(feat. Lauryn Hill) [Intro: Nas (Lauryn Hill singing in the background)] Life..... I wonder.... Will it take me under.... I don't know [Verse One: Nas] Imagine smoking weed in the streets without cops harassing Imagine going to court with no trial Lifestyle cruising blue behind my waters No welfare supporters more conscious of the way we raise our daughters Days are shorter, nights are colder Feeling like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra The world's hot my son got not evidently It's elementary, they want us all gone eventually Trooping out of state for a plate knowledge of coke was cooked without the garbage we'd all have the top dollars Imagine everybody flashing, fashion Designer clothes, lacing your click up with diamond vogues Your people holding dough, no parole No rubbers, go in raw imagine law with no undercovers Just some thoughts for the mind I take a glimpse into time watch the blimp read "The World Is Mine" [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 Two: Nas] The way to be, paradise like relaxing black, latino and anglo-saxon Armani exchange the reins Cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz, free at last Brand new whips to crash then we laugh in the 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 Open they 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, click rolling Tricking six digits on kicks and still holding Trips to Paris, I civilized every savage Gimme one shot I turn trife life to lavish Political prisoner set free, stress free No work release purple M3's and jet skis Feel the wind breeze in West Indies I make Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities and reverse themes to Willies It sounds foul but every girl I meet to go downtown 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 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 Three: Nas] You'd love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry Duck down in car seats, heat's mandatory Runnin from Jake, getting chased, hunger for papes These are the breaks many mistakes go down out of 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 cop camera 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 push a Q-45 Infinite It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies or B Felonies 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 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 Could it be, if you could black diamonds be mine, we'd both shine If I ruled the world Still livin for today, in these last days and times 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!!