Throwback Thursday: Nas – “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” (featuring Lauryn Hill)
Today, just weeks after hip-hop turned 50, one of its greatest talents, Nasir Jones, also turns 50.
In June of ’96, Nas released “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” (featuring Lauryn Hill) as the lead single from his sophomore set, It Was Written. The song samples Kurtis Blow’s “If I Ruled the World,” taking the hook in a more conscious direction.
The greatness of Nas’ “If I Ruled the World” is that it manages to be somewhat of a club banger while being deeply political. While some of what Nas raps about is progressive, some of it is, err, a bit questionable, but it wouldn’t be Nas if there wasn’t a whiff of hotep garbage. All of that being said, “If I Ruled the World” is a solid track and one of the best to come of the genre. It’s also one of the greatest blends of hip-hop and R&B we have ever seen.
Throwback Thursday: Amy Winehouse - "Me & Mr. Jones" (Live) - No Hipsters Allowed
Posted at 13:13h, 14 September[…] Winehouse would’ve been 40 years old today. Not only does she share a birthday with Nas, she was a friend and a fan, and one of her most notable songs is a song about missing a Nas […]