Why I Reacted To This Song
Nas has always been one of the sharpest voices in hip-hop and “If I Ruled the World” is one of his most enduring records. Pairing him with Lauryn Hill on the hook turns an already great song into something timeless.
Original by Artist
About This Song
“If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” was released in 1996 on Nas’s second album, It Was Written. The track samples Kurtis Blow’s 1985 song of the same name and pairs Nas’s verses with a hook sung by Lauryn Hill of The Fugees. It became one of Nas’s biggest commercial hits, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, and remains one of the most recognisable hip-hop singles of the era.
First Impressions
Lauryn Hill’s hook hits immediately; it’s one of those melodies that’s impossible not to know. The beat is smooth and laid-back without losing any weight and Nas slides into it with total ease.
My Reaction
“If I Ruled the World” is 90s hip-hop at its most polished. Nas’s writing is vivid and confident, painting a vision of a better world without ever losing his street-level perspective. Lauryn Hill’s hook elevates the whole record, giving it a melodic warmth that keeps it replayable decades later. A genuine classic.
Rating
83/100