De La Soul released the 1996 album Stakes Is High, their fourth studio album.
Stakes Is High arrived on July 2, 1996, through Tommy Boy Records. It followed Buhloone Mindstate and marked a period when De La Soul addressed changes in hip hop culture, commercial pressures, violence, and the genre’s increasingly competitive marketplace.
The title track was produced by Jay Dee, later widely known as J Dilla, and features vocals from Mos Def. Other contributors included Common and Truth Enola. Unlike the group’s early albums, the record used fewer samples from the group’s former production collaborator Prince Paul and pursued a more direct, stripped-down sound.
The album is sometimes confused with De La Soul’s 1989 debut, 3 Feet High and Rising. Stakes Is High did not repeat that debut’s playful presentation, but it became highly respected for its criticism of industry trends and its influential production.