[Verse 1: Coolio]

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

Even my mama 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 ya talkin' and where you walkin'

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 the little homies wanna be like

On my knees in the night sayin' prayers in the streetlight

[Chorus: LV]

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

[Verse 2: Coolio]

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 watchin' got me chasin' 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'd out gangsta, set trippin' banger

And my homies is down, so don't arouse my anger, fool

Death ain't nothin' but a heartbeat away

I'm livin' life do-or-die, what can I say?

I'm twenty-three now, but will I live to see twenty-four?

The way things is goin', I don't know

[Refrain: LV]

Tell me, why are we so blind to see

That the ones we hurt are you and me?

[Chorus: LV]

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

[Verse 3: Coolio]

Power and the money, money and the power

Minute after minute, hour after hour

Everybody's runnin', but half of them ain't lookin'

It's goin' on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'

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, fool

[Chorus: LV]

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We've been spendin' most their lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

We keep spendin' most our lives livin' in the gangsta's paradise

[Refrain: LV]

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?