Cabin In The Sky – A fitting love letter to Dave (Trugoy the Dove)
De La Soul releasing their first album in nine years would be newsworthy by itself, but Cabin In The Sky arrives under an even heavier weight: it is their first project since the tragic 2023 loss of founding member David Jolicoeur, AKA Trugoy the Dove. It is also their first new release since settling the decades long dispute that kept much of their discography off streaming platforms, a victory Dave unfortunately never got to witness. Trying to combine a decade of built-up creative energy with the grief of losing a musical brother is a tall order. In short, they pulled it off.
Full disclosure: De La Soul is my favorite group of all time. Discovering 3 Feet High and Rising as a teenager changed my life. I studied every skit, every joke, every tangent. They were the smartest and funniest things I had ever heard on a record. (I still quote “I wanna win all the money, see ya!) De La has always been an industry enigma, never fitting neatly into any single lane. Their best albums work both as laid-back party records and as sharp social commentary if you choose to listen closely. Cabin In The Sky lives up to that tradition while offering a generous amount of fan service and, most of all, a beautiful love letter to Dave.
The album announces its thesis right away. The opening track revives the classic De La roll call skit, this time delivered by actor Giancarlo Esposito (Buggin’ Out from Do the Right Thing). He announces each featured artist, including Nas, Killer Mike, DJ Premier, Common, Black Thought, and others, and each replies that they are present. He then calls out the members of De La one by one. When he gets to Dave, the lack of response looms large. Dave’s presence and absence echo through the album in a mix of grief, melancholy, and celebration. His memory and influence also serve as an engine, pushing the group forward. “If y’all stop, then Dave stops,” as declared on YUHDONTSTOP.
Cabin In The Sky is dense at more than 70 minutes. It is not perfect. A critic could say it rambles at times. But it is a perfect De La album. It captures everything they have always been: generous, funny, thoughtful, warm, and unafraid to challenge listeners while still making them feel welcome. Their albums have always been works of art in their entirety, and this one is no exception. The production is strong, and Posdnuos and Maseo each bare their souls with their usual effortless wordplay and intricately layered beats.
If you are already a fan, you will likely love it. If you are new to the De La universe, this album is full of enough love and nostalgia to pull you in if you give it a chance. De La has always brought art, humor, intelligence, and heart. They have also quietly remained some of the most important voices in music for more than three decades. I am grateful they still have things to say. And like the rest of the De La family, I am still missing Dave too.
Notable tracks: YUHDONTSTOP, Sunny Storms, and the very affecting Different World featuring spoken word by poet Gina Loring.