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 everyone thinks my mind is gone
But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it
To be treated like a punk, you know that's unheard of
You betta watch how ya talkin' and where ya walkin'
'Cause this life you runnin' might be lined in chalk


Been spending most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their 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
Television watching, got me chasing dreams
Death ain't nothing but a heart beat away
I'm living life, do or die, what can I say
I'm here right now, will I see you long
The way things are 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
Been spending most our lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been 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
It's goin' on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'
They say I gotta learn
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


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