Released: December 13, 2002

Featuring: Jully Black

Songwriter: Sheila Holman Eddie Holman Jully Black Saukrates Agile Nas

Producer: Saukrates Agile

[Chorus: Jully Black & Saukrates]
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I pack up my bags and leave this world behind?
If Heaven was a mile away
Or save it all for you?
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I fill the tank up, put gas
And be out the front door in a (flash?)
Before reconsidering this hell with you
It ain't you, it's the things you do (do)
It's tearing my heart in two
I would've fell with you, to Hell with you

[Verse 1: Nas]
If Heaven was a mile away, and you could ride by the gates
Would you try to run inside when it opens
Would you try to die today?
Would you pray louder, finally believe in His power?
Even if you couldn't see Him, but you could feel Him
Would you still doubt Him?
How would you start actin'?
Would you try to put the keys down, thinkin' every drug sale that you make in the streets he can see now?
Would a fiend even want to get high? Would he stop smokin'
If he knew on his own two feet he could just stroll in?
To get away and escape from the craziness
And I bet you there's a Heaven for a atheist
It's hard takin' this, racist planet
Where they take a younger brother in a hand-cuff
Even if he innocent, "Nigga, get on the car!
Put your motherfuckin' hands up!"
Thinkin' I'ma lose it, my mom's in chemo
Three times a week yo, keep tryin', but people, it's hard
And God, your young soldier's not so bold but needs you
This world's my home, but world, I will leave you

[Chorus: Jully Black & Saukrates]
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I pack up my bags and leave this world behind?
If Heaven was a mile away
Or save it all for you?
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I fill the tank up, put gas
And be out the front door in a (flash?)
Before reconsidering this hell with you
It ain't you, it's the things you do (do)
It's tearing my heart in two
I would've fell with you, to Hell with you

[Verse 2: Nas]
Nigga, what you think, I'ma stop building?
I'ma stop feelin' like I'm Amistad's great-great-grandchildren?
How I'm not gonna want to make millions
Since the quarter water days, in the hallways
Makin' fake gold caps
With the Reese's Pieces wrapper in my mouth all day
But then my style has quite a while
That same type as Ill and Al Skratch
Game time took 'em cats, never looked back
Cristal, blowin' dub sacks
That's when it all just hit me: you see, the broads and Bentleys
Is nothin' unless my niggas spend it all with me
I'd give it all away quickly
Just to hear them all about some new kicks
Free of any autographs, and not to be recognized, forgive me
It's becomin' unbearable, makin' hits is easy
Put a famous bitch on a hook, there you go with a platinum CD
I know you heard the noise, preachers touchin' on alter boys
Sodomizin', not realizin' God is watchin', before the Lord
How could they do the Devil's work?
A man give another man head in Church
Hell, it hurts just to fathom the thought, wishin' that I fled the Earth

[Chorus: Jully Black & Saukrates]
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I pack up my bags and leave this world behind?
If Heaven was a mile away
Or save it all for you?
If Heaven was a mile away
Would I fill the tank up, put gas
And be out the front door in a (flash?)
Before reconsidering this hell with you
It ain't you, it's the things you do (do)
It's tearing my heart in two
I would've fell with you, to Hell with you

[Outro: Nas]
You trapped in your own hell
Every day I wake up I'm blessed
Every day you wake up and breathe another breath, you blessed
To all them niggas runnin' around
Talkin' about, "I'm fucked up," "I got to get on," "I got to…"
"I'm in the grind," "I'm fucked up"
Yeah, we all in the grind
But look at the beautiful shit around you, it's a beautiful life
All my niggas locked up, keep ya heads up
Heaven's just a mile away
I'm talkin' Heaven on Earth, ain't got nothin' to do with money
Got nothin' to do with nothin' material
I'm talkin' about Heaven in your own heart
In your own world, baby, in your own existence
To my moms, look at me, baby
I love you, girl, your boy's shinin', God's son...

Nas

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known to one and all as Nas, is one of hip-hop’s best-known, most mercurial, and lyrically blessed figures ever to touch the microphone. Since his heart-stopping debut turn on Main Source’s “Live at the Barbeque,” Nas has delivered countless beautifully structured, thought-provoking, keenly observed verses.

Growing up in Queens, NY, Nas never really performed in big crowds—he kept to himself. Nas used a different type of vernacular that others didn’t understand, which helped him to stand out from other rappers from his era.

With every ensuing album, Nas always reminds fans that he’s still the same Queensbridge MC who crafted one of the greatest albums of all time, and arguably the bible of Hip-Hop, Illmatic.