| "Breakdown" | ||||
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| Single by Mariah Carey featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | ||||
| from the album Butterfly | ||||
| A-side | "My All" | |||
| Released | January 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
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| Label | Columbia | |||
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| Mariah Carey singles chronology | ||||
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| Bone Thugs-n-Harmony singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Breakdown" on YouTube | ||||
"Breakdown" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). In the lyrics, she describes the aftermath of a partner ending their love for the other and the trouble of hiding the pain it caused. The track features rapping by Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone, members of the group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Before they wrote and performed their raps, Carey composed the music with Stevie J and penned her lyrics. The latter pair produced "Breakdown" with Sean "Puffy" Combs. An R&B, hip hop, and hip hop soul song, "Breakdown" features keyboards, synthesized drums, and background vocals prominently. Columbia Records released it to American rhythmic contemporary radio stations in January 1998 as the third single from Butterfly.
Critics judged "Breakdown" in relation to Carey's previous work and considered the collaboration with Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony successful. Some perceived it to be about the recent separation from her husband Tommy Mottola, which she denied. Carey publicly criticized Columbia for a perceived longstanding anti-R&B bias against her music after it did not release the song to retail outlets in the United States. "Breakdown" was thus initially ineligible to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was later issued as a double A-side with "My All" and reached number four on Hot R&B Singles. "Breakdown" experienced consistent airplay on American urban contemporary radio stations and it became Carey's longest-running title on Hot R&B Airplay until 2005. Elsewhere, "Breakdown" peaked at number four in New Zealand and number thirty-eight in Australia.
Carey directed the music video with previous collaborator Diane Martel. It presents her in various roles at a casino such as a showgirl and cabaret performer; the latter received comparisons to Liza Minnelli. "Breakdown" received heavy rotation on the television channels BET and MTV and was issued as a video single. Clips accompanied Carey's live performances of the song during the 1998 Butterfly World Tour. Retrospectively, "Breakdown" is regarded as a turning point in Carey's musical direction toward hip hop and as one of the best songs of her career.