In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Nas, uh, yo, yo
Life, they wonder, can they take me under?
Nah, never that, nah, yo, yo
I come from the housing 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 slipping
On this life mission, never know what's next
Ancient kings from Egypt, up to Julius Cezar
Had a piece of the globe, every continent
Yo, there's Asia, Africa, Europe, France, Japan
Pakistan, America, Afghanstan
Yo, there's Protestants, Jews, Blacks, Arabics
Call a truce, world peace, stop acting 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 fighting
Lost lives in the Towers and Pentagon, why then?
Must it go on, we must stop the killing
Tell me why we die, we all God's children
World is hating, that's 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 missiles
And I become the most wanted
But is it worth hearing 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
World is hating, that's 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 goin' see you again
Hoping I reach the world leaders and win
Ain't nothing 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
Popping 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 ours now
World is hating, that's 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
Yo, niggas ain't forget shit, know what I'm saying?
Niggas ain't forget nothing
Men, women and children killed by the police and shit
Niggas ain't gon' forget that, you know what I mean?
Yo, what this war just show me is like, whatever you want out of life
Whatever you feel is rightfully yours, go out and take it
Even if that means blood and death
You know, that's what I was raised up on, that's what this country's about
This is what my country is, and my country's a motherfucker
Life, they wonder, can they take me under?
Nah, never that, nah, yo, yo
I come from the housing 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 slipping
On this life mission, never know what's next
Ancient kings from Egypt, up to Julius Cezar
Had a piece of the globe, every continent
Yo, there's Asia, Africa, Europe, France, Japan
Pakistan, America, Afghanstan
Yo, there's Protestants, Jews, Blacks, Arabics
Call a truce, world peace, stop acting 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 fighting
Lost lives in the Towers and Pentagon, why then?
Must it go on, we must stop the killing
Tell me why we die, we all God's children
World is hating, that's 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 missiles
And I become the most wanted
But is it worth hearing 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
World is hating, that's 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 goin' see you again
Hoping I reach the world leaders and win
Ain't nothing 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
Popping 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 ours now
World is hating, that's 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
Yo, niggas ain't forget shit, know what I'm saying?
Niggas ain't forget nothing
Men, women and children killed by the police and shit
Niggas ain't gon' forget that, you know what I mean?
Yo, what this war just show me is like, whatever you want out of life
Whatever you feel is rightfully yours, go out and take it
Even if that means blood and death
You know, that's what I was raised up on, that's what this country's about
This is what my country is, and my country's a motherfucker
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Rule Lyrics as written by Jean Olivier Samuel Barnes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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not sayin america is bad place? he sure as hell is, and hes fuckin right, ydnrab85, go to a fuckin young republicans meeting and stop listenin to Nas cuz you sure as hell don't uderstand what hes sayin, this whole album is a large criticism for the US, I'm sure where you come from doing things like going to college is real easy, but those dumb, sling-blade niggers from the ghetto are too stupid to pull themselves out of the ghetto right? they just want to have babies, smoke crack, that they bought with their welfare checks, you're an idiot, you obviously don't live on your own cuz if you did you'd understand how fuckin hard it is, im from the middle class and its still really fuckin hard to get by, this country has been using terror and violating human rights both abroad and at home just to keep the social order the same, you're a fuckin idiot, do yourself and the next you want to criticize Nas's lyrics save yourself some time and just go donate to the some Republican campaign