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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 blasting and laughing so long thatEven my mamma 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 talking, and where you 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 homies want to be like
On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street light

They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation they got me facin'
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 a educated fool with money on my mind
Got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loc'ed-out gangsta, set-trippin' banger
And my homies is down, so don't rouse my anger – fool
Death ain't nothing but a heartbeat away
I'm living life, do or die, what can I say?
I'm twenty-three, never will I live to see twenty-four
The way things is goin', I don't know

Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?

They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody's running, but half of them ain't looking what's going on in the kitchen
But I don't know what's cooking
They say I've got to 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

They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
They've been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise
We keep spending most our lives living in the 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?