Rule (Nas song)

2001 single by Nas featuring Amerie

"Rule"

Single by Nas featuring Amerie
from the album  Like Mike: Music From the Motion Picture and Stillmatic
B-side| "No Idea's Original"
Released| October 6, 2001
Genre|

* Hip hop
* R&B

Length| 4:32
Label|

* Ill Will
* Columbia

Songwriter(s)|

* Nasir Jones
* Amerie Rogers
* Samuel Barnes
* Jean Claude Olivier
* Chris Hughes
* Roland Orzabal
* Ian Stanley

Producer(s)| Trackmasters
Nas singles chronology
| "Oochie Wally"
(2001)  | "Rule"
(2001)  | "Got Ur Self A..."
(2001)

|
|

Amerie singles chronology
|  | "Rule"
(2001)  | "Life"
(2002)

|
|

"Rule" is the first single from American rapper Nas' 2001 album Stillmatic. It features a chorus sung by Amerie and production provided by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters Entertainment. The song is known for both sampling and interpolating "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears.

## Overview

[edit]

The song's lyrics are political, reminiscent of those on Nas' 1996 single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)", as referenced in the beginning of the song:

> Life, they wonder, can they take me under? Naw, never that.

This references the intro to "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)":

> Life, I wonder, will it take me under? I don't know.

As a single, "Rule" was not heavily promoted, but still reached #67 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. "Got Ur Self a Gun" is mistakenly thought to be the first single on Stillmatic because "Rule" was not heavily promoted, did not receive music video treatment and was never released in compact disc format. It was released as a vinyl 12-inch single with "No Idea's Original" as its B-side.[citation needed]

It was featured in the 2003 film, Honey, it is also featured on the Like Mike soundtrack, but includes the edited version.[citation needed]

## Track listing

[edit]

### Side A

[edit]

1. "Rule" (radio edit) – 3:57
2. "Rule" (instrumental) – 4:07
3. "Rule" (clean a capella) – 4:02

### Side B

[edit]

1. "No Idea's Original" (explicit) – 4:05
2. "Rule" (explicit edit) – 4:07

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for "Rule"  Chart (2002)  | Peak
position

|

US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[1] | 67

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Nas Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 22, 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Nas singles

Illmatic|

* "Halftime"
* "It Ain't Hard to Tell"
* "Life's a Bitch"
* "The World Is Yours"
* "One Love"
* "N.Y. State of Mind"
* "One Time 4 Your Mind"

It Was Written|

* "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"
* "I Gave You Power"
* "Street Dreams"

The Firm: The Album|

* "Firm Biz"
* "Phone Tap"

I Am...|

* "Nas Is Like"
* "Hate Me Now"

Nastradamus|

* "Nastradamus"
* "You Owe Me"

Stillmatic|

* "Rule"
* "Got Ur Self a Gun"
* "One Mic"
* "Ether"

God's Son|

* "Made You Look"
* "I Can"
* "Get Down"

Street's Disciple|

* "Thief's Theme"
* "Bridging the Gap"
* "Just a Moment"

Hip Hop Is Dead|

* "Hip Hop Is Dead"
* "Can't Forget About You"

Untitled|

* "Hero"
* "N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)"

Life Is Good|

* "Nasty"
* "The Don"
* "Daughters"
* "Cherry Wine"
* "Bye Baby"

Nasir|

* "Cops Shot the Kid"

King's Disease|

* "Ultra Black"

King's Disease II|

* "Nobody"

Other singles|

* "Oochie Wally"
* "Surviving the Times"
* "Less Than an Hour"
* "Be a Nigger Too"
* "As We Enter"
* "Define My Name"

Collaborations|

* "Fast Life"
* "Head over Heels"
* "Love Is All We Need"
* "Grand Finale"
* "Hot Boyz"
* "Did You Ever Think"
* "It's Mine"
* "I've Got to Have It"
* "What's Going On"
* "I'm Gonna Be Alright"
* "Thugz Mansion"
* "In Public"
* "Blindfold Me"
* "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)"
* "My President"
* "Too Many Rappers"
* "Fall in Love"
* "Ghetto Dreams"
* "Champion"
* "Free"
* "Something to Believe In"
* "Chains"
* "Figure It Out"
* "Sorry"
* "Rodeo"
* "Sorry Not Sorry"
* "Die for It"

Other songs|

* "Made Nas Proud"

* v
* t
* e

Amerie

* Discography

Studio albums|

* All I Have
* Touch
* Because I Love It
* In Love & War

Compilation albums|

* Best 15 Things

Extended plays|

* Drive
* 4AM Mulholland
* After 4AM

Singles|

* "Why Don't We Fall in Love"
* "Talkin' to Me"
* "I'm Coming Out"
* "1 Thing"
* "Touch"
* "Talkin' About"
* "Take Control"
* "Gotta Work"
* "Why R U"
* "Heard 'em All"
* "Mine"

Featured singles|

* "Rule"
* "Paradise"
* "I Don't Care"
* "Fly Like Me"

Related articles|

* First Daughter
* Awards and nominations
* Rich Harrison

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