Stakes Is High

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Stakes Is High
Stakes Is High cover
Studio album by De La Soul
Released July 2, 1996
Genre Hip hop
Length 68:19
Label Tommy Boy
Producer De La Soul, Spearhead X, Skeff Anselm, O.Gee, Jay Dee
Professional reviews
De La Soul chronology
Clear Lake Audiotorium
(1994)		 Stakes Is High
(1996)		 Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
(2000)

Stakes Is High is De La Soul's fourth full-length album, released during the summer of 1996. The album received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Stakes Is High was responsible for introducing rapper/actor Mos Def to a wider audience, on the cut "Big Brother Beat". Common also makes an appearance on "The Bizness".

Stakes Is High marked the first time the group did not collaborate with long-time producer Prince Paul on an album.

On Stakes Is High, De La Soul also attempted to bridge the growing gaps between the original members of the Native Tongues collective, although none of those artists make an actual appearance on the album. After the album's release, the group toured extensively and remained rather quiet before returning in 2000 with the first instalment in their "Art Official Intelligence" series, Mosaic Thump.

[edit] Interludes

Like other De La Soul albums, Stakes Is High has a running theme, which in this case is the group's concern for the state of rap, as well as the current state of hip hop culture and how it is regarded in general. The following sound clips are featured:

  • The introduction track begins with various clips of interviews, the interviewees describing where they were when they first heard the influential rap album Criminal Minded.
  • At the end of track 9, "Long Island Degrees", a 'redneck' describes why he hates rap music ("There's no music in it. It's just niggers talking.")
  • At the end of track 10, "Betta Listen", there is a clip of Posdnous and Maseo discussing an error in communication about a club.
  • At the end of track 15, "Pony Ride", a homeless man discusses his struggle living on the streets, describing his periods of optimism and depression. While describing this situation, he remarks "stakes is high".
  • The beginning and end of track 16, "Stakes is High" feature sound clips of people playing dice. The O.J. Simpson trials are discussed by a man nearby.
  • The clip at the end of the final track, "Sunshine", closes the album with a young man saying "Yo, when I first heard 3 Feet High and Rising, I was" and then the clip is cut out. 3 Feet High and Rising being De La Soul's first release and a very influential hip-hop album, held in a somewhat similarly high regard as well as Criminal Minded, which is discussed at the beginning of the album.

[edit] Track listing

# Title Length Performer(s) Songwriters Producer(s) Samples
1 "Intro" 2:35 De La Soul Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur & Vincent Mason De La Soul
2 "Supa Emcees" 3:40 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
3 "The Bizness" 5:41 De La Soul & Common Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason & Lonnie Lynn De La Soul
4 "Wonce Again Long Island" 3:39 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
5 "Dinninit" 4:20 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason, X. Hargrove & Milt Jackson Spearhead X
  • "Enchanted Lady" by Milt Jackson
6 "Brakes" 4:06 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason, R. Hodby, C. Jimenez & L. Mack De La Soul
  • "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow
  • "P.S.K. (What Does It Mean)" by Schooly D
  • "It's Your Rock" by Fantasy Three
  • "Children's Story" by Slick Rick
7 "Dog Eat Dog" 3:36 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
8 "Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby" 2:10 De La Soul
  • Additional vocals by The Jazzyfatnastees
 Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
9 "Long Island Degrees" 3:27 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
10 "Betta Listen" 4:28 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
11 "Itzsoweezee (HOT)" 4:55 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason Jay Dee
12 "4 More" 4:18 De La Soul & Zhane Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason, G. Scott, N. Hall, M. Small, E. Matthew & D. Payne O.Gee
  • Co-Produced by De La Soul
  • "Jimmy's Bonus Beats" by Jungle Brothers
  • "A Rose For Booker" by New Dynamic Chico Hamilton Quintet
  • "Never Give You Up" by Sharon Redd
13 "Big Brother Beat" 3:42 De La Soul & Mos Def Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason, D. Beze & Skeff Anslem Skeff Anslem
14 "Down Syndrome" 3:04 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason De La Soul
15 "Pony Ride" 5:26 De La Soul & Truth Enola Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason & S. Preston De La Soul
16 "Stakes Is High" 5:30 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason & James Yancey Jay Dee
  • Co-Produced by De La Soul
  • "Mind Power" by James Brown
  • "Swahililand" by Ahmad Jamal
17 "Sunshine" 3:39 De La Soul Mercer, Jolicoeur, Mason, L. Richie & T. McClary De La Soul

[edit] Album singles

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De La Soul
Posdnuos  · Dave  · Maseo
Studio Albums
Singles
Compilations
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