as i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i take a look at my life and realize theres none left cause ive been brassing and laughing so long that even my mamma thinks that my mind is gone but i aint never crossed a man that didnt deserve it me be treated like a punk you know thats 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 pistal smoke fool im the kinda g that little homies want to be like on my knees in the night saying prayers in the street lightthey been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise they been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradisethey got the situation they got me facing i cant 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 im a educated fool with money on my mind got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye im a loped out gangsta set trippin banger and my homies is down so gonna rouse my anger fool death aint nothing but a heart beat away im living life do or die what can i say im twenty three never will i live to see 24 the way things is going i dont knowtell me why are we so blind to see that the ones we hurt are you and methey been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise they been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradisepower and the money money and the power minute after minute hour after hour everybodys running but half of them aint looking whats going on in the kitchen but i dont know whats cooking they say ive got to learn but nobodys here to teach me if they cant understand it how can they reach me i guess they cant i guess they wont i guess they front thats why i know my life is out of luck foolthey been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise they been spending most their lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradise we keep spending most our lives living in the gangstas paradisetell me why are we so blind to see that the ones we hurt are you and metell me why are we so blind to see that the ones we hurt are you and me