As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realise there's none left
Cause I've been brassing and laughing so long that
Even my mamma thinks that my mind is gone
But I aint 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 lope(?)
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 their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
keep spending most our 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

They got the situation, they got me facing
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the strip
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching got me chasing dreams
I'm a educated fool with my knee on my mind
Got my 10 in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loped(?) out gangsta set trippin banger
And my homies is down so gonna rouse my anger ... fool
Death aint nothing but a heart beat away
I'm living life do or die, what can I say
I'm 23 never will I live to see 24
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.

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour [bad word]  but half of them aint looking
What'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

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.