If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)

"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"
Single by Nas
from the album It Was Written
Released	June 4, 1996
Genre	Hip-hop R&B
Length	4:42
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Nasir Jones Samuel Barnes Jean-Claude Olivier Kurtis Walker David Reeves Lawrence Smith Aaron O'Bryant Jalil Hutchins Norman Harris Allan Felder
Producer(s)	Trackmasters
Nas singles chronology
"One Love" (1994) "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" (1996) "Street Dreams" (1996)
Lauryn Hill singles chronology
"If I Ruled the World" (1996) "All My Time" (1997)

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [9] 100 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [10] 30 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [11] 21 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [12] 11 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) [13] 16 France (SNEP) [14] 4 Germany (GfK) [15] 4 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [16] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [18] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [19] 2 Norway (VG-lista) [20] 5 Scotland (OCC) [21] 35 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [22] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [23] 7 UK Singles (OCC) [24] 12 UK Dance (OCC) [25] 2 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [26] 1 US Billboard Hot 100 [27] 53 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [28] 17 US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [29] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [30] 65 France (SNEP) [31] 18 Germany (Media Control) [32] 26 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [33] 27 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [34] 83 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [35] 99 New Zealand (RIANZ) [36] 12 Sweden (Topplistan) [37] 27 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [38] 37 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) [39] 69 US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard) [40] 40

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP) [41]	Gold	250,000*
Germany (BVMI) [42]	Gold	250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [43]	Platinum	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [44]	Silver	200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [45]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "If I Ruled the World - Nas | Credits". Allmusic . Retrieved May 16, 2016.
2. "The Most Perfect Rap Song Ever Written: If I Ruled The World". Hip Hop Golden Age. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
3. "The greatest hip-hop songs of all time – who voted". www.bbc.com. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
4. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
5. "MC Serch Reveals He's Selling His Share Of Nas' Music Catalog, Including The Artist's Debut Album". news.yahoo.com. October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
6. McIntosh, Daryl (June 27, 2021). "Nas' 'It Was Written' Turns 25 — Anniversary Retrospective" . Retrieved October 3, 2021.
7. Daisy & Havoc (June 22, 1996). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 11. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
8. Fricke, David (December 26, 1996-January 9, 1997). "The year in recordings". Rolling Stone . Issue 750/751.
9. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 22 Sep 1996". ARIA . Retrieved April 30, 2020– via Imgur.com. N.B. The HP column indicates the highest position reached.
10. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
11. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
12. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
13. "Hits of the World". Billboard . November 16, 1996. p. 56. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
14. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
15. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
16. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 188 Vikuna 21.9. – 27.9. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 20, 1996. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
18. "Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
19. "Nas – If I Ruled The World". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
20. "Nas – If I Ruled The World". VG-lista. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
22. "Nas – If I Ruled The World". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
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24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
25. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
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27. "Nas Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
28. "Nas Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
29. "Nas Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
30. "Rapports annuels 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
31. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1996" (in French). SNEP . Retrieved May 10, 2025.
32. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved August 7, 2015.
33. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1997. p. 25. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
34. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
35. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1996". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved February 27, 2020.
36. "End of Year Charts 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
37. "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
38. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved February 27, 2020.
39. "The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-40.
40. "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-45.
41. "French single certifications – Nas – If I Ruled The World" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved August 30, 2013.
42. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Nas; 'If I Ruled The World')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved August 30, 2013.
43. "New Zealand single certifications – Nas – If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)". Radioscope. Retrieved April 3, 2025.Type If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) in the "Search:" field.
44. "British single certifications – Nas – If I Ruled the World". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved September 10, 2021.
45. "American single certifications – Nas – If I Ruled the World". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 24, 2021.