Gangstas Paradise

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left

Cause 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 they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool

I'm the kinda G 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

Look at the situation they got me facin'

I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the streets

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 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 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 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

Everybody's running, 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 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