I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the *****
They got the situation, they got me facing We keep spending most our lives living in the gangsta's paradise They been spending most their lives living in the gangsta's paradise On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street light I'm the kinda G that little homies want to be like I really hate to trip but I gotta lopeĪs they croak I see myself in the pistal smoke fool Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk You better watch how you talking, and where you walking Me be treated like a punk, you know that's unheard of 'Cause I've been ****sing and laughing so long thatĮven my mamma thinks that my mind is goneīut I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it I take a look at my life and realize there's none left Album DescriptionCoolio - Gangsta's Paradise Lyrics (.LRC)Īs I walk through the valley of the shadow of death See More Your browser does not support the audio element. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo More info Alternating between slow, funky grooves and elastic, party-ready anthems, Gangsta's Paradise is proof that Coolio is one of the most exciting and interesting hip-hop artists of the mid-'90s. Not only did Coolio expand his sound, but his songwriting skills improved, as Gangsta's Paradise has very few weak moments. The album followed shortly afterwards, and it didn't fail to deliver on the promise of the single. Consequently, the single shot to the top of the charts and hovered in the Top Ten for many weeks. Driven by an ominously deep bassline and slashing strings, the creeping, threatening funk of "Gangsta's Paradise" was the most chilling thing Coolio had recorded to date, but the menace didn't come at the expense of his considerable talent for immediate, catchy hooks. Most of Coolio's hit debut It Takes a Thief was fairly upbeat material, but the appearance of the stark single "Gangsta's Paradise" in the summer of 1995 signaled a change in the rapper's music. Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.