Lupe Fiasco Wants To Reboot CRS Supergroup Without Original Members

Child Rebel Soldier is a lost relic of the 2000s. The name was applied to a supergroup that only worked on two songs. The thing is, the members of the supergroup were so famous that fans continue to ponder what a full album could have sounded like. Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West and Pharrell was a dream lineup for any hip-hop fan, but their different career paths made the prospective album an impossibility. Lupe Fiasco wants to reboot CRS for modern times, but his vision may not be what fans had in mind.

In short, Lupe Fiasco wants to transform the supergroup into a solo venture. He recently talked about Child Rebel Soldier during an interview with Stereogum, and delved into the brand’s potential. He even provided a time table on when fans can expect new CRS music. “I’m gonna reboot CRS in the next six months, maybe next year,” Fiasco stated. “Tyler, [The Creator] has one of the CRS records. But it’s gonna go back to the original energy, which was me rapping over Radiohead beats.” The concept of “original energy” was enlightening for readers, as the rapper detailed how CRS first started.

Evidently, Lupe Fiasco wanted to rap about the dark side of fame, and Kanye West and Pharrell were so intrigued by the concept they offered the Chicago rapper beats. It snowballed into songs in which all 3 artists rhymed. “Us (Placers)” and “Everybody Noze (Remix)” are the only official CRS releases in which this happened. Fiasco has had a bit of a renaissance in recent years, however, so dusting off one of his biggest “what if” projects makes sense. The rapper’s love for Radiohead is what initially sparked his desire to rhyme about darker subject matter. He conceded, though, that a full-fledged collab with the British band would be difficult.

Instead, Lupe Fiasco wants to turn Child Rebel Soldier into a solo album driven by Radiohead samples. “I’ll just go back to that original [vibe],” he told the outlet. “Just go back and find those dope loops and samples from Radiohead or their solo records. Loop the sh*t up, and make little beats out of it, and crush with some dope ass lyrics.” Fiasco has done just that on fan favorite songs like “The National Anthem” and “Animal Pharm,” so there’s no reason to think he can’t do it now. That said, fans will never get a chance to hear what a three-man CRS album would have sounded like.