospheric sound. The song ends with an echoing reiteration of its piano keys.
Lyrically, "Us Placers" is a meditation on the perils of fame. Lupe's verse depics the over-indulgent lifestyles of rich and famous celebrities. In a stoic voice, he rapidly raps an extensive list of materialistic possessions; including a large mansion, a wardrobe full of exorbitant cloths, Mexican floral arrangers, a big-screen television, and a fifty-foot yacht. Lupe brings his verse to a close by making a declaration regarding the emptiness of opelence. Kanye uses his verse to expound the ephemerality of fame. 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 15 minutes of fame are over, they then fade away into obscurity, possibly never to enter the public eye ever again. Pharrell 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. Pharrell concludes his verse by exposing the motive behind the Virginia Tech massacre. He states the irony of the suicidal shooter, in that he finally achieved the fame and recognition he sought in life, but isn't alive to see it. 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."
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