"[Verse 1: Nas]
"Imagine smoking weed in the street without cops hara**ing
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 knocked
Evidently, it's elementary:
They want us all gone eventually
Trooping out of state for a plate—
Knowledge
If coke was cooked without the garbage
We'd all have the top dollars
Imagine everybody flashing
Fashion, designer clothes
Lacing your clique up with diamond rolls
Your peoples holding dough. No parole
No rubbers—
Going 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!”
[Hook: 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…]"
[Verse 2: A.D. Carson]
Yo, it'll be paradise: Life, relaxing
Black, Latino, and Anglo Saxon—
Rainbow/PUSH with no Jesse Jackson
You'll wonder how it ever happened
That rappin'—just spittin' flows—
No more entering through kitchen doors…
Getting known for something other than the drama
Facing racism—even though we got Obama
We can still be honest
Acknowledge and admonish
Take ‘em all to task, ‘cause a promise is a promise
Mommas would be mommas
And daddies would present
Children would be educated with practical lessons
No arrested development; effort to empty prisons
For better living—the type of place to raise kids in
Open they eyes to the lies History's told foul
Teach ‘em the truth. Let ‘em know now
So we can grow how
Nature intended—
Reading spaces between the sentences
Show ‘em they own image—let ‘em know that ain't they nemesis
[Hook: 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
[Hook: 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…]"