Gangsta's Paradise – Coolio (Tekst)

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 blastin'
And laughin' 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 talkin'
And where you 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
The little homies wanna be like
On my knees in the night
Sayin' prayers in the streetlight

Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' 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 watchin'
got me chasing dreams
I'm a educated fool
With money on my mind
Got my ten 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 nothin'
But a heart beat away
I'm livin' 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 spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Power and the money
Money and the power
Minute after minute
Hour after hour
Everybody's runnin'
But half of them ain't lookin'
It'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 spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' 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?