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 is gone But I ain't never crossed a bed that didn't deserve it Baby treated like a punk, you know that's unheard of You better watch how you're talking and where you're walking Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk I really hate the trip but I got a load As they croak I see myself in the pistol smoke I'm the kind of cheetah, little homies wanna be like Oh my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street lights Spending most our lives living in a gangsta's paradise Spending most our lives living in a gangster's paradise Spending most our lives living in a gangster's paradise Spending most our lives living in a gangster'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, it's going on in the kitchen But I don't know what's cooking, they say I 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 love, fool Spending most our lives living in a gangster's paradise Tell me why are we so blind to see That the world we hurt are you and me? Tell me why are we so blind to see That the world we hurt are you and me?