If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) [feat. Lauryn Hill]

Life

I wonder

Will it take me under?

I don't know

Imagine smokin' weed in the street, without cops harassin'

Imagine goin' to court with no trial

Lifestyle cruiser blue behind my waters, no welfare supporters

More conscious of the way we raise our daughters

Days are shorter, nights are colder

Feelin' like life is over, these snakes strike like a cobra

The world's hot, my son got knocked, evidently

It's elementary, they want us all gone eventually

Troopin' outta state for a plate, knowledge

If coke was cooked without the garbage

We'd all have the top dollars

Imagine everybody flashin', fashion, designer clothes

Lacin' your clique up with diamond Roles

Your people holdin' 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"

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 livin' for today

In these last days and times

The way to be, paradise, life relaxin'

Black, Latino and Anglo-Saxon, Armani Exchange, the Range

Cash, Lost Tribe of Shabazz, free at last

Brand new whips to crash, then we laugh in an iller path

The villa houses for the crew how we do

Trees for breakfast, dimes sex us, 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 thing like I was controllin', clique rollin'

Trickin' six digits on kicks, and still holdin'

Trips to Paris, I civilized every savage

Gimme one shot, I turn trife life to lavish

Political prisoners set free, stress-free

No work release, purple M3s, and Jet Skis

Feel the wind breeze in West Indies

I make Coretta Scott-King mayor the cities and reverse fiends to Willies

It sound foul but every girl I meet'll go downtown

I'd open every cell in Attica, Send 'em to Africa

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 livin' 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

You love to hear the story, how the thugs live in worry

Duck down in car seats, heat's mandatory

Running from Jake, getting 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

Tryna get laced, flip the ace, stack the safe

Millionaire plan to keep the gat, with the cocked hammer

Making moves in Atlanta, back and forth scrambler

'Cause you could have all the chips, be poor or rich

Don't nobody want a **** havin' shit

If I ruled the world and everything in it

Skies the limit, I push a Q45 Infinit'

It wouldn't be no such thing as jealousies or B felony

Strictly living longevity till the destiny

I thought I'd never see but reality struck

Better find out before your time's out, what the fuck?

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 livin' 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, black diamonds)

Could it be, if you could be mine, we'd both shine

If I ruled the world, the world

Still livin' 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