Nas’ 20 Best Lines On ‘Illmatic’
“The World Is Yours”
Producer: Pete RockLyric: “While all the old folks pray to Jesus, soakin’ their sins in trays/Of holy water, odds against Nas are slaughter/Thinkin' 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”
Why It’s Dope: These lines endorse a vision of the world in which Nas plays the roles of both God and sinner, only capable of being saved by the goodness of his children. This line used to sound like wishful thinking on the part of Nas and his guilty conscience, but as you get older, the concept of becoming a better person through your children, or them being your resurrection, begins to resonate.