"Breakadawn" is a 1993 single by hip hop group De La Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...

, released from their third album Buhloone Mindstate

Buhloone Mindstate

Buhloone Mindstate is De La Soul's third full-length album. It was the last De La Soul album to be produced with Prince Paul. Comedian Chris Rock ranked it 10th in his list of the top 25 hip-hop albums of all time that was published in Rolling Stone in 2005.- Title significance :The title refers...

. The song marked a slightly different approach from the group, who up until that point were still seen as the hippies of hip hop music and had tried to shake off the image with their second album, De La Soul Is Dead

De La Soul Is Dead

De La Soul Is Dead is De La Soul's second full-length album, released in 1991 . The album was produced by Prince Paul, whose work on 3 Feet High and Rising was highly praised by music critics. The album was one of the first to receive a five mic rating in the Hip hop magazine The Source...

. Another change could be found in the music itself which made use of live instrumentation as well as samples, with producer Prince Paul

Prince Paul

Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...

 providing space for legendary blues musicians such as Maceo Parker

Maceo Parker

Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...

 and Pee Wee Ellis

Pee Wee Ellis

Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis is an American saxophonist, composer and arranger. He was an important member of James Brown's band in the 1960s and appeared on many of Brown's most notable recordings...

 to add contributions.

The song sampled the intro to Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

's "I Can't Help It", off his Off the Wall album.

"Breakadawn" and "En Focus" would be mixed differently when both were used for Buhloone Mindstate.

Track listing

1. "Breakadawn (Vocal Version)" - 4:15
2. "Stickabush" - 1:11
   • Guest Appearance: Dres of Black Sheep
     Black Sheep (hip hop group)
     Black Sheep is an alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Andres "Dres" Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. The duo is from New York but met as teenagers in North Carolina, where both of their families relocated. The group was an affiliate of the Native Tongues, which...
     
     
3. "En Focus (Vocal Version)" - 3:15
   • Guest Appearance: Dres of Black Sheep
4. "The Dawn Brings Smoke" - 2:11
5. "Hsubakcits" - 0:15
   • Guest Appearance: Dres of Black Sheep
6. "En Focus (Instrumental)" - 3:15
7. "Breakadawn (Instrumental)" - 4:15

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	76
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	30
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	39