La chanson commence avec une phrase du psaume 23:4 de la Bible : « Quand je marche dans la vallée de l'ombre de la mort, » mais ensuite diverge avec « Je regarde ma vie / Et réalise qu'il n'en reste rien. » Cette citation est associée à une chorale.
La plupart des paroles sont sombres et tragiques, elles sont une critique de la violence et de la tragédie d'une vie de « gangsta » comme dans ces paroles chantées par L.V. : « Dis-moi pourquoi sommes nous trop aveugles pour voir / Que ceux à qui nous faisons du mal sont toi et moi ».
La chanson reprend le refrain et la musique de la chanson de Stevie Wonder Pastime Paradise sortie en 1976. Gangsta's Paradise est une chanson de rap de Coolio et L.V. du film Esprits rebelles sorti le 9 août 1995,
Il y a 20 ans ce morceau désormais culte tournait en boucle aux quatre coins de la planète, se permettant même le luxe de détrôner Michael Jackson au sommet des charts.

As I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life
and realize there's nothin' left
‘Cause I've been blastin'
and laughin' so long
That even my momma 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 talkin'
and where you walkin'
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, s
ayin' prayers in the streetlight

Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation they got me facin'
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the street
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watchin' got me chasin' dreams
I'm a educated fool with money on my mind
Got my ten 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 nothin' but a heart beat away
I'm livin' life do or die, what can I say?
I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24?
The way things is goin' I don't know

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

Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody's runnin', but half of them ain't lookin'
It's goin' on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'
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 frontin'; that's why I know my life is out of luck, fool!

Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives
Livin' in a gangsta's paradise

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