But I ain’t never crossed a man that didn’t deserve it
He 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 wanna be like
On my knees in the night
Sayin’ prayers in the street light

been spending most our lives
Living in a Gangsta’s Paradise
been spending most our lives
Living in a Gangsta’s Paradise
keep spending most our lives
Living in a Gangsta’s Paradise
keep spending most our lives
Living in a Gangsta’s Paradise

Forgot 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 loced-out gangsta, set-trippin banger
And my homies is down, so don’t arouse my anger, fool

Death ain’t nothing but a heart beat away
I’m livin life do-or-die ah, what can I say?
I’m twenty-three now will I live to see twenty-fo’?
The way things are goin 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 their lives
Living in the Gangsta’s Paradise
been spending most their lives
Living in the Gangsta’s Paradise
keep spending most our lives
Living in the Gangsta’s Paradise
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 lookin
What’s goin on in the kitchen, but I don’t know what’s cookin

They say I got ta 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 frontin that’s why I know my life is out of luck, fool

thave been spending most their lives
Living in the Gangsta’s Paradise
thave 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