De La Soul – Stakes is High M/NM

Stakes Is High is the fourth studio album by the influential hip hop group De La Soul, released on July 2, 1996. The album marked a significant change in the group’s sound and direction, as it was their first release without the collaboration of their longtime producer Prince Paul. Instead, the group took over most of the production duties themselves, with some assistance from Jay Dee, DJ Ogee, Spearhead X and Skeff Anslem. The album is considered the group’s darkest and most serious work, as it addresses various topics such as the state of hip hop, the commercialization of hip hop culture, and the criticism of gangsta rap. The album also features guest appearances from Common, Mos Def, Zhané and Truth Enola. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics, but failed to achieve much commercial success. The album spawned three singles: “Stakes Is High”, “Itzsoweezee (Hot)” and “4 More”. The title track was also featured in the video game NBA 2K20.