✦ Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. – Single: 1993

✦ Monie Love’s Prince‑powered hip‑hop empowerment anthem

The second single from In a Word or 2, released a month ahead of the album and driven by Prince’s songwriting, production, and performance

✦ Summary

Released in the USA on 11 February 1993, Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. was the second single from Monie Love’s album In a Word or 2, arriving a full month before the album’s worldwide release. The track was co‑written, produced, and largely performed by Prince, marking one of the most direct collaborations between him and a hip‑hop artist during the early 1990s.

The single was issued in multiple US‑only formats, each containing a wide range of remixes — from hip‑hop to jazz‑infused versions — showcasing the song’s versatility and Prince’s genre‑blending production. The “Paisley Park Version” in particular highlights Prince’s unmistakable musical fingerprints.

Commercially, the single performed well across several charts. It reached No. 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 56 on the R&B chart, and most notably hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music – Club Play chart. This made it the fifth Prince‑associated single to top the Club Play chart, following Nasty Girl, The Glamorous Life, Sugar Walls, and A Love Bizarre.

In the UK — Monie Love’s home country — the single reached No. 18 on the Gallup Singles Chart, becoming one of her most successful releases.

✦ Highlights

• Released 11 February 1993 (USA)

• Second single from In a Word or 2

• Co‑written, produced, and largely performed by Prince

• Multiple US‑only formats with extensive remix variations

• Reached No. 1 on Billboard Dance Club Play

• Fifth Prince‑associated single to top the Dance chart

• Reached No. 18 in the UK

• Includes the “Paisley Park Version”

✦ Track Details

Cassette – USA (9 18691‑4)

A. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Radio Mix) — 4:07

B. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Paisley Park Version) — 3:51

Cassette – USA (9 40641‑4)

A1. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Hip‑Hop Mix) — 4:12

A2. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Born To Funk 12" Mix) — 5:56

A3. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Funkstrumental) — 5:55

B1. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Silky/Jazz Mix) — 7:52

B2. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Jazzstrumental) — 3:00

B3. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (The Freedom Mix) — 3:57

CD – USA (Warner 9 40641‑2)

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Radio Mix) — 4:07

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Paisley Park Version) — 3:53

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Hip Hop Mix) — 4:13

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Silky Jazz Mix) — 7:53

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Born 2 Funk 12" Mix) — 5:57

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (The Freedom Mix) — 3:57

12" – USA (Warner 0‑9362‑40641‑0‑7)

A1. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Hip Hop Mix) — 4:13

A2. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Born 2 Funk 12" Mix) — 5:57

A3. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Funkstrumental) — 5:50

B1. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Silky Jazz Mix) — 7:53

B2. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Jazzstrumental) — 3:00

B3. Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (The Freedom Mix) — 3:57

12" Promo – USA (PRO CD 5801)

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Paisley Park Version) — 3:53

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Radio Mix) — 4:07

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Hip Hop Mix) — 4:12

✦ Reissues & Global Variants

• All formats released in the USA only

• UK chart success driven by import and radio play

• No European or Japanese commercial formats

• No vinyl reissues

✦ Production and Context

• Co‑written and produced by Prince

• Prince performs most instruments

• Recorded during the Carmen Electra / Love Symbol era

• Represents Prince’s early‑’90s engagement with hip‑hop

• Multiple remixes highlight the song’s club‑friendly structure

• “Paisley Park Version” reflects Prince’s signature sound

• One of Monie Love’s most successful singles internationally

✦ Singles Released

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. — February 11, 1993

✦ Chart Performance

USA

• Billboard Hot Dance Music – Club Play — No. 1

• Billboard R&B Chart — No. 56

• Billboard Hot 100 — No. 89

UK

• Gallup Singles Chart — No. 18

✦ Mini Discography

In a Word or 2 — 1993

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Single) — 1993

Full Prince‑produced tracks from the era

✦ Mini‑Timeline

Feb 1993 — Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. released in the USA

Feb–Mar 1993 — Reaches No. 1 on Billboard Dance Club Play

Mar 1993 — Peaks on Hot 100 and R&B charts

1993 — In a Word or 2 album released

✦ Glam Flashback

Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. is one of the most vibrant intersections of hip‑hop and the Minneapolis Sound. Prince’s fingerprints are everywhere — the bassline, the synth stabs, the rhythmic precision — yet Monie Love’s delivery gives the track its swagger and purpose. Its ascent to No. 1 on the Dance chart cemented it as a club classic and a standout moment in the early ’90s Prince‑associated universe.

✦ Image & Artwork Copyright Notice

All images, photographs, and artwork referenced or displayed in this post remain the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included strictly for historical, educational, and archival purposes under fair‑use principles. No ownership is claimed, and all rights belong to the original creators, photographers, designers, and publishers.

✦ Sources

Prince Vault

Wikipedia

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