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Ravyn Lenae’s “Computer Luv,” J. Cole’s “Photograph,” and my Process of Digital Love

“Love today’s gone digital, and it’s messing with my health” – J. Cole

J. Cole’s pursuit of love has led us through many ropes: “Dreams,” Power Trip,” and “Deja Vu,” as well as other ventures in between these times. This was the first time we experience Cole go into the romantic world that takes place in the digital space. Ravyn Lenae and Steve Lacy’s approach was similar and the anticipation that squirm through your body until you finally meet the person behind the screen. Each message you send back and forth feels like 5th grade—sending notes—the fantasy that can push into your reality.


Zero intentions of a pursuit. Similar to Cole, my phone addiction led me to Twitter and scrolling through my timeline. Serendipity showing its timing. Like really, I think about the thousands of tweets that pass through my timeline and the pictures tweeted out. Something stood out about her and the instant connection started. “You make me happy and I don’t even know you. I wrote this shit for you and I didn’t even show you,” I wrote to my then crush, now girlfriend. Intuition based this love story and searching for love didn’t sit at the top of my priority list.

Will I catch real feelings for ya

Or could this be pointless

I should’ve avoided this

But what if this real?” – Ravyn Lanae

Rayvn Lenae's

photo by: Adam Martinakis

There was a process: the introduction. This became the bread and butter for how I chose to wow her—I’m talking truly bodying the conversations of our digital interactions. I sat with a thesaurus and crafted paragraphs. The more we talked, the more the idea of taking digital to physical surfaced.

The mirage of her that turned into a heavenly miracle. Hysterical–I thought I may be, maybe our connection is real and the thrill of not knowing which road this may lead to could lead from May through infinity. My affinity for her tells me that it’s meant to be for us. We traded words and shared similarities—this eliminated lust.

I have a detrimental addiction to my Twitter subscription. People trying to talk to me, I’m not trying to listen. I’m minding my business and checking my mentions. Check my timeline and she grabbed my attention. It’s 8PM, let’s send a DM. Just say “hello,” but wait I can’t be like them, I’ll wait to send her a gem. Shoot my shot and show my friends the screenshot.

If you were to ask me, I’d tell you that she’s very special, I’d tell you that’s she’s God’s gift to earth, Good Lord I’m glad I met you. Comedic, gorgeous, down to earth, Good Lord she’s intellectual. If you ask my grandfather, he’d tell you she’s respectful, he’d tell you she’s the one for me and the girl I outta be next to.

Whether you actively seek a romantic situation online or it happens by chance, there’s no denying the ever-changing dynamic of dating. “How did you guys meet?” they’d ask me. “I slid in her DM’s,” I’d reply, with no hesitation.

Not everyone is as lucky as me. I could only imagine if my girlfriend and I talked online for a year before actually meeting. It took us a little over a month before we finally had our first date. Until then, every moment felt like fantasy. To my surprise, our relationship is more fantasy than the digital-only interactions. I couldn’t be happier.

Twitter as the catalyst and myself as the protagonist— never truly hitting any antagonistic barriers. I came, I messaged, I conquered.

Computer Luv to physical hugs. Photographs to the girl I have. Paragraphs to physical grabs.

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