| Imagine looking at life through rose-tinted glasses |
| And the policy of the people is passive |
| And all the women got fat asses |
| And all the homies got dubs and deeds to spend |
| And when the po-po's pass they wave and say «hi» |
| And wear a grin (hey) |
| And everybody that you meet is a potential friend |
| And the women in your life love you for yourself and not your ends |
| And the population’s real so there’s no reason to pretend |
| And ignore we are the same, so no one hates you for the colour of your skin |
| And every waking thought is one of peace and harmony and bliss |
| That simple satisfaction like a plate of eggs and grits |
| Senses fully alive like the feeling of a first kiss |
| And when it’s check out time you got a smile on your lips, huh |
| And the whole world is like your next-door neighbour |
| Quick to do you a favour even though we come in a million different flavours |
| And I know there’s not enough time to put it all in one rhyme |
| So I savour the flavour and sweet taste I feel from the rays of the sunshine |
| Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m sittin in the sunshine |
| The sunshine, like the world was mine, the sunshine |
| Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m walkin in the sunshine |
| The sunshine, like the world was mine, the sunshine |
| If love was a flower I’d spread the petals about the planet |
| And plant seeds throughout every city and country |
| Even in those who do not want me |
| I try to make some sense of the situation that we call life |
| Some, verbal illustration to help ease this strife |
| Some, lyrical penetration to try to make things right |
| In hopes that what I’m saying can saturate your mindframe |
| And help you with the pain and the strain of the everyday struggle |
| I don’t need it all, I wanna see all y’all bubble |
| And rise to the top then prove to be hard like a rock |
| Cos you know it don’t stop unless we let it all stop |
| So when you face to face with adversity, just curse him, C |
| And look him in the eye, and let him know, that he can’t hurt a G |
| And that you willin' ta risk it all |
| For the things of people that you believe in |
| So educate yourself in order to assess your achievements |
| And if I had to explain this realer so you could see it in your mind — |
| I guess it’s kinda like sunshine |
| Before I continue let me make one thing clear |
| Took me a while but there’s three things I learned to put before my self and |
| career |
| God, family and my fans |
| I wish that I could hold your hand |
| And be like Moses, part the Red Sea and lead you to the promised land |
| Our demons blazin, and it feels amazin |
| I can lay here till I’m old and grey and shrivelled like a raisin |
| Throughout the years 'n months 'n days |
| When life used to pass by in a daze |
| And I was posted simply gettin faded, just waitin |
| Livin life with the eye for nothing but cold steel, fast cash and hot payment |
| Impatient to be a baller and roll a SS on Daytons |
| And now I’m here and I promise to get my whole soul, mind, body and spirit |
| And try to lift every voice and rhyme loud as hell so all y’all can hear it |
| And still remember the words from that old hip-hop spiritual |
| I’m livin in a Gangsta Paradise and I hope y’all remember too |
| And even though it’s west coast eastside Compton on mine |
| It’s ok 'cos I don’t mind if you share some of my sunshine |
| I’m diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyin before they take away my |
| sunshine |
| I ain’t lyin (sunshine) |
| I’ll be diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyin before they take away my |
| sunshine |
| And I ain’t lyin (sunshine) |