Gangster's Paradise

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

blasting and laughing

so long

That even my momma

thinks that

my mind has 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 betta watch

how ya talking

And where ya 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

that little homie's

wanna be like

On my knees

in the night

Saying prayers

in the street light

Been spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Been spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Look at the situation

they got me facing

I can't live

a normal life

I was raised

by the state

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 ten in my hand

and a gleam in my eye

I'm a locked

out gangster

set tripping banger

And my homies are 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

will I ever 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 our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Been spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster'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 going on

in the kitchen

But I don't know

what's cooking

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 foo

Been spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Been spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster's paradise

Keep spending

most our lives

Living in a

gangster'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