The Internet "Hold On"

Read in between the lines.

I’m pretty sure the first time I heard about The Internet was through their work on tour with Mac Miller as his backing band. But I didn’t realize Syd—the DJ/engineer/producer from Odd Future—was their lead vocalist until I peeped their album Ego Death. And yo, she can sing. Her voice is mad pretty.

Their single “Special Affair” was my shit off rip, and I loved the Janelle Monáe-assisted jam “Gabby” just as much. Modern soul never slapped so smooth.

I slept on The Internet’s 2018 sophomore album Hive Mind, or maybe I listened but didn’t make it all the way through. Because it wasn’t until two years later when I was watching the Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield rom-dram The Photograph that I heard the album closer “Hold On” for the first time.

The Photograph has some good-ass music in it. Not only is it scored by the incomparable Robert Glasper, but it features a bunch of great R&B and soul songs, from classics by Al Green and Anita Baker to cuts by artists of today like Annie Lennox and Lucky Daye. Actually, the first time I ever heard the Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross song that was sampled for Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s smash hit “Luther” was in this.

So, there’s a scene toward the beginning of the movie where Stanfield’s character is walking into an event with his boy, and “Hold On” is playing in the background. I don’t remember if I Shazam’d it or went to figure out what it was on Spotify, but that shit def made an immediate impression on me. Little did I know it had the ill beat drop on it, which was not part of the section playing in the movie.

You gotta “Hold On” for almost three minutes before the drums kick in, but it’s well worth the wait.

IP’S PICK OF THE DAY 3/23/26: The Internet “Hold On”

There’s a recording of Robert Glasper playing Jhené Aiko’s song “The Worst” from the album Covered: The Robert Glasper Trio Recorded Live at Capitol Studios that I’ve been revisiting the past couple weeks (I threw it on my March Madness ‘26 playlist so it keeps popping up). If you’re unfamiliar with what’s in Glasper’s bag, I recommend pressing play on the video below immediately, and also checking out his contributions to The Photograph.

Let me wrap things up with some solo shit by The Internet members Syd and Steve Lacy. Yes, Steve Lacy was in The Internet before he blew up and went #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Bad Habit.” As an indie head, I fucks with “Bad Habit,” for sure. But I would’ve never guessed it would pop like that. You gotta love it.

Okay, so yeah, this song “Control” off Syd’s ‘22 solo album Broken Hearts Club is super fresh. It sounds like it was inspired by some old Aaliyah shit.

And Lacy’s Gemini Rights finale “Give You The World” is a gem of a slow jam. Instant vintage.

That does it for tonight! Hope everyone’s week is starting off right. Back at you tomorrow.

Peace!