As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I take a look at my life And realize there's nothing left 'Cause I've been blasting and laughing so long That even my momma thinks that my mind has gone But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it Me be treated like a punk you know that's unheard of You betta watch how ya talking And where ya walking Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk I really hate to trip but I gotta loc As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke Fool, I'm the kinda g that little homie's wanna be like On my knees in the night Saying prayers in the street light Been spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise Keep spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise They got this situation, they got me facing I can't have a normal life, I was raised by the state So I gotta be down with the 'hood team Too much television watching, got me chasing dreams I'm an educated fool with money on my mind Got my tin in my hand and a gleam in my eye I'm a low down gangsta, set tripping banger And my homies is down so don't arouse my anger Fool, death ain't nothing but a heart beat away I'm living life do or die, what can I say? I'm twenty-three now but will I live to see twenty-four The way things is going I don't know. Tell me why are we so blind to see That the ones we hurt are you and me? Been spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise Keep spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise Power in the money, money in the power Minute after minute, hour after hour Everybody's running, but half of them ain't looking At what's going on in the kitchen But I don't know what's cooking. They say I gotta learn But nobody's gonna teach me If they can't understand, how can they reach me? I guess they can't I guess they won't, I guess they frontin' That's why I know my life is out of luck, foo! Been spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise Keep spending most our lives Living in a gangsta's paradise Living in a gangsta's paradise Tell me why are we so blind to see That the ones we hurt are you and me? Tell me why are we so blind to see That the ones we hurt are you and me?
