The World Is Yours
Nas feat. Pete Rock Lyrics

(It's yours)
The world belongs to you, whoever you may be

Whose world is this?
A rhetorical question to emphasize that the world belongs to whoever claims it

The world is yours, the world is yours
Repeated affirmation that the world belongs to the listener

It's mine, it's mine, it's mine
Acknowledgment that the world belongs to the artist as well

I sip the Dom P, watching "Gandhi" 'til I'm charged
Celebrating one's success with luxury while also indulging in intellectually stimulating activities for inspiration

Then writing in my book of rhymes, all the words past the margin
Compulsively writing and composing rhymes without limits or boundaries in pursuit of perfection

To hold the mic I'm throbbin', mechanical movement
Intense excitement and passion for rap performance, as though it's a physical movement

Understandable smooth shit that murderers move with
Refers to the smooth flow and lyrics of the song that could be appreciated by anyone, including criminals

The thief's theme, play me at night, they won't act right
The song's themes relate to theft and crime, and it will affect the listener in a way that they cannot act properly at night

The fiend of hip-hop has got me stuck like a crack pipe
The addiction to hip-hop and its culture has captured the performer in the same way that a crack addiction would capture a person

The mind activation, react like I'm facin' time like
Thinking deeply and intentionally so that one responds to a challenge as though they were facing a difficult time in the future

Pappy Mason, with pens I'm embracin'
Embracing the legacy of infamous criminal Pappy Mason while creating lyrics with a pen

Wipe the sweat off my dome, spit the phlegm on the streets
Describing the physical performance of a rapper on stage

Suede Timb's on my feets makes my cipher complete
Wearing Timberland boots as a crucial part of hip-hop fashion

Whether cruising in a Sikh's cab, or Montero Jeep
Travelling in different types of vehicles but still maintaining a cool image as a rapper

I can't call it, the beats make me fallin' asleep
The beats of the song are hypnotic and relaxing, making the rapper feel calm and sleepy

I keep falling, but never falling six feet deep
The rapper has problems and setbacks but overcomes them, avoiding a tragic ending

I'm out for presidents to represent me (say what?)
The performer seeks political power and influence through their art

To my man Ill Will, God bless your life (it's yours)
Dedicating the song to a fallen friend and wishing good things for his life, emphasizing that the world is his

To my peoples throughout Queens, God bless your life
Acknowledging the place where the performer comes from and wishing the people there well

I trip, we box up crazy bitches
Describing personal and romantic struggles with difficult women

Aiming guns in all my baby pictures
Acknowledging the violence in hip-hop culture by making a hyperbolic description of violent behavior

Beef with housing police, release scriptures that's maybe Hitler's
Conflicts with law enforcement leads the performer to write lyrics that could be compared to the hateful and hurtful ideologies of Hitler

Yet I'm the mild, money-getting style, rolling foul
Despite being a successful rapper, the performer is still associated with and part of illegal and immoral activities

The versatile, honey-sticking wild golden child
Describing oneself as versatile and talented, with flair and an attractive personality

Dwelling in the Rotten Apple, you get tackled
Acknowledging the struggles and dangers of living in a corrupt and challenging environment like New York City

Or caught by the devil's lasso, shit is a hassle
The performer either faces obstacles in life or becomes trapped in harmful situations, causing unnecessary stress

There's no days, for broke days we sell it, smoke pays
There are no such thing as days off because money needs to be made, through either illegal activity or through vices like smoking

While all the old folks pray to Jesus, soaking their sins in trays
Acknowledging that some people, particularly the elderly, engage in religious practices in order to wash away the sins they've committed throughout their lives

Of holy water, odds against Nas are slaughter
Even if religious practices cannot remove the sins of the performer in real life, it feels like chances and opportunities for success continue to be taken away from them

Thinking a word best describing my life to name my daughter
Considering names for future children that relate to the performer's own life and experiences

My strength, my son, the star, will be my resurrection
The performer has a son who will continue their legacy and bring them a new sense of life and energy

Born in correction, all the wrong shit I did, he'll lead a right direction
The performer's son will be able to correct the wrongs and mistakes of their own past, and lead a better life because of it

How you living? Large, a broker charge, cards are mediocre
Asking rhetorical questions about how the listener is living, and telling them that their current lifestyle is average and not impressive

You're flipping coke or playing spit, spades and strip poker?
Asking whether the listener is involved in illegal activities or engaging in vices like gambling and strip poker

Yo, the world is yours, the world is yours
Reaffirming that the entire world is the listener's to conquer and claim

To everybody in Queens, the foundation (it's yours)
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of Queens, where the performer comes from

To everybody uptown, yo, the world is yours (it's yours)
Acknowledging and dedicating the song to those from North Manhattan, while reemphasizing that the world is theirs

To everybody in Brooklyn
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of Brooklyn

Y'all know the world is yours (it's yours)
Reaffirming to the people of Brooklyn that they also have claim to the entire world

Everybody in Mount Vernon, the world is yours (it's yours)
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of Mount Vernon, while again reaffirming that the world belongs to them

Long Island, yo, the world is yours (it's yours)
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of Long Island, while offering the same reminder that they too, have claim to the entire world

Staten Island, yeah, the world is yours (it's yours)
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of Staten Island, while emphasizing that the world belongs to them

South Bronx, the world is yours (it's yours)
Shouting out and dedicating the song to the people of the South Bronx, while re-stating that they also have a claim to the entire world