Released: January 14, 1992

Songwriter: R. Kelly

Producer: R. Kelly

[Intro]
Man, what does it take for a brotha to make it around here nowadays?

[Verse 1]
Stop the presses, let me introduce the newcomer
That’s guaranteed to leave you speechless
Peep this, way back in the days
When I was waiting for my turn to get on stage and get paid
I’ve done a lot of high school shows and turned crowds out
Fellas yellin’, “Ho!” while the ladies scream my name out
I’ll tell you that it wasn’t enough, ‘cause
Kickin’ it with my music every day was my first love
And as the time went on like the break of dawn
I got strong and now my word is bond
Some didn’t think I had it in me
And when I said I wanted to become a star, they laughed at me
Well, the summer is here, and here I am, see
Kickin’ the funky track because I’m born into the ‘90s

[Chorus]
In the ‘90s (make it feel good, come on, make it feel good, yeah)
He must be a star, he must be a star (I’m born into the ‘90s)
In the ‘90s (make it feel good, come on, yeah, make it feel good)
He must be a star (wait a minute, wait a minute, yeah, that was funky)
He must be a star (let me get a little bit of this second verse)

[Verse 2]
I took my tape door to door, trying to get a contract
But they be like, “Man, we ain’t tryna hear that”
Boy, I tell ya it ain’t easy being cheesy
When you’re dealing with the industry, you get faded, G
Unless you know somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody
Him or her that knows somebody
And then they want front like straight
“Oh, you know my cousin from A&R, Santa Fe?”
Well, I be like, “Yeah”, and they be like “Swell
Can we have all your publishing?”, and I say, “Go to hell”
I’m not selling myself to be sold out
So I just hold out until I get the right clout
Some spreading rumors saying R. Kelly’s trippin’
But I’m not, I’m vacationing in the ‘90s

[Chorus]
In the ‘90s (make it feel good, come on, make it feel good)
He must be a star, he must be a star (I’m born into the ‘90s)
In the ‘90s (make it feel good, come on, yeah, make it feel good)
He must be a star (make it feel good)
He must be a star (anybody know what time it is?)

[Verse 3]
Yo, I feel it’s time to get mine, rise and shine
Instead of falling to the back of the line
So, fee fi fo fum, here I come to get some
While others bite their tongue
In and out of contracts with scum buckets
Makes me almost wanna say … (blah blah blah)
But the R. is cool and will remain the same
As I collect my fame and fear no pain
Yeah, it couldn’t have happened at a better time
A nice beat, strong sample, and a funky rhyme
And ever since I hooked up with the Midwest
I’ve been proper, poppin’ like Orville Redenbacher in the ‘90s
This track goes out to the public
Like Bartles & Jaymes would say, “Thanks for your support”
In the ‘90s

[Outro over Chorus]
Yeah, I’d also like to say peace to my man Barry Hankerson and the Midwest Group
I’d like to say what’s up to the Big L…
I’d also like to send this one out to my boy … I call him Pillsbury, what up
Sending this out to my boy Demetrius, who we call Scarface from around the way, peace
Also like to say what’s up to my man Al Cobra, a smooth Casanova, what’s up, daddy
Let me see who else I could smack with the peace sign
I’d like to send this one out to the man that’s holding down all the cheese
My DJ, what’s up, M-O-U-S-E, yeah
I’d like to say what’s up to a stupid duet
My man Mike engineering and my boy Byrd programming
And ain’t no vicking no vibes, you know what I’m sayin’
Also like to send this out to two of my homegirls back at home in Chi-town
That we call the bossy twins, Samala and Elaine, what’s up
Yo, check this out
I’d also like to send this one out to my loved one, my niece
What’s up, baby, peace
I also wanna send this out and say peace
To my mom and thanks for having me, I love you
Yo, one more big person that made all of this possible
I’d like send this one up to the Big Man, and that’s God
For making everything what it is, peace…