If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) Lyrics

[Chorus: Lauryn Hill & (Nas)]
If I ruled the world (Imagine that)
I'd free all my sons — I love 'em, love 'em, baby!
Black diamonds and pearls

(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine?)
If I ruled the world
(Still living for today, in these last days and times)

[Verse 2: Nas]
The way to be: Paradise life, relaxing
Black, Latino and Anglo-Saxon
Armani Exchange, the Range
Cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz free at last
Brand new whips to crash, then we laugh in a iller path
The Villa house is for the crew — how we do
Trees for breakfast, dime sexes and Benz stretches
So many years of depression make me vision
The better living, type of place to raise kids in
Opening eyes to the lies, history's told foul
But I'm as wise as the old owl, plus the Gold Child

Seeing things like I was controlling, clique rolling
Tricking six-digits on kicks and still holding
Trips to Paris, I'd civilize every savage
Give me one shot, I turn trife life to lavish
Political prisoners set free, stress free
No work release, purple M3's and jet skis
Feel the wind breeze in West Indies
I'd let Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities, and reverse fiends to Willies
It sound foul, but every girl I meet'd go down-town
I'd open every cell in Attica, send 'em to Africa!
[Chorus: Lauryn Hill & (Nas)]
If I ruled the world (Imagine that)
I'd free all my sons
— I love 'em, love 'em, baby!
Black diamonds and pearls
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine?)
If I ruled the world
(Still living for today, in these last days and times)

[Bridge: Lauryn Hill]
And then we'll walk right up to the sun, hand in hand
We'll walk right up to the sun, we won't land

We'll walk right up to the sun, hand in hand
We'll walk right up to the sun, we won't land

[Verse 3: Nas]
You love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry
Ducked down in car seats, heat's mandatory
Running from Jake, getting chased, hunger for papes
These are the breaks, many mistakes go down outta state

Wait! I had to let it marinate, we carry weight
Trying to get laced, flip the ace, stack the safe
Millionaire plan to keep the gat with the cocked hammer
Making moves in Atlanta, back-and-forth scrambler
‘Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich
Still, nobody want a nigga having shit!

If I ruled the world and everything in it, sky's the limit
I'd push a Q45 Infinit'
It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies, or B Felony
Strictly living longevity to the destiny
I thought I'd never see, but reality struck
Better find out before your time's out, what the fuck?!

[Chorus: Lauryn Hill & (Nas)]
If I ruled the world (Imagine that)
I'd free all my sons
— I love 'em, love 'em, baby!
Black diamonds and pearls
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine?)
If I ruled the world
(Still living for today, in these last days and times)
If I ruled the world, if I ruled, if I ruled (Imagine that)
I'd free all my sons, if I ruled, if I ruled
I love 'em, love 'em, baby!
Black diamonds and pearls, black diamonds, black diamonds
(Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine)
If I ruled the world
(Still livin' for today, in these last days and times)

[Outro: Lauryn Hill]
If I ruled the world, if I ruled
If I ruled, I'd free all my sons
Black diamonds — I love 'em, love 'em, baby!
Black diamonds and pearls, if I ruled
If I ruled the world
If I ruled the world
I love 'em, love 'em, baby!

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About

Genius Annotation

Nas' exercise in Utopianism – inspired by Sir Thomas More (and Kurtis Blow).

Nas told Complex:

Being a hip-hop fan and Krush Groove fan, Kurtis Blow was my favorite rapper when I was a kid. He sang “If I Ruled the World” and I thought that was a huge chorus.

This song was Nas’s attempt at wider appeal:

I felt like B.I.G. had changed the playing field [of rap music] in a great way. You couldn’t be talking about you’re the Don of the city and your record is only resonating to a couple of street people. If we’re the Don, that means I need Mayor Giuliani dancing to my songs.

Stevie Wonder had everybody dancing to his songs, so if I’m going to be great, I’m going to make a great record that you can’t hold back. When I’m on the radio, I’m going to have you singing along, ‘I’d open every cell in Attica, send ‘em to Africa,’ and ‘Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassing.’

That should be mainstream, that shouldn’t just be in the streets. The whole world should hear my voice, hear my point of views in my street language. We turned the lights on. I showed them I could put on a Gucci suit with Wallabees and that’s the streets but the streets to the next level.

Steve Stoute:

The song was a step away from what you heard on Illmatic. That’s why in the beginning of the ‘If I Ruled The World’ video, Nas does the rap from ‘The Message’ first, then he snaps his fingers, and the song starts.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Is there a Genius 'Check The Rhyme' video for this track?
Genius Answer

How was Lauryn Hill chosen to sing the chorus?
Genius Answer

Tone of Trackmasters said:

We had to find that person that had hip-hop credibility. Do we get a pop singer? No, that’s not going to work. We had a get a singer that was suitable on the hip-hop side of the arena.

The only other person that could have sung that was R. Kelly, but at the time we didn’t start working with him yet. But “Killing Me Softly” had just popped. It started catching on and Lauryn Hill was the one.

Credits
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Phonographic Copyright ℗
Performance Rights
Keyboards
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Mastering Engineer
Recorded At
The Hit Factory (New York City) & Westlake Studios (Los Angeles)
Release Date
June 4, 1996
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