In the latest installment of our Behind The Beat series, Thomas Hobbs spoke with the legendary Pete Rock about how he and a teenaged Nas recorded “The World is Yours,” one of the greatest rap records of all time.
Thanks to its perfect blend of vivid jazz, dusty boom bap, and teenage wisdom, ‘The World Is Yours’ still has infinite replay value 27 years later. It serves as a time capsule to a brighter moment for New York City: a teenage rap prodigy called Nas had briefly unified the five boroughs, making everyone believe they had an heir to Rakim who could help win back dominance from the West Coast.

“It’s endured as it captures the feel of New York City so perfectly,” reckons the song’s legendary producer Pete Rock. “It is about the world being your oyster. I know the phrase of ‘the world is yours’ comes from Scarface, but Nas’ message was about showing Black America how to make the best choices so people can live a long life and have longevity. That kind of message doesn’t get old.”

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