"The Genesis"

(feat. AZ, The Firm)

[sound of a subway train going overhead]

[in the background, Nas' verse from Main Source "Live at the BBQ" is heard]
[excerpt of verse is as follows]

(Street's disciple, my raps are trifle

I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle
Stampede the stage, I leave the microphone split
Play Mr. Tuffy while I'm on some Pretty Tone shit
Verbal assassin, my architect pleases
When I was twelve, I went to ... )

[conversation heard over this before Wild Style music kicks in is as follows]
[dialogue from the film between ZORO and his infantryman brother, Hector]

[Hector:] And you're sitting at home doing this shit? I should be earning a
medal for this. Stop fucking around and be a man, there ain't nothing out
here for you...

[ZORO:]
Oh yes there is...this!

[somebody from the Firm]

Yo Nas
Yo what the fuck is this bullshit on the radio Son?
[Nas]
Chill chill, that's the shit God, chill
[AZ the Visualiza]
Aiyyo yo, pull down the shade, man.
Let's count this money, nigguh
Aiyyo Nas, put the Jacksons and the Grants over there
You know what I'm sayin?
Cause we spendin the Jacksons
[Nas]
Right, yeah.
[AZ]
You know how we get down baby
[Nas]
True, true"
[the Firm]
Nas, yo Nas, man shit is mad real right now in the Projects
for a nigga yo, word to mother. All them crab ass rappers
be comin up to me man word to mother man I think we need
to let them niggaz know it's real man
[Nas]
True indeed, knahmsayin, but when it's real you doin this
even without a record contract, knahmsayin?
[AZ]
No question
[Nas]
 Been doin this since back then
[the Firm]
No doubt
[AZ]
I'm saying regardless how it go down we gon keep it real
We trying to see many mansions and...and Coupes kid!
[Nas]
No doubt, we gon keep it real
True, true...
[the Firm]
Aiyyo where's Grand Wizard and Mayo at man?
Takin niggas a long time, man..."
[Nas]
Who got the Phillies? Take this Hennessey
[AZ]
Aiyyo Dunn! C'mon, c'mon, man stop waving that man
Stop pointing that at me Dunn, take the clip out
[Nas]
Nigga alright but take this Hennessey man
[AZ]
I'm saying take the clip man
C'mon, take it out...
[Nas]
Light them Phillies up man
Niggaz stop fucking burning Phillies man
Light some Phillies up then!
[the Firm]
Pass that Amber Boch, pass that Amber Boch, nigga! Act like you know.
[AZ]
Yo, we drinking this straight up with no chaser
I ain't fucking with you nigga
[Nas]
I'm saying though man...
[AZ]
What is it, what is it baby?
[the Firm]
What is it Son, what is it?
[AZ]
You know what time it is
[Nas]
I'm saying man, ya know what I'm saying?
Niggaz don't listen man, representing
It's Illmatic.

"If I Ruled The World"

(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 knocked evidentaly
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
Running from Jake, gettin 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 Infinit
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 living 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!!

"Undying Love"

[Nas]
Uh..
Pacino life, G a roll, casino dice
at the Mirage, Vegas strip, neon lights
Gamblers, puffin cigars, couples and stars
Flashin cameras, dealers, shufflin cards
Spent the weekend, already miss New York and it's odd
cause I'm the first to say it got too many hustlers who rob
I never hang out, when we do we bust the four-five
cause shells comin back at us while we jump in the ride
Flyin, duckin, our bitches in the club cluckin
Tellin my wife who I was dancin with like I was fuckin
Flew back, Monday evening from the bottom where the sun was beamin
to the concrete jungle of cement
Limousine's from LaGuardia airport, sleepin
Told my dogs peace, kept in movin, I was beat when
got to my crib, where the hell my keys went?
Ringin the bell, heard a yell but wasn't sure
Dropped my luggage to the ground, put my ear to the door
Slow music, H-Town, no that's down low
My baby's, drop Mercedes is parked, I creep around yo
to the back, she must be inside and can't hear
Probably upstairs, in the mirror, doin her hair
I walked in through the back door entrance
Shocked it was unlocked, when I walked in, I smelled incense
chased by a weed aroma, empty Guinnesses
 and lipstick marks on like three empty Coronas
A pair of blue jeans on the carpet; size 12 Timberlands
Somethin swingin on the ceilin fan, I stopped it
Swingin slower and slower..
On the last swing I saw it was a G-string and heard laughin
Thought about my nine-side Glock but somethin made me disregard it
Started my way up to where the noise and music was at
Froze, I couldn't react
Bedroom door opened a crack, seen wifey layin with some nigga
mumblin shit, he had one hand on her ass
and she was rubbin his dick, toastin wine glasses
Cherry scented candles was lit, couldn't handle the shit
Searchin for words I found none, without a sound
I left the house with a sick smile and took my gun
Now I'm out buggin, whylin, what I'm gon do?
Call my man Horse, meet me outside, I'm comin through

[Nas singing]
I thought you loved me
I thought you cared for me
I thought you needed me
Did you believe in me? [repeat 2X]

[Nas]
Got up with Horse, showed a look on my face was mad lost
I ain't know whether to cry or just, try to laugh it off
"Son you home early -- they wiped you out that quick?"
I said, "Nah," showed him the plastic with nine in the clip
Hopped in the whip, popped in the disc, pressed play
To the Grand Central, from the Van Wyck Expressway
I said, "Bet you'll never guess in a million years
what I just saw happenin -- and probably still is
Snuck in my crib - some nigga fuckin my wiz
I saw dem, they ain't see me, I ducked and I slid
I'ma grab shorty, I need you to grab the nigga for me"
Just when I thought I found love, she shitted on me
Shopped in Vegas, a present, for our engagement
20 G's on a ring I would have hit her today with
My surprise couldn't match the one she had for me
We pulled up, he was walkin out the house backwardly
Parked in the back of my house, they couldn't see us
Ran to the side of my house, cocked the heater
Walked to the front when I talked he had junk
Bitch tried to slam the door shut, got caught in Horse foot
Shot the Spanish kid in the rib, drug him in
Grabbed her face, say goodbye to your undercover friend
One between the eye, she's died, by mistake
Must've held the gat too tight, pointed at her face
Heard somebody knock -- Horse helped me hide the bodies
Heard si-rens, I guess we goin out we out like kamikazes
We surrounded, red lights flashin, who's inside?
Came out a bullhorn, I'm contemplatin suicide
Horse asked me for the Mac, he gave me dap, one love
 Cocked the strap, then he ran out the back
Mad shots couldn't tell what was goin on
Sat on the floor near my dead girl, put her in my arms
Pulled her ring out my pocket I was savin
Put it on her ring finger cocked the glock, and started prayin
to Muhammad and Allah, the most beneficial
through you, all things are possible, I know you're listenin
I never meant for this to happen, I never dreamed
this'd be my fate, such a grotesque, murder scene
On that note, same time, the cops busted in
Kissed my lady, her blood on my lips, I said "Amen"
Put the nine to my head, pulled the hammer, held her close
Squeeze the toast, said to her, "Now unto God, we elope"

.. we elope ..

[cop says "stupid fucking niggers" as he walks in]