As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realise there's not much left
Cause I've been brassing and laughing so long that
Even my mamma 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 lope
As they croak I see myself in the pistol smoke ... fool
I'm the kinda G that little homies want to be like
On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street light


They been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We 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 strip
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching got me chasing dreams

I'm a educated fool with money 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 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.



They been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We 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 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



They been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We 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.