Featured In
Top Songs By Coolio
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Coolio
Lead Vocals
L.v.
Background Vocals
Stevie Wonder
Sampled Artist
Trinna Simmons
Background Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Stevie Wonder
Songwriter
Artis Ivey Jr.
Songwriter
Larry Sanders
Songwriter
D. Rasheed
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Albee
Executive Producer
Bob Morse
Engineer
D. Rasheed
Producer
Kevin "K.D." Davis
Mixing Engineer
Paul Stewart
Executive Producer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
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 been blasting and laughing 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 you're talking, and where you're 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 kind of G that little homies want to be like
On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the streetlight
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
Look at the situation they got me facing
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the state
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching got me chasing dreams
I'm an 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 nothing but a heartbeat away
I'm living life do-or-die, what can I say?
I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24?
The way things is going, I don't know
[PreChorus]
Tell me, why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
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 luck, fool
[Chorus]
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
[Outro]
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?
Written by: Artis Ivey Jr., Coolio, Doug Rasheed, L.V., Larry Sanders, Stevie Wonder