a prominent poet in today’s technology-ridden world, r.m. drake manages to seize the hearts and souls of those who come upon his compositions about mundane topics in everyday life. the release of his most recent book a brilliant madness conveys the substantial impact that technology has ironically managed to achieve, distancing us from the ones we love and from each other in the 21st century.

a traditional guy who’s stranded in the past, robert perceives the world in the same way that most people do but who are too afraid to say it. “right now in my point of view, the world is getting worse. technology is such a great thing but disastrous because it’s taking away that human touch. it has to do with the way technology is improving so fast. . . because of that, people are losing the human quality, compassion, understanding, and simplicity of people.” 

it’s easier to be selfish and care only about yourself, for with social media, you’re programmed to think it’s all about you with the amount of selfies you take and posts of only your best moments on social media. besides the bouts of miscommunication that can happen between people when you read too much into something over text or email, there’s also the fact that technology separates us, when in reality, it’s supposed to connect us with people we can’t see on a day-to-day basis. “it’s a subconscious thing that separates everyone apart. texting someone can be so easy, but seeing them in person can be so awkward and uncomfortable. it destroys the authenticity.” the struggles and mishaps are repercussions that most people can relate to on a regular basis and how he has come to reach so many fans. throughout this success, robert has managed to peak the interests of millions, receiving several heartfelt, grateful messages for understanding their emotional struggles found through life. 

accumulating over a million followers on instagram within a short amount of time, the former art director at univision has the benefit of understanding marketing. “my success has to do with that connection and the way in which you present yourself.” however, the quotes he posts on his page have nothing to do with how his books are portrayed. “social media is 10% of what I write. since social media has made people fast, easy, and simple, it’s a huge contrast to my books that are very detail-oriented. they speak more about the expiration for human condition and the environment.” all traditional forms of entertainment and communication like newspapers, paperback novels, and films are a dying breed, being replaced with new things like online blogs, youtube, and netflix. every industry is hurting with everything changing so fast, which is why robert chose to illustrate his writing through social media’s hottest current outlet, instagram.

it’s true that we’re too impatient and that social media is built in a way where we don’t have the time, focus, or energy to read something too long, especially when scrolling through each other’s social media pages. so his mindful writing with these novels is something he took his time creating that resonates more with his introverted self in the quiet, calm, soothing environment that he prefers.

for a literary colombian composer who grew up in miami, robert loves the city and sees so much potential in it. “in terms of art and music, it’s getting closer to big cities like nyc, chicago, and los angeles. wynwood is such a gorgeous place that if it keeps up in the next 15-20 years, it can be a mekka of an art form.” although miami is filled with such an aesthetic, rich latin history, it’s sad to still see how “in a worldy view, the hispanic culture is very underappreciated.” favoring the nostalgic days of music to the point where he can’t adapt to anything new, robert remains trapped in the 90’s listening to a mix of rock and hip hop artists like led zepellin, nas, incubus, and wu tang. he discovered his artistic side through painting, sculpturing, and producing beats from hip hop to breaks with an mpc 2000.

after delving into his creative side drawing comic books and writing short stories, robert would love to fulfill his dream of writing for film or perhaps producing for a major 90’s artist if everything continues to go well. for those looking to probe into their artistic roots, robert serves as the quintessential example, advising that “if you have the will to do something, you can reach it regardless.” you can discover his books through his site now, and explore the posts that millions have to come to love on instagram.