Stakes Is High

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Stakes Is High

Stakes Is High is De La Soul's

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop music group formed in 1987 in Amityville, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres....
fourth full-length album, released during the summer of 1996. The album received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.

takes Is High was responsible for introducing rapper/actor

Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
Mos Def

Mos Def

Dante Terrell Smith , is an American MC and actor known by the stage name Mos Def. Mos Def started his hip hop music career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul....
to a wider audience, on the cut "Big Brother Beat". Common

Common (rapper)

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an United States rapper and actor.Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? and maintained a significant underground following into the late 90s, after which he gained notable mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians....
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

Prince Paul

Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an United States disc jockey and Hip hop music record producer....
on an album.

On Stakes Is High, De La Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop music group formed in 1987 in Amityville, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres....
also attempted to bridge the growing gaps between the original members of the Native Tongues

Native Tongues Posse

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Encyclopedia

Stakes Is High is De La Soul's

De La Soul

Overview

Stakes Is High was responsible for introducing rapper/actor

Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
Mos Def

Mos Def

Common (rapper)

Prince Paul

Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an United States disc jockey and Hip hop music record producer....
on an album.

On Stakes Is High, De La Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop music group formed in 1987 in Amityville, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres....
also attempted to bridge the growing gaps between the original members of the Native Tongues

Native Tongues Posse

The Native Tongues is a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s Hip hop music artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentrism lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats....
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
Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump

Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is De La Soul's fifth full-length album, released in 2000....
.

Interludes

Like other De La Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop music group formed in 1987 in Amityville, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres....
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
Criminal Minded

Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions is a Golden age hip hop hip hop music album. Production on the LP is credited to 'Blastmaster' KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock , but in future interviews it has been revealed that an uncredited Ced-Gee of The Ultramagnetic MCs had a key role in crafting the sound of the LP....
.
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
3 Feet High and Rising

3 Feet High and Rising is the influential debut album from American hip hop music trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties....
, 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

*Co-producer

Additional credits

#	Title	Notes
1	"Intro"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Sample: "Sing a Simple Song Sing a Simple Song "Sing a Simple Song" is a 1968 in music song by the soul music/rock music/funk music band Sly & the Family Stone, the b-side to their #1 hit "Everyday People ".... " by Jackson 5
2	"Supa Emcees"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Sample: "La Di Da Di La Di Da Di "La Di Da Di" is a Rap music song performed by Doug E. Fresh the beatboxer, and MC Ricky D as the rapper. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-Side to "The Show".... " by Slick Rick Slick Rick Ricky Walters , better known by stage names Slick Rick, MC Ricky D and Rick the Ruler, is a Grammy Award-nominated British-American rapper.... & Doug E. Fresh Doug E. Fresh Douglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an United States rapping, record producer, and beatboxing, also known as the Human Beat Box.... Sample: "Summer Samba" by Walter Wanderley Sample: "Adventures of Super Rhyme" by Jimmy Spicer Jimmy Spicer Jimmy Spicer released a number of old school rap Single during the late '70s and early '80s. Spicer was managed by Russell Simmons' Rush Management.... Sample: "Run's House" by Run D.M.C.
3	"The Bizness"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, L. Lynn
4	"Wonce Again Long Island"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Sample: "Who's Making Love" by Lou Donaldson Lou Donaldson Lou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker....
5	"Dinninit"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, X. Hargrove, M. Jackson Sample: "Enchanted Lady" by Milt Jackson Milt Jackson Milton Jackson was an American jazz vibraphonist and one of the most important figures in the hard bop style, although he performed in several subgenres of jazz....
6	"Brakes"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, R. Hodby, C. Jimenez, L. Mack Sample: "The Breaks The Breaks (song) "The Breaks" is a critically acclaimed 1980 hit single for Kurtis Blow and one of the earliest Hip hop music hits. Unlike most hip-hop songs which sample prerecorded funk, the funk beat in this song is an original one.... " by Kurtis Blow Kurtis Blow Curtis Walker , signed with Uncle Louie Music Group is better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is one of the first commercially successful rapping and the first to sign with a major record label.... Sample: "P.S.K. (What Does It Mean)" by Schooly D Sample: "It's Your Rock" by Fantasy Three Sample: "Children's Story Children's Story "Children's Story" is a single by London-born United States hip hop artist Slick Rick, from his album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. It is a tragic tale that can be interpreted as an implicit condemnation of violence and greed.... " by Slick Rick
7	"Dog Eat Dog"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason
8	"Baby Baby Baby Baby Ooh Baby"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Additional Vocals: Jazzyfatnastees Jazzyfatnastees Jazzyfatnastees is a vocal duo, Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez . The group started as a vocal quartet in 1993, when they landed a deal with Tommy Boy.... Sample: "She's Looking Like a Hobo" by Malcolm McLaren Malcolm McLaren Malcolm McLaren is a solo musician, and most famously, former management to the New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols....
9	"Long Island Degrees"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Sample: "Before I Rest" by Les McCann Les McCann Les McCann is a soul jazz piano player and vocalist whose biggest successes came as a crossover artist into R&B and soul.... Sample: "It Only Happens (When I Look at You)" by Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock and roll, blues, Pop music, Rhythm and Blues and Gospel music....
10	"Betta Listen"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason
11	"Itzsoweezee (HOT)"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason
12	"4 More"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, G. Scott, N. Hall, M. Small, E. Matthew, D. Payne Sample: "Jimmy's Bonus Beats" by Jungle Brothers Jungle Brothers The Jungle Brothers are an American hip-hop music group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house music producer.... Sample: "A Rose for Booker" by New Dynamic Chico Hamilton Quintet Sample: "Never Give You Up" by Sharon Redd Sharon Redd Sharon Redd was an American urban contemporary singer from New York City. She is the sister of R&B singer Pennye Ford....
13	"Big Brother Beat"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, D. Beze, S. Anselm
14	"Down Syndrome"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason Sample: "Talkin' Loud and Saying Nothing" by James Brown James Brown James Joseph Brown, Jr. was an United States entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing....
15	"Pony Ride"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, S. Preston
16	"Stakes Is High"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, J. Yancey Sample: "Mind Power" by James Brown Sample: "Swahililand" by Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal on July 2, 1930, is a noted United States jazz pianist. Jamal was one of Miles Davis's favorite pianists and was a key influence on the trumpeter's "First Great Quintet" ....
17	"Sunshine"	Songwriters: K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason, L. Richie, T. McClary Sample: "High on Sunshine" by The Commodores Sample: "Summer Samba" by Fred Wesley Fred Wesley Fred Wesley is an United States jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.Wesley was born in Columbus, Georgia, the son of a high school teacher and big band leader.... and the J.B.'s The J.B.'s The J.B.s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks and The Last Word....