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The Breaks (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = The Breaks
| cover = Kurtis Blow - The Breaks.jpg
| alt =
| caption = 12" single cover
| type = single
| artist = Kurtis Blow
| album = Kurtis Blow
| B-side = "The Breaks" (Instrumental/Do It Yourself)
| released = June 14, 1980
| recorded = 1980
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 7:43
| label = Mercury
| writer = Kurtis Blow, Robert Ford Jr., James B. Moore, Russell Simmons, Larry Smith
| producer = J.B. Moore, Robert Ford Jr.
| prev_title = Christmas Rappin'
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Hard Times
| next_year = 1981
| misc =
}}
"'The Breaks'" is a 1980 single by American rapper Kurtis Blow from his self-titled debut album. It peaked at #87 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100. It was the first certified gold rap song, and the second certified gold 12-inch single. In 2008, the song ranked #10 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs.
Lyrics and structure
"The Breaks" repeats the word "break" (or any of its homophones) 84 times over six and a half minutes. It features six breakdowns (seven including the outro) while there are three definitions for "break," "to break" or "brakes" used in the lyrics. Unlike most hip-hop songs which sample prerecorded funk, the funk beat in this song is original (contrary to suggestions that it sampled "Long Train Runnin'" by The Doobie Brothers).
Charts
The single hit #87 on the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot 100, #4 on the U.S. 'Billboard' R&B chart, and #9 on the U.S. 'Billboard' dance chart.
Certifications
It sold over 500,000 copies, becoming the first rap song to earn a gold certification from the RIAA and the second 12-inch single to earn a gold certification, following "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer.
Media
The song has also featured in few games: the 2002 game 'Grand Theft Auto: Vice City' on the fictional in-game radio station "Wildstyle", the 2005 game 'True Crime: New York City', the 2006 game 'Scarface: The World Is Yours' and 2011 Kinect game 'Dance Central 2'.
Samples
It has been sampled by others, including the background beat being used in Organized Rhyme's song "Check The O.R." and the 2005 reggaeton single, "Chacarron Macarron" by El Chombo
The female rap group Nadanuf remade the song alongside Kurtis Blow on their 1997 album 'Worldwide'. Blow re-recorded the song on the album 'Tricka Technology' by A Skillz and Krafty Kuts.
H
H.O.T's Tony Ahn rapped the portions of The Breaks as an uncredited vocal for the intro of S.E.S.'s "I'm Your Girl".
References
Category:1980 singles
Category:Kurtis Blow songs
Category:Funk-rap songs
Category:1979 songs
Category:Mercury Records singles
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