Song · Nas
“If I Ruled The World” by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill
Released 1996 Featuring Lauryn Hill
“If I Ruled The World” by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill appears on 2 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 2021 and 2023. It was first released in 1996. Its best result is #168 on the 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s.
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Video from YouTube (NasVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube
Nas returned in June 1996 with "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)", the Columbia single that kicked off his second album, It Was Written, and he brought along Lauryn Hill for her first appearance on record outside the Fugees. Trackmasters produced it, with uncredited help from Rashad Smith, and the track is built from hip-hop's own past: the concept comes from Kurtis Blow's 1985 hit of the same name, the beat is lifted from Whodini's "Friends", and Hill's verse borrows from the Delfonics' "Walk Right Up to the Sun".
It's Nas going widescreen, and Hype Williams matched him with a big-budget video designed by Ron Norsworthy. The single went top ten in eight countries and earned Nas his first Grammy nomination, for Best Rap Solo Performance. In 2021 it became his first single certified platinum in the US.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 168 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s | 908 |
| 2023 | 719 | The Current | The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s | 893 |
Also listed as: If I Ruled the World; If I Ruled The World feat. Lauryn Hill.
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