Boy that would be fantastic if it happened in my Italian neighborhood :-) Glocks and bats abound. I know we don’t have the Firepower that you guys have in the Midwest and South, so it would be more of a Hands-On thing. But it would still be just as fun.
Gangsta’s Paradise
Coolio
Featuring L.V.
Produced by Doug Rasheed
Album Gangsta’s Paradise
Verified commentary by
Paul Stewart
[Recording Info]
[Verse 1: Coolio]
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 that little homies wanna be like
On my knees in the night, sayin’ prayers in the streetlight
[Hook 1: LV]
Keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
[Verse 2: Coolio]
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 are 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
[Hook 2: LV]
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?
[Hook 1: LV]
Keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
[Verse 3: Coolio]
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 front; that’s why I know my life is out of luck, fool!
[Hook 1: LV]
Keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
Been spendin’ most their lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
We keep spendin’ most our lives
Livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise
[Hook 2: LV]
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?
No, no, no.....not bats....rebar. More effective and more easily concealed.
I understand that during the riots after MLK murder, the Italian neighborhoods in Cleveland were well armed and well protected.
Anyway, we usually truck around seeing all the sights from downtown to upper westside until we're completely pooped out. The last day we decided we were pretty tired, so we decided to "only" walk down to City hall, Chinatown and little Italy (we were saying in Soho).
There's a small, backroom pizza place I like off Broome. I've been a few times by myself on previous trips (while my wife was browsing around Soho). This time I took her there and we posted up in the rear. Since she's originally from the region and we travel a bit, we always like to play the game of "where are others from".
Because of Yelp, you will get intrepid travelers checking out even obscure places. Typically Euros, you can spot them a mile away even before they speak. OTOH, there are both US tourists as well as locals.
So, we're eating our lunch surrounded by Euros, when this large group comes in. The dad knows the owner, so they get a big table just over from us. I whisper to my wife "Jersey?" and she takes a long look and say "Staten Island". Sure enough: good looking wife, big hair, daughters with big hair, grown son with gf, also with big hair. By the look, classic blue collar Trump supporters - dad probably commutes to work on the ferry.
As we were leaving, I was chatting with the barker out front, and I mentioned how much I like the place. He said the locals from Queens, Jersey and *Staten Island* all know about it and have been coming for years. Classic joint.