De La Soul have revealed the title of their upcoming ninth album, Cabin in the Sky, paying tribute to their late member Trugoy The Dove. Posdnuos and Maseo discussed the project during a panel at New York Comic Con on October 10, appearing alongside Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, DJ Premier, and Slick Rick to promote Mass Appeal and Marvel’s Legend Has It comic book collaboration.
The passing of Trugoy in 2023 deeply affected the group and shaped the recording process. Posdnuos explained that the loss left the group broken, but he took on the role of keeping Trugoy’s spirit alive during sessions. “When we lost him … I came and got [Maseo] out of the hole. We were all broken, but I kinda took on that role in Beat Street where I was like, ‘Yo, man, we gotta treat Dave like Ramon — we gotta keep him alive, we gotta celebrate him,’” he said.
Posdnuos added that Trugoy’s presence could still be felt during recording. “Of course, we have songs with Dave on it but — for me, it feels like, ‘Dave’s here for me. He’s here.’ There are times where I’m writing rhymes and I’m getting goosebumps ’cause I feel like Dave would be saying, ‘Yo, that’s dope!’”
The album title, Cabin in the Sky, nods to the 1943 all-Black musical film featuring Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson. Posdnuos recalled discovering the movie while working on the album and immediately feeling Trugoy’s influence. “We’re working and working [on the album], and I come across this movie. And I’m like, ‘Yo, this title is crazy!’ Cabin in the Sky. Immediately, I felt Dave,” he said.
Cabin in the Sky will be De La Soul’s first album in almost a decade, following 2016’s And the Anonymous Nobody…, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. The project is part of Mass Appeal’s Legend Has It series, a year-long collection of releases from iconic New York hip-hop artists curated by Nas.
The series began with Slick Rick’s comeback album Victory in June, followed by releases from Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Mobb Deep. Upcoming projects include Big L’s posthumous Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King on October 31, and a joint album from Nas and DJ Premier scheduled for December, with the title yet to be announced.
Cabin in the Sky promises to honor De La Soul’s legacy while celebrating Trugoy The Dove, blending the group’s signature sound with a heartfelt tribute to their fallen brother.
