High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! "Breakdown" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly. It was released as the third single from the album on March 24, 1998 by Columbia Records. Like "Butterfly", "Breakdown" received a limited worldwide release due to Carey`s conflict at the time with Columbia. The song was written and produced by Carey, Stevie J and Puff Daddy, and features rap verses by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The song`s lyrics describe the emotions someone feels when their lover suddenly stops loving and leaves them, and the pain, or breakdown, it causes the person. The song was well received by contemporary music critics.