Illmatic

The World Is Yours

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

294

Internal

Multi

336

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

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?

I sip the Dom P, watching Gandhi 'til I'm charged

Then writing 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 Timb's on my feets makes^✦ my cipher^✦ complete

Whether crusing^✦ in a Sikh's cab, or Montero Jeep

I can't call it, the beats make me fallin'^✦ asleep^✦

I keep falling,^✦ but never^✦ falling^✦ six feet deep

I'm out for presidents^✦ to represent^✦ me (say what?)

I'm out for dead presidents^✦ to represent^✦ me

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?

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

Aiming^✦ guns in all my baby^✦ pictures^✦

Beef with housing^✦ police,^✦ release scriptures^✦ that's maybe Hitler's

Yet I'm the mild, money-getting style, rolling foul

The versatile,^✦ honey-sticking wild golden^✦ child

Dwelling 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 we sell it, smoke pays

While all the old folks pray to Jesus,^✦ soaking their sins in trays

Of holy^✦ water,^✦ odds against Nas are slaughter^✦

Thinking a word best describing 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 a right direction^✦

How you living?^✦ Large, a broker^✦ charge, cards are mediocre

You're flipping coke or playing spit, spades^✦ and strip poker?^✦

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)

Break it down

(It's yours)

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,^✦ a thousand 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

Trying to maintain, I flip, fill the clip to the tip

Picturing my peeps, now the income^✦ make my heartbeat skip

And I'm amped^✦ up, they locked^✦ the champ up, even^✦ my brain's in handcuffs

Headed^✦ for Indiana, stabbing women^✦ like the Phantom

The crew is lampin',^✦ Big Willie-style

Check the chip-toothed smile, plus I profile^✦ wild

Stash through the flock wools, burning dollars to light my stove

Walk the blocks with a bop, checking dames,^✦ plus the games^✦

People play, bust the problems of the world today^✦

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)

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

Technical Breakdown

9.2

Multisyllabic Rhymes8.0

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.0

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm9.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity9.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.0

Performance and control

Computed Score9.20

Production

— Pete Rock

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas expertly utilizes intricate multisyllabic and internal rhymes, seamlessly blending them with high-level vocabulary and a commanding delivery. The established cadence is remarkable, enhancing the lyrical content while maintaining a strong connection with the beat, reflected in the high technical scores across the board.

A+

Multisyllabic

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

Wordplay

Delivery

Multisyllabic RhymesInternal Rhymes

Rhyme Architecture: The lyrics exhibit a complex interplay of end rhymes and internal structures that allow for a fluid and dynamic flow throughout the verse.

Complex lyrical structure

Strong thematic depth

Repetitive phrasing may lessen initial impact

User Scores

Notes

An anthem of ambition and self-belief, layered with rich wordplay.