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Stakes Is High
Studio album by De La Soul
Released	July 2, 1996
Recorded	???
Genre	Hip hop
Length	68:19
Label	Tommy Boy
Producer(s)	De La Soul, Spearhead X, Skeff Anselm, Ogee, Jay Dee
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
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 1 Overview 1.1 Interludes 2 Track listing 3 List of samples 4 Album singles

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.

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 rap album, held in a somewhat similarly high regard as well as Criminal Minded, which is discussed at the beginning of the album.

1. "Intro" – 2:35
2. "Supa Emcees" – 3:40
3. "The Bizness" (featuring Common) – 5:41
4. "Wonce Again Long Island" – 3:39
5. "Dinninit" – 4:20
6. "Brakes" – 4:06
7. "Dog Eat Dog" – 3:36
8. "Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby" – 2:10
9. "Long Island Degrees" – 3:27
10. "Betta Listen" – 4:28
11. "Itzsoweezee (HOT)" – 4:55
12. "4 More" (featuring Zhane) – 4:18
13. "Big Brother Beat" (featuring Mos Def) – 3:42
14. "Down Syndrome" – 3:04
15. "Pony Ride" (featuring Truth Enola) – 5:26
16. "Stakes Is High" – 5:30
17. "Sunshine" – 3:39

The following is a list of songs and sound footage sampled in the songs on Stakes is High.

Intro

• "Sing a Simple Song" by The Jackson Five

Supa Emcees

• "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh
• "Summer Samba" by Walter Wanderley
• "Adventures of Super Rhyme" by Jimmy Spicer

Wonce Again Long Island

• "Who's Making Love" by Lou Donaldson

Dinninit

• "Enchanted Lady" by Milt Jackson

Brakes

• "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

Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby

• "She's Looking Like a Hobo" by Malcolm McClaren

Long Island Degrees

• "Before I Rest" by Les McCann
• "It Only Happens (When I Look at You)" by Aretha Franklin

4 More

• "Jimmy's Bonus Beats" by the Jungle Brothers
• "A Rose For Booker" by the New Dynamic Chico Hamilton Quinter
• "Never Give You Up" by Sharon Reed

Down Syndrome

• "Talkin' Loud and Saying Nothing" by James Brown

Stakes is High

• "Mind Power" by James Brown
• "Swahililand" by Ahmad Jamal

Sunshine

• "High On Sunshine" by The Commodores

Single cover	Single information
	"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

De La Soul
Posdnuos | Dave | Maseo
Studio albums
3 Feet High and Rising (1989) | De La Soul Is Dead (1991) | Buhloone Mindstate (1993) | Clear Lake Audiotorium (EP) (1994) | Stakes Is High (1996) | Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000) | AOI: Bionix (2001) | Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996 (2004) | The Grind Date (2004) | The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1 (2006)
Singles
Potholes in My Lawn| Plug Tunin'| Buddy| Eye Know| Me Myself And I| Say No Go| The Magic Number| Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)| A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"| Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa / Keepin' The Faith| Breakadawn| Ego Trippin' (Part Two)| Fallin'| Stakes Is High| Itzsoweezee (HOT)| 4 More| Oooh.| All Good?| Thru Ya City| Baby Phat| Shoomp| Shopping Bags (She Got From You)| Rock Co.Kane Flow|Feel Good Inc.
Related articles
Native Tongues | Prince Paul | Spitkicker