As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life
And realize theres nothing left
Cause I ve been brassing and laughing so long
That even my mama thinks that my minds gone
But I aint never crossed a man that didnt deserve
it
Me be treated like a punk, you know thats unheard of
You better watch how ya talking
And where ya 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 homie's wanna be
like
On my knees in the night
Saying prayers in the street light

they ve been spending most their lives
Living in a gangstas paradise

they ve keep spending most our lives
Living in a gangstas paradise

Look at the situation, they got me facing
I cant live a normal life, I was raised by the
streets
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 locked out gangsta, set tripping banger
And my homies are down so dont arouse my anger
Fool, death ain't nothing but a heart beat away
I m living life do or die, what can I say
I m twenty-three now, will I ever live to see
twenty-four
The way things is going I dont know.

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

Power in the money, money in the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybodys running, but half of them aint looking
Its going on in the kitchen
But I dont know whats cooking
They say I gotta learn
But nobodys says to teach me
If they cant understand it, how can they reach me
I guess they cant
I guess they wont, I guess they front
Thats why I know my life is out of luck, fool!