The Internet

The Internet is a Los Angeles-based band that grew out of the Odd Future collective, formed by keyboardist and producer Matt Martians and singer Syd (Syd tha Kyd). What began as a duo releasing the EP «Cocaine» and debut album «Purple Naked Ladies» in 2011 expanded into a full band with the addition of bassist Patrick Paige II, drummer Christopher Allan Smith, keyboardist Jameel Bruner, and guitarist Steve Lacy, rounding out their lineup by the mid-2010s.

Their sound blends alternative R&B, neo-soul, funk, and jazz influences into a laid-back, groove-driven style that stood apart from their Odd Future peers' more abrasive hip-hop. The albums «Feel Good», «Ego Death», and «Hive Mind» trace their evolution from a duo project into a tightly interlocking band, with «Ego Death» earning a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album and songs like «Girl», «Special Affair», and «Come Over» becoming fan favorites.

After «Hive Mind», the members increasingly pursued solo careers — most visibly Syd and Steve Lacy, who both built significant followings on their own — while remaining loosely connected as The Internet. The band's influence is felt widely in the alternative R&B space, where its unhurried, musicianship-forward approach helped shape a generation of neo-soul-inflected artists.