Remember Who You Are - Reviewed

By Jacqueline Radakovich

The Storm Cellar in Lincoln hosted Lincoln Alexander and the “Remember Who You Are” event, which was a night of live music including Ria Gold, Keenan, and Lincoln Alexander. Lincoln Alexander is a rapper based in Lincoln who was formally known as 'Weed the Wizard'. His real name is Tyson Moores, and he has a lot of passion for music and spreading good vibes. He has had previous experience and performances with Storm Cellar and brought with him some of his favorite local talent.

Ria Gold at The Storm Cellar Photo Credit: @jrad.arts

Ria Gold performed first. They are an R&B singer/songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska. They were raised in a small town in Ohio and came back to their roots in Nebraska. They have performed at the Bourbon Theatre, The Bay, and Lincoln Calling, forming a strong presence in the local music scene. This is displayed through their music, as they have a passion for performing and songwriting. Their lyrics are deep, rooted in love and heartbreak, and were all written themselves. They also performed some covers as well. Sound-wise, Ria’s voice was smooth and brought harmonies and passion. Ria seemed a bit nervous on stage, but it did not show in their sound or music. I was impressed with their voice, and it reminded me of the early days of SZA. I think Ria will continue to improve in their vocals and will get more confident in their stage presence. You can find her music on Spotify and Apple Music!

Keenan at Storm Cellar Photo Credit: @jrad.arts

Keenan performed second and did not disappoint. Keenan Serrano is a rapper and owner of the clothing brand, Simply Dope. He was raised in North Platte and has been rapping since he was 13. Keenan also started Simply Dope Studios, a studio for all artists to grow and record. He is charismatic on stage and interactive with the crowd. He got the crowd engaged and kept them engaged in his set. He started a bit nervous, but quickly found his groove and showed everyone what he was capable of. He’s got a great flow when he raps and puts thought into many of his lyrics. Keenan brought amazing vibes to the night with his melodic and catchy songs as well as the kindness he spreads. He is a prominent figure in the local music scene, lifting everyone around him. Keenan is funny, entertaining, and has catchy and melodic music that everyone can vibe to. He was super happy and thankful to be there! You can find him on Instagram @simply1keenan and Spotify.

Lincoln Alexander at Storm Cellar Photo Credit: @jrad.arts

Lincoln Alexander closed out the night and kept the good vibes flowing. Lincoln Alexander is an up-and-coming rapper from Lincoln, Nebraska. After listening to Chance the Rapper’s 'Acid Rap' album, Lincoln Alexander was inspired to start writing his own songs shortly after. In May of 2022, he quit his job at LinkedIn to pursue a life of music. He had a basement and a dream with no dollars and no plan quote "The universe always finds a way for those who believe it will". Now he spends most of his time traveling connecting with friends on the internet and performing his rap songs for anybody who wants to listen. Despite being a litter nervous he had good stage presence. He is goofy and performs well hitting every word and keeping the flow going. It is hard to perform a rap show with no background vocals to lean on, and I appreciated Lincoln Alexander and Keenan’s ability to do so. His lyrics are a mix of chill, goofy, and real and his songs are catchy and fun to listen to. It was entertaining to watch him perform as he is passionate and loves what he does. A suggestion I have for him is to try to engage the crowd a bit more and add something that can make some of his music stand out more and keep the crowd on their toes. For example, I thought it was fun when he brought his friend, Jean Rallis, on stage to perform a few songs with him. Sound-wise, I think he sounded great and had a smooth flow that I was impressed with. His latest single “Jesus Hoops” is now available on Spotify. Make sure to follow him on Instagram @lincolnalexander.

The 'Remember Who We Are' show was a successful night of music and good vibes. Each artist got to show off their talent and appeal to everyone in the crowd. I love seeing them supporting each other and putting themselves out there. I think each artist has something to bring to the music scene and I am excited to see where they go. Be sure to listen to their music on streaming platforms, follow their socials, and buy merch from Lincoln Alexander and Simply Dope!