Released: May 31, 1994

Songwriter: Pete Rock Nas

Producer: Pete Rock

[Produced by Pete Rock]

[Chorus: Pete Rock + Nas]
(It's yours)
Whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?

[Verse 1: Nas]
I sip the Dom P, watchin' Gandhi 'til I'm charged, then
Writin' in my book of rhymes, all the words past the margin
To hold the mic I’m throbbin', mechanical movement
Understandable smooth shit that murderers move with
The thief's theme, play me at night, they won't act right
The fiend of hip-hop has got me stuck like a crack pipe
The mind activation, react like I'm facin'
Time like Pappy Mason, with pens I'm embracin'
Wipe the sweat off my dome, spit the phlegm on the streets
Suede Timbs on my feets makes my cipher complete
Whether cruisin' in a Sikh's cab or Montero Jeep
I can't call it, the beats make me fallin' asleep
I keep fallin', but never fallin' six feet deep
I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)
I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)
I'm out for dead presidents to represent me

[Chorus: Pete Rock + Nas]
Whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?

[Verse 2: Nas]
To my man Ill Will, God bless your life (It's yours)
To my peoples throughout Queens, God bless your life
I trip, we box up crazy bitches, aimin' guns in all my baby pictures
Beef with housing police, release scriptures that's maybe Hitler's
Yet I'm the mild, money-gettin' style, rollin' foul
The versatile, honey-stickin', wild, golden child
Dwellin' in the Rotten Apple, you get tackled
Or caught by the devil's lasso, shit is a hassle
There's no days for broke days when sellin' smoke pays
While all the old folks pray to Jesús, soakin' they sins in trays
Of holy water, odds against Nas is slaughter
Thinkin' a word best describin' my life to name my daughter
My strength, my son, the star will be my resurrection
Born in correction, all the wrong shit I did, he'll lead in right direction
How you livin'? Large or broke on charge cards and mediocre?
You flippin' coke or playin' spit, spades, and strip poker?

[Chorus: Pete Rock + Nas]
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
Yo, the world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)

[Bridge]
Break it down
It's yours, it's yours
It's yours, it's yours

[Verse 3: Nas]
I'm the young city bandit, hold myself down single-handed
For murder raps, I kick my thoughts alone, get remanded
Born alone, die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne
I'm deep by sound alone, caved inside, 1,000 miles from home
I need a new nigga for this black cloud to follow
‘Cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow
Tryin' to maintain, I flip, fill the clip to the tip
Picturin' my peeps not eatin' can make my heartbeat skip
And I'm amped up, they locked the champ up, even my brain's in handcuffs
Headed for Indiana, stabbin' women like the Phantom
The crew is lampin' Big Willie style
Check the chip-toothed smile, plus I profile wild
Stash loot in fly clothes, burnin' dollars to light my stoge
Walk the blocks with a bop, checkin' dames, plus the games people play
Bust the problems of the world today

[Chorus: Pete Rock + Nas]
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this? (Yeah)
The world is yours, the world is yours
It's mine, it's mine, it's mine—whose world is this?
(It's yours)

[Outro: Nas & Pete Rock]
(Break it down) Yeah, aight
To everybody in Queens, the foundation (It's yours)
The world is yours
To everybody uptown, yo, the world is yours (It's yours)
The world is yours
To everybody in Brooklyn
Y'all know the world is yours (It's yours)
The world is yours
Everybody in Mount Vernon, the world is yours (It's yours)
Long Island, yo, the world is yours (It's yours)
Staten Island, yeah, the world is yours (It's yours)
South Bronx, the world is yours (It's yours)
Aight

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.