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 blastin' and laughin' so long, that
Even my momma thinks that my mind is gone,
But I 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 ya talkin' and where ya walkin'
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 that little homies wanna be like,
On my knees in the night
Sayin' prayers in the street light

Been spending most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation, they got me facing
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the street
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 MAC-10 in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loc'd out gangsta, set tripping banger
And my homies is 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 their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise

Power in the money, money in the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody's running, but half of them ain't looking
What's goin' 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
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives
Livin' in a 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