Stakes Is High
| Stakes Is High | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 2, 1996 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 68:19 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| De La Soul chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Stakes Is High | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[2] |
| Muzik |  [3] |
| NME | 6/10[4] |
| RapReviews | 10/10[5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
| Spin | 6/10[8] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | [9] |
| The Village Voice | B+[10] |
Stakes Is High is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group De La Soul. It was released on July 2, 1996, through Tommy Boy Records. The album marked a change in the group's sound and direction, as it was their first release not produced in collaboration with Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themselves, with additional tracks provided by Jay Dee, DJ Ogee, Spearhead X and Skeff Anslem. It is considered the group's darkest and most serious album. It received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.
History
Stakes Is High marked the first time De La Soul did not collaborate with longtime producer Prince Paul on an album, as the group felt that the production he turned in for it didn't match the album's mood.
After the album's release, the group toured extensively and remained rather quiet before returning in 2000 with the first installment of their "Art Official Intelligence" series, Mosaic Thump.
Stakes Is High deals with many topics, including the state of hip-hop, the commercialization of hip-hop culture, and criticism of
Stakes Is High helped introduce
Interludes
Like other De La Soul albums, Stakes Is High has a running theme, which in this case is the group's concern about the state of rap, as well as the 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" explains 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 Posdnuos and Maseo discussing an error in communication about a club.
- At the end of track 15, "Pony Ride", an unkown man discusses his struggle living on the streets, describing his periods of optimism and depression. Of his situation, he remarks, "Stakes is high".
- The beginning and end of track 16, "Stakes is High", feature sound clips of people playing dice. A man nearby discusses the O. J. Simpson trials.
- The clip at the end of the final track, "Sunshine", closes the album with a young man saying "Yo, when I first heard Public Enemy's legendary album, Fear of a Black Planet. 3 Feet High and Rising was De La Soul's first release and a very influential album, held in similarly high regard as Criminal Minded, which is discussed at the beginning of the album.
Critical reception
Robert Christgau wrote: "After almost four years, Posdnuos and company emerge from the ether like the long-lost friends they are. Their wordplay assured in its subtle smarts, their delivery unassuming in its quick, unmacho mumble, their cultural awareness never smug about its balance, they bind up an identifiable feeling in an identifiable sound, and just about every one of the 17 tracks comes equipped with a solid beat and a likable hook or chorus. It's a relief to have them back. But it's never a revelation."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" |
| Skeff Anselm | 3:42 |
| 14. | "Down Syndrome" |
| De La Soul | 3:28 |
| 15. | "Pony Ride" (featuring Truth Enola) |
| De La Soul | 5:26 |
| 16. | "Stakes Is High" |
| 5:30 | |
| 17. | "Sunshine" |
| De La Soul | 3:39 |
| Total length: | 68:19 | |||
Notes
- ^[a] indicates an additional producer.
- "Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby" features additional vocals by the Jazzyfatnastees.
- The streaming version of the album divides "The Bizness" into two tracks, "The Bizness" and "Yunonstop".[12]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ Thomas, Vincent. "Stakes Is High – De La Soul". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
- ^ Smith, Ethan (July 12, 1996). "Stakes Is High". Entertainment Weekly. New York. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- ^ Ashon, Wil (July 1996). "De La Soul: Stakes Is high" (PDF). Muzik. No. 14. p. 122. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ Cigarettes, Johnny (July 29, 1996). "De La Soul – Stakes Is High". NME. London. Archived from the original on October 10, 2000. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ Matson, Andrew (20 July 2002). "De La Soul - Stakes Is High - Tommy Boy (RapReviews "Back to the Lab" series)". RapReviews. Retrieved 20 July 2002.
- ^ Sprague, David (August 8, 1996). "Stakes Is High". Rolling Stone. New York. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Salamon, Jeff (August 1996). "De La Soul: Stakes Is High". Spin. Vol. 12, no. 5. New York. pp. 98–100. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ Brusie, David (18 June 2009). "De La Soul - Stakes Is High". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 2009-07-18. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (July 23, 1996). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ Robert Christgau: CG: de la soul
- ^ "Stakes Is High". July 2, 1996 – via open.spotify.com.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – De La Soul – Stakes Is High" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – De La Soul – Stakes Is High". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – De La Soul – Stakes Is High". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "De La Soul Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
