This year’s Thanksgiving festivities kicked off early as De La Soul dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, November 26th.
There, the duo of Posdnuos and Maseo served up a medley of “Run It Back” and “The Package,” two standouts from De La Soul’s recently-released ninth album, Cabin in the Sky. (It also marked the group’s first release since the February 2023 death of vocalist Trugoy the Dove.) The former selection saw De La Soul shine as a tight, lean duo, showcasing the singular chemistry that’s defined the outfit for decades. The latter cut, meanwhile, featured both a brass band and a bouncing ball-style singalong for a robust and compelling celebration of life, legacy, rap music, and their fallen brother. Check out the full performance below.
When Cabin in the Sky was first announced (alongside albums from other hip-hop legends as part of Mass Appeal’s “Legend Has It…” series), Posdnuos said it “lives in that space between loss and light.” More specifically, “The Package” is about moving on rather than being stuck in a cycle of grief and regret. Added Posdnuos, “It’s about the pain we carry and the joy that somehow still finds us. This album is therapy and celebration at the same time.”
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Earlier this year, De La Soul spent at least some time looking back with a 20th anniversary edition of their seventh album, The Grind Date.