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 lob, 
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. 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
Look at the situation, they got me facing, 
I can't live 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 ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye. 
I'm a locked out gangsta, set tripping banger 
And my homies are 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, will I ever 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? 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
Power in the money, money in the power, 
Minute after minute, hour after hour,  [bad word]  but half of them ain't looking 
It's going on in the kitchen 
But I don't know what's cooking. 
They say I gotta learn 
But nobody's here to teach me. 
If they can't understand it, how can they reach me? 
I guess they can't, 
I guess they won't, 
I guess they front, 
That's why I know my life is out of luck, foo! 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We've been spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
Living in a gangsta's paradise. 
We keep spending most our lives 
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?