Breathe (Fabolous song)

"Breathe"
Single by Fabolous
from the album Real Talk
B-side	"It's Gangsta"
Released	August 30, 2004 (2004-08-30)
Studio	Right Track (New York City)
Length	4:28 (album version) 3:32 (radio edit)
Label	Atlantic Desert Storm
Songwriter(s)	John Jackson Justin Smith Roger Hodgson Richard Davies
Producer(s)	Just Blaze
Fabolous singles chronology
"Badaboom" (2004) "Breathe" (2004) "Baby" (2005)
Audio
"Breathe" on YouTube

"Breathe" is a song by American rapper Fabolous, released as the lead single from third studio album, Real Talk (2004). The song reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 2004 and became a top-40 hit in several countries worldwide.

Background

The song utilizes a sample of Supertramp's "Crime of the Century", with the latter taking 100 percent of the track's publishing. The single acquired two remixes; one featuring 50 Cent and Mase; another with Noztra. The music video features cameos by The Game, Just Blaze, J. D. Williams, and DJ Clue.

Legacy

Pitchfork Media named "Breathe" the number nine song of the year for 2004, stating "'Breathe' sounds like the track Fab was always meant to rap over."^{[ citation needed ]} The song was also listed by Pitchfork Media as the 288th best song of the 2000s.^{[ citation needed ]} Complex named it number 60 on best songs of the decade. ^[1]

The Beastie Boys performed their song "So What'cha Want" over the beat of "Breathe" on Late Show with David Letterman in 2006. ^[2]

Track listings

US 12-inch single [3] A1. "Breathe" (amended album version) – 5:20 A2. "Breathe" (instrumental) – 5:19 B1. "Breathe" (explicit album version) – 5:20 B2. "Breathe" (acappella) – 4:48 Australian CD single [4] "Breathe" (radio edit) "It's Gangsta" (explicit version) "Breathe" (explicit version)

UK and European CD single [5] [6] "Breathe" (radio edit) "It's Gangsta" (explicit version) UK 12-inch single [7] A1. "Breathe" (explicit version) A2. "Breathe" (amended version) B1. "Breathe" (instrumental version) B2. "It's Gangsta" (explicit version)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2004–2005) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [8] 36 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [9] 18 Canada CHR/Pop Top 30 ( Radio & Records ) [10] 30 Germany (GfK) [11] 65 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [12] 37 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [13] 34 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [14] 21 Scotland (OCC) [15] 36 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [16] 32 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [17] 46 UK Singles (OCC) [18] 28 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [19] 9 US Billboard Hot 100 [20] 10 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [21] 4 US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [22] 2 US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [23] 12

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard) [24] 72 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard) [25] 76 Chart (2005) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [26] 86 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard) [27] 100

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [28]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	August 30, 2004	Rhythmic contemporary urban contemporary radio	Atlantic Desert Storm	[29]
Australia	November 22, 2004	CD		[30]

References

1. Complex (April 18, 2012). "The 100 Best Songs of The Complex Decade". Complex. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
2. Beastie Boys HD : David Letterman - 2006, March 24, 2013, archived from the original on December 14, 2021, retrieved March 12, 2021
3. Breathe (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Fabolous. Atlantic Records, Desert Storm Records. 2004. 0-67616.
4. Breathe (Australian CD single liner notes). Fabolous. Atlantic Records, Desert Storm Records. 2004. 7567933682.
5. Breathe (UK CD single liner notes). Fabolous. Atlantic Records, Desert Storm Records. 2004. AT0189CD, 7567-93365-2.
6. Breathe (European CD single liner notes). Fabolous. Atlantic Records, Desert Storm Records. 2004. 7567-93365-5.
7. Breathe (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Fabolous. Atlantic Records, Desert Storm Records. 2004. AT 0189 T, 7567-93367-0.
8. "Fabolous – Breathe". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
9. "Fabolous – Breathe" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
10. "R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30". Radio & Records . No. 1585. December 10, 2004. p. 34.
11. "Fabolous – Breathe" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
13. "Fabolous – {{{song}}}" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
14. "Fabolous – Breathe". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
16. "Fabolous – Breathe". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
17. "Fabolous – Breathe". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
19. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
20. "Fabolous Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
21. "Fabolous Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
22. "Fabolous Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
23. "Fabolous Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
24. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2004" . Billboard . Retrieved March 27, 2021.
25. "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor . Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 29.
26. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2005" . Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
27. "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 34.
28. "American single certifications – Fabolous – Breathe". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved November 28, 2024.
29. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1570. August 27, 2004. p. 17. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
30. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 22nd November 2004" (PDF). ARIA. November 22, 2004. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2023.