If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)
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| "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" | ||
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| Single by Nas | ||
| from the album It Was Written | ||
| Released | 1996 | |
| Format | CD single | |
| Recorded | 1996 | |
| Genre | Hip hop | |
| Length | 4:42 | |
| Label | Columbia | |
| Writer(s) | Nasir Jones Jean-Claude Olivier Kurtis Walker Samuel Barnes |
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| Producer(s) | Trackmasters Entertainment | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Nas singles chronology | ||
| "One Love" (1994) |
"If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)" (feat. Lauryn Hill) (1996) |
"Street Dreams" (1996) |
"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" is a 1996 hit hip hop single by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill of The Fugees. The single was Nas' first Top 20 R&B hit, and was also nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The song samples the 1983 Whodini single "Friends", and interpolates the song "If I Ruled The World" by Kurtis Blow into is chorus. Lauryn Hill's verse interpolates the song "Walk Right Up To The Sun" by The Delfonics. The song's lyrics feature Nas discussing the various things he would do if he "ruled the world and everything in it".
"If I Ruled the World", bolstered by a high-budget music video directed by Hype Williams, became Nas' first single to gain mainstream notice. The single became a Top 20 hit on both the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (number 17) chart and the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart (number 15).
[edit] Single track listing
[edit] A-Side
- "If I Ruled The World" (Main Mix) (4:42)
- "If I Ruled The World" (Instrumental) (4:34)
[edit] B-Side
- "If I Ruled The World" (Clean Mix) (4:42)
- "If I Ruled The World" (A Cappella) (4:42)
| Nas |
|---|
| Discography |
| Albums |
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Illmatic · It Was Written · The Firm: The Album · I Am... · Nastradamus · QB's Finest · Stillmatic · The Best of Nas · The Lost Tapes · From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes EP · God's Son · Street's Disciple · Hip Hop Is Dead · The Lost Tapes 2 |
| Singles |
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Solo singles: "Halftime" · "It Ain't Hard to Tell" · "The World Is Yours" · "Life's a Bitch" · "One Love" · "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" · "Street Dreams" · "Escobar '97" · "Nas Is Like" · "Hate Me Now" · "Nastradamus" · "Analyze This · "You Owe Me" · "Got Ur Self A..." · "One Mic" · "Made You Look" · "I Can" · "Get Down" · "Thief's Theme" · "Bridging the Gap" · "Just a Moment" · "Hip Hop Is Dead" · "Can't Forget About You" · "Better Than I've Ever Been" |
| Related articles |
|
Nas vs. Jay-Z feud · Ill Will Records · Belly · The Bravehearts · Kelis · AZ · Foxy Brown · Nature · Cormega |
