To da Break of Dawn

Last updated
"To da Break of Dawn"
To Da Break of Dawn.jpg
Single by LL Cool J
from the album Mama Said Knock You Out and House Party (soundtrack)
B-side "To da Break of Dawn (LP/instrumental)"
ReleasedJune 17, 1990
Genre Golden age hip hop, dance-pop
Length4:27
Label Def Jam, Motown
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Marley Marl
LL Cool J singles chronology
"Jingling Baby"
(1990)
"To da Break of Dawn"
(1990)
"The Boomin' System"
(1990)

"To da Break of Dawn" is a single from both LL Cool J's fourth album, Mama Said Knock You Out , and the soundtrack to the Kid 'n Play movie House Party . The song was released on June 17, 1990 by Motown Records and Def Jam Recordings. [1]

Contents

Background

The song was a diss to LL's rivals at the time, Kool Moe Dee, MC Hammer, and Ice-T. [2] [3] Kool Moe Dee responded with the song "Death Blow" from their 1991 album Funke, Funke Wisdom . However, LL would reference the rivalry in the 1995 remix to I Shot Ya, a B-side from his sixth album Mr. Smith.

"To da Break of Dawn" was ranked #11 on XXL magazine's 2015 list of the top 20 diss songs of all time. [4] The song had a similar sound to the growing new jack swing genre. The song peaked at #17 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. Additionally, the song's lyrics were sampled in other 1990's hip-hop songs, such as "No Vaseline" by Ice Cube, "Who's Gonna Take the Weight?" by Gang Starr, and "Partner to Swing" by Chino XL. [5]

Track listing

A-Side

  1. "To Da Break Of Dawn" (Bug Out Mix)- 4:30
  2. "To Da Break Of Dawn" (Remix Version)- 5:30

B-Side

  1. "To Da Break Of Dawn" (LP Version)- 4:27
  2. "To Da Break Of Dawn" (Instrumental)- 4:28

Sampled in

"To da Break of Dawn" was sampled in several other songs following its release. These include: [5]

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References

  1. LL Cool J – To Da Break of Dawn , retrieved 2021-06-23
  2. "LL Cool J Remembers Knocking Out MC Hammer With A Diss & Explains Why (Video)". www.ambrosiaforheads.com. November 13, 2018.
  3. Shaheem, Reid (May 25, 2017). "Despite rivalry over two decades back, Ice-T and LL Cool J just met five years ago". www.revolt.tv.
  4. "Throwback: XXL'S 20 Greatest Diss Songs". 30 July 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  5. 1 2 LL Cool J – To Da Break of Dawn , retrieved 2021-06-23