verse
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 brassing and laughing so long
That everyone thinks that my mind has gone
But I 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 talking, and where ya walking
'Cause this life will leave you lined in chalk
verse
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
verse
Death ain't nothin' but a heart beat away
I'm livin' life do or die, what can I say?
I'm here right now, will I see tomorrow?
The way things are going I don't know
chorus
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
verse
Power in the money, money in 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 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
That's how I know my life is out of luck
chorus
Been spending most their lives
Living in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their 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
Writer(s): Larry James Sanders, Stevie Wonder, Douglas B. Rasheed, Artis L. Jr. Ivey