Conrack

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 blasting and laughing so long
that even my momma thinks that mymind has 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 betta watch how ya talking
and where ya walking
or you andyour 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 myknees in the night
saying 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 spendingmost our lives
living in a gangsta's paradise.
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,
toomuch 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 myhomies are down so don't 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,
theway things is 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 our lives
living in a gangsta's paradise.
Been spendingmost our lives
living in a gangsta's paradise.
Keep spending most our lives
living in a gangsta's paradise.
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...