As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death 
I take a look at my life and realize there's nuthin' left 
'Cuz I've been blasting and laughing so long, that
Even my mama thinks that my mind is 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 better watch how you're talking, and where you're walking 
Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk 
I really hate to trip but I gotta loc. 
As I Grow I see myself in the pistol smoke, 
fool, I'm the kinda the little homies wanna be like on my knees in the night, 
saying prayers in the streetlight. 

Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 

The ghetto situation, they got me facin'
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the stripes
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 loc'd out gangsta set trippin' banger 
And my homies is down so don't arouse my anger,
fool Death ain't nothing but a heartbeat away,
I'm living life, do or die, what can I say
I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24 
The way things are going I don't know

Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the one's we hurt, are you and me
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour [bad word]  but half of them ain't looking
What's going on in the kitchen,
but I don't know what's cookin'
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, fool

Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise 
Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the one's we hurt, are you and me
Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the one's we hurt, are you and me
(fade out)