Breaking Atoms

Breaking Atoms
Studio album by
Main Source
Released1991
Recorded1990–1991
StudioHomeboy Studio, Power Play Studios, Libra Digital
(New York, New York)
GenreHip hop
Length46:14
Label
Producer
Main Source chronology
Breaking Atoms
(1991) 		Fuck What You Think
(1994)
Singles from Breaking Atoms
  1. "Looking at the Front Door"
    Released: October 25, 1990
  2. "Watch Roger Do His Thing"
    Released: 1990
  3. "Just Hangin' Out"
    Released: May 14, 1991
  4. "Peace Is Not the Word to Play"
    Released: October 22, 1991

Breaking Atoms is the first album by American/Canadian hip hop group Main Source, released in 1991 on Wild Pitch Records. It was produced by the group, primarily by member Large Professor, with recording sessions taking place during 1990–1991 at Homeboy Studio, Power Play Studios, and Libra Digital in New York City. Breaking Atoms is distinguished stylistically by its incorporation of jazz and soul music samples.[1] The album has been highly regarded by music writers due mostly to its production, whose heavy and original use of sampling influenced hip hop producers for a considerable portion of the 1990s.

The album has been widely regarded by writers and music critics as a significantly influential album and has been noted for debuting rapper Nas, who appears on the track "Live at the Barbeque".[2][3] His contribution to the song was sampled on "The Genesis", the intro track to his debut album Illmatic (1994). Breaking Atoms has been recognized as one of the most important records in hip hop history, and was out of print in the United States after the demise of Wild Pitch Records in 1997. It was reissued on April 22, 2008, through Fontana Distribution.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Huey was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hoard was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Scholtes, Peter S. Review: Breaking Atoms Archived February 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. City Pages. Retrieved on 2009-08-15.