As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left
coz 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 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 kinda G the little homies wanna be like
on my knees in the night, saying prayers in the streetlight

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

Look at the situation, they got me facin'
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'ma educated fool with money on my mind
got my 10 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 are going 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
spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
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 looking
at going on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's kickin'
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

been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the one's we hurt, are you and me
Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the one's we hurt, are you and me



Lyrics submitted by aniota, edited by cam4mac

Track duration: 03:58


Gangsta's Paradise song meanings
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45 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This is such a powerful song. It's such a shame that mainstream rap and hip-hop glorify the life-style that those like Coolie strongly rapped against.
    Tell me why are we, so blind to see
    That the ones we hurt, are you and me
    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
    Those are such powerful words. It's also sad that so many people simply do not understand or even want to understand what this song is talking about just because of their skin color.
    Flagged Warharton January 27, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:The first verse is describing how he has wasted his life away and it's a dead end now theres nowhere to go from here

    The second verse is the glamour of it and the dangers..

    The third verse is saying theres noone to help them to stop going in or out the lyricn "they say I gotta learn, but nobody's here to teach me
    if they can't undersstand it, how can they reach me" speaks for itself.......
    Flagged BlinkNOFXSaturdayFanon May 13, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:it's about a gangster who is so depressed with the life he's living and what's happening, this is a real heart-breaking song, and it is damn serious, I luv it completely. I'm sure that we can all relate to this song, all of us, whether we're criminals, anti-criminals, or people who just witness/and know about the recklessness of everyday. :(
    Flag dark_eyez_666on February 07, 2009   Link
  • -1
    My Opinion:It's a good song, but In Fear and Faith does an AMAZING hardcore/screamo cover of it!
    Flag Magik Musikon January 31, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:man i remember this song from back in 1995. it;s actually a cool song. It's cool how he's talking himself up as the whole "gangsta" shit and then at the last part of each verse he's juts like "well actually it's all bullshit.... Cause I got no home and I'm praying not to die, no one gives a fuck about me and I gotta put on a front all the time so i just lose my identity in a stereotypical role while everyone involved gets fucked over for no good reason."
    The whole song just derails that whole fucking 'it's great to be gangsta' shit.
    Flag Boaalon July 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:my friend showed me this song the other day and told me it wuz about coolio himself about howhe lived this life and how they found out he shot a bunch of ppl which matches with "I've been blastin and laughin so long", which goes with the white chalk part. but the ironic thing in this song is that a few days after this song came out, he got shot. when he got shot, p-diddy was standing there. when the first bullet grazed coolio's head, he looked at P-diddy and said "told ya so", which he is referring to "I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24
    the way things are going I don't know ". im not really into rap but i cant go a day without listening to this song. its got meaning which is what i like.
    Flag TicTacmANIACon June 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"As I Grow I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool"

    Incorrect. I believe it's actually this:

    "As they croak I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool"
    Flag E.T.Hon June 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:who sings the chorus in this song??
    Flag catliketheifon April 30, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song gives me the fuckin chills yo... i was bumpin this shit on the walkman when i was 6 years old, 12 years later im rollin around bumpin this shit in the car. nobody can even hate on this song. i got friends who dont listen to any hip hop or rap they even like this shit. one of the best of all time
    Flag yeayeayeagetbenton February 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song means alot to me cuz' i lived some of this stuff. Iwas raised in the southeast of Houson & I remember havin' to go through all of that.Luckilly Ifound someone who cared about me and that's why I'm here.
    Flag Htown_staron February 09, 2008   Link

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