De La Soul effortlessly blends humor, consciousness, and classic hip-hop on ‘Cabin In The Sky.’
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TOP 5
5. A Quick 16 For Mama
Ninjas don’t make songs dedicated to their mother anymore.
“A Quick 16 For Mama” slows the album down and hits straight to the heart — seriously, have the tissues nearby. Over gentle, soulful production with a subtle bounce, the duo pays tribute to their mothers. Trugoy doesn’t rap here, but he plays the perfect hype man for Killer Mike and Posdnous. Posdnous reflects on his mother’s journey and the wisdom she poured into him, while Mike shares the story of his own mother’s sacrifices and strength in keeping him on the right path. It’s a beautifully crafted, deeply moving track that feels like pure gratitude in musical form.
4. Yours (Ft. Common & Slick Rick)
Everyone had substitute teachers like Common and Slick Rick before.
Can you believe the OGs really decided to drop some gems on the youngins in “Yours”? Powered by a majestic East Coast hip-hop beat with a smooth tempo — and built around a refreshed take on Slick Rick’s classic “Hey Young World” — the track finds Posdnous and Common stepping into full mentor mode. They urge the youth to own their path, trust their worth, learn from setbacks, avoid manipulation, respect the trailblazers, and embrace growth.
What makes it hit even harder is the contrast: Posdnous sounds sharp and direct, while Common raps like he just stepped into a cypher, unleashing classic flows and airtight wordplay as if he’s determined to imprint this wisdom onto the next generation by force.
The track is fantastic.
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3. Run It Back!!! (Ft. Nas)
Ninjas don’t make songs dedicated to their mother anymore.
De La Soul sounds extra locked in on “Run It Back!!!” — and for good reason: Nas is on this s**t. Over a beat that swings harder than Draymond Green on a bad day, Posdnous attacks with a steady, measured flow and an aggressive tone, speaking on hustle, cultural elevation, and proving De La’s originality and staying power in hip-hop.
Then Nas steps in and somehow turns the intensity up even more. He bends into a wild, dynamic flow — like he hopped out of a rap rejuvenation chamber — calling out weak MCs, celebrating street-born intelligence, and lamenting the lack of real music these days while giving props to Doechii, Kendrick, and Leon Thomas.
I don’t want to say Nas sounds angry here… but yeah, Nas sounds angry here.
2. The Package
Brother, do you know how much I wanted to step in and drop some bars after hearing this beat?
“The Package” has easily my favorite beat on the entire album. For anyone too young to remember this sound before Kanye made it mainstream, it’s a straight-up throwback to that classic soulful vibe — and of course, that’s because the legendary Pete Rock crafted it (credit where it’s due).
Over the warm, celebratory production, Posdnous and Trugoy trade effortless bars about repping their city, flexing their elite pen game, and carrying themselves like Black kings. Their back-and-forth feels so natural and unforced that it’s clear none of this took even a hint of strain — just pure mastery.
1. Day In The Sun (Ft. Yummy Bingham, Supa Dupa West & Q-Tip)
I just knew my favorite track from this album would feature Yummy Bingham.
Last weekend, my wife clowned me because my music library randomly pulled up Yummy Bingham’s “Come And Get Me.” Fast-forward to now, and she’s back blessing us with a magical vocal performance on “Day In The Sun (Gettin’ Wit U)” alongside Supa Dave West. Not only does she hit notes higher than inflation, but the songwriting is warm, romantic, and overflowing with feel-good energy.
Posdnous steps in to break up the love fest, sliding onto the track with a smooth, sly verse about craving a woman who clearly knows the game. Then Q-Tip pops in and delivers one of his signature quirky, clever verses — full of slick wordplay and some of the most player lines you’ll hear today.
All in all, I love this s**t.
SONG-BY-SONG RATING
1. Cabin Talk (album intro) (Ft. Giancarlo Esposito) (N/A)
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RGM RATING
(86%)
Not many hip-hop acts can seamlessly blend raw hip-hop vibes with humor, cartoonish flair, and genuine consciousness — but De La Soul does exactly that on Cabin In The Sky.
Backed by stellar production from legends like Pete Rock and DJ Premier, the album serves up beats that hit with funk, soul, and classic boom-bap punch, weaving samples in ways that feel completely natural. There are also tender, reflective moments, like in “A Quick 16 for Mama” and jazzy moments like in “EN EFF.”
As for De La Soul themselves, they never settle for basic. Their raps are crisp and clean, full of competitive energy, wisdom, introspection, storytelling, and advice, all delivered with effortless flow.
To fully appreciate Cabin In The Sky, you need a deep love for old-school music — not just hip-hop. There’s zero modern gimmickry in the rapping or production. Honestly, if someone told me this album dropped in the ’90s, I’d believe it without hesitation.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
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