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 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 talking, and where you 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 that little homies want to be like
On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street light-

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

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 10 in my hand and a gleam in my eye.
I'm a locked out gangsta set trippin 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, 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 the gangsta's paradise,
Been spending most our 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 in the money, money in the power!
Minute after minute, hour after hour- [bad word]  but half of them aint looking,
It’s going on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cooking!
They say I've got to 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 our lives living in the gangsta's paradise,
Been spending most our 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 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?