Stakes Is High

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.

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.

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.

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	"Sing A Simple Song" by The Jackson 5
2	"Supa Emcees"	3:40	De La Soul	Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason	De La Soul	"La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh "Summer Samba" by Walter Wanderley "Adventures of Super Rhyme" by Jimmy Spicer "Run's House" by Run D.M.C.
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	"Who's Making Love" by Lou Donaldson
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	"She's Looking Like A Hobo" by Malcolm McLaren
9	"Long Island Degrees"	3:27	De La Soul	Mercer, Jolicoeur & Mason	De La Soul	"Before I Rest" by Les McCann "It Only Happens (When I Look At You)" by Aretha Franklin
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	De La Soul
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	"Talkin' Loud and Saying Nothing" by James Brown
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	"High On Sunshine" by The Commodores "Blow Your Head" by Fred Wesley and The JBs

Album singles

• "Stakes Is High"
• Released: 1996
• B-side: "The Bizness"
• "Itzsoweezee (HOT)"
• Released: 1996
• B-side: "Stakes Is High" (remix)
• "4 More"
• Released: 1997
• B-side: "Sweet Dreams"