Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Nas, uh, yo

Here I come from the housin' tenement buildings
Unlimited killings, menaces marked for death
Better known as the projects where junkies and rock heads dwell
Though I owe to it my success

With survival of the fittest, everyday is a chal'
I would think I'm a part of U.S.A. and be proud
Confronted with racism, started to feel foreign
Like the darker you are the realer your problems

I reached for the stars but I just kept slippin'
On this life mission, never know what's next
Ancient kings from Egypt up to Julius Cesar
Had a piece of the globe, every continent

Yo, there's Asia, Africa, Europe, France, Japan
Pakistan, America, Afghanistan
Yo, there's Protestants, Jews, Blacks, Arabic's
Call a truce, world peace, stop actin' like savages

No war, we should take time and think
The bombs and tanks makes mankind extinct
But since the beginning of time it's been men with arms fightin'
Lost lives in the Towers and Pentagon, why then?
Must it go on, we must stop the killin'
Tell me why we die, we all God's children

All this hate can't last forever
(Uh, c'mon)
It's time that we stand together
(Yeah, for the world)
Everybody wants to rule the world
(What, what, what, what, what, c'mon)

World
(Peace)
World
(Peace)
World
(Peace)
World

Yo, there's brothers on the block, posted up like they own it
That's they corner, from New York to California, got blocks locked down
Like, 'Dog you safe whenever you with me, see this is my town'
So the youngsters, grows in ghettos, goes to prison

At an early age, already know it's against him
So in order for him to survive, one day he must
Open up his eyes to the set backs and rise
'Cause, everybody wants a shot, in this land of opportunity

Look at what this country's got, there shouldn't be nobody homeless
How can the president fix other problems when he ain't fixed home yet
The earth wasn't made for one man to rule alone
To all colors increases, to home it belongs

I want land, mansions, banks and gold
The diamonds in Africa, oil in my control
The world's natural resources, all it's residuals
But then comes foes, I have to guard it with missels

And I become the most wanted
But is it worth hearin' a million people problems
And followed by Secret Service
I guess attempts at my life with loaded barrels
So move over Colin Powell or just throw in the towel, yo

All this hate can't last forever
(Uh, c'mon)
It's time that we stand together
(Yeah, for the world)
Everybody wants to rule the world
(What, what, what, what, what, c'mon)

World
(Peace)
World
(Peace)
World
(Peace)
World

Y'all know that's my style, to hit you at the right time
No other compares to what Nas write down
Tell you my dreams, show you my pain is yours
You could get what you love, be a chain in cause

You alive right now
There's so many that's dead or locked up inside
The beast, I'm a hot light now
It's whatever man think of manifest to the real

The plan is to wake up 'cause time reveals
All this hate can't forever last
All my ghetto heroes in Heaven
It's like you right here and never passed
You just transcend, I know I'm gon' see you again
Hopin' I reach the world leaders and win

Ain't nothin' without struggle, listen up it's critical
We used to fear arms, now the weapons are chemical
In hip-hop, the weapons are lyrical
To be the best you challenge the best, then the blessings are spiritual

Top of the world for the kid and unless
Any rapper's head off his shoulders no contest
I know the Most High hear me, so fly you can't near me
You scared of a mirror, my theory is that, knowledge is power
To every projects and every street corner, we gotta get out of this now

All this hate can't last forever
It's time that we stand together
Everybody wants to rule the world
(World)