(Verse 1) Yo I once knew a man He started off a boy His whole damn life he never really been employed He was only 19 Had the chance to go to college Try out his luck, see if he could gain knowledge Think about your life, or whatever you call it Now he's just a cluck-dead broke alcoholic Used to keep a picture of his girl in his wallet Think about your life, or whatever you call it He walk home late cause the city don't sleep He was only 19 but the river runs deep Wrote raps in his head so he didn't really speak About the crushed up pills that he took in one week One week turned to two, two weeks turned to four Now long term addiction, knocking at his door Starting losing weight, coming late, looking drunk and His family and friends said "He was up to something!" Got to the point where he couldn't even function Calling up his dealer begging "Please give me something!" "I just got evicted I ain't got nothin'!" The dealer was a prick, his reply was reluctant "I can get you high off this sh** nobody f** with! " "Even all the fiends know better than to touch it!" He was 19 begging: "Please give me something!" Said to the kid: "I don't know if you can trust it" "But I got a lot so, push it to the public" "Watch out for the cops and the rats on some thug sh**." "Here's for your protection, I'm lending you this pistol" "Pretending it was pure but he knew that it was crystal" Looked like shards of gla** and "I hope this ain't a issue" "Plus if you snitch, well your mother gonna miss you." Now he's lost his path, school and direction Kicked out his pad after land lord inspection All he ever had was his rhymes and a dream Now he's living on the streets at the age of 19 Feel the meth in his lungs, and the sun starts to tweak Never saw 21, yo the river runs deep (Verse 2) Yo I once knew a man He started off a boy His whole damn life he never really been employed Until he turned 19, got a job at the college Working on the radio where he could spread knowledge He thought about his life, how he wanted to recall it Still he barley ever had a dollar in his wallet He quit smoking weed, figured that he needed time So that he could make a difference in other peoples' lives Stared saving money, cleared out his mind No longer drinking just thinking about his rhymes Yo he walk home late cause the city don't sleep He was only 19 but the river runs deep Yo he walk home late cause the city don't sleep He was only 19 but the river runs deep Wrote raps in his head, so he didn't really speak To his homies about the books that he read in one week One week turned to two, two weeks turned to four Plus on the side labels knocking at his door! Started gaining fame He'd be gone away for months and Family and friends said "Well isn't he something!" Worked at the food bank a block from the Ave Where this guy smoked meth and kept rocks in a bag Told the kid he was grateful, that he was helping out Cause he knew first hand he could have gone another route!
The river runs deep kid, please hold on! The people that we meet, the only thing that keep us strong He could have been selfish Could have lost it all! Instead he graduated early, no adderall! Called up his producer, the one that he trusted Said to the homie: "Yo please give me something!" This guy was a dick, his reply was reluctant Now he gotta find some new beats that he can f** with I could make you rich, if you switch, to this club sh** He was 19, begging: "Please give me something!" Gave the kid gimmicks, said "Push it to the public" Pretended it was pure, but he knew it was corrupted "You have to go solo, we hope this ain't a issue" "Your family and friends leave behind, they won't miss you." This guy was a douchbag! He hung up the call! Started self promoting, thinkin' really f** em' all! Recording every day, then he posted on his blog Freestyle clear, instead of spitting through the fog! Best decision that he made: quitting beer, twisted logs Now he live with no fear, said he listen to the gods Casue all he ever had was his rhymes and a dream Now he's getting signed to Sony at the age of 19! First west coast tour, then the whole U.S Now, everywhere he go new girl, new dress! Sold out shows! Now money ain't a stress He was only 19, some would say he was the best! Getting underground respect, now the same labels calling Offering him checks to put money in his wallet Think about your life, or whatever you call it Remember when he used to think he'd be an alcoholic And still barely ever had a dollar in his wallet Battle with addiction and almost left college But held himself together so that he could spread knowledge Think about your life or whatever you call it There once was a time when the sun felt weak Now he's king at 21, yo the river runs deep (Verse 3) Then one day The kid came back To the city of Seattle where he learned how to rap Said: "Fame is a battle, and the game is a trap" Back to his neighborhood where he would get dap Saw this man in the shadows with his head in his lap Limbs lay lifeless, wasn't just a nap! His eyes wasn't open, holes in his teeth Pipe on the ground, blood cold on the street! Tried not to look, tried to listen to the beat But this man sat dying in the middle of the street! Reached in his pocket, to pull out his wallet Like he could save his life, or whatever you would call it He turned to the man To offer him his help Looked him in the eyes and realized it was himself Torn up cloths, no shoes on his feet! It was getting late, but the city don't sleep! The man started shaking The sun starts to tweak Lying in the gutter in the mother f**ing street! He turned to the kid as his body lay weak And whispered as he died: "Kid the river runs deep" The story of my life, cause both of them were me Thinking to myself, yo who I wanna be? He turned to the kid as his body lay weak And whispered as he died "Kid the River Runs Deep."