Lucas ‘Big Sima’ Fahey on his musical inspirations

“Scribe, Lady 6, Salmonella Dub – I was raised on their music,” he says. “We had a lot of strength on local radio, and I was fortunate to have my early inspiration be all local. And then Eminem came out with 8 Mile, and that pushed me from the dance space into the music space.” 

As he got further into making music, learning the art of rhyme and being an MC, his respect for the whakapapa of hip hop in Aotearoa grew: “It’s about the culture, the people and the content they make, and I think keeping them in the forefront of your vision is the only way to proceed for me.” 

Since Lucas started his career, the way music is consumed has dramatically changed. Far from the days of buying LPs and CDs, today’s music is mostly streamed from platforms. And while these have all the ease and convenience of accessibility for consumers, the impact on artists is a significantly reduced income.

Lucas champions live music and venues that are properly licensed to play music, so that artists can directly benefit from their music.

Licensing is an amazing middle step to help artists, and yet I don’t think there are enough people who realise that.

“When educating people on why it’s important, it comes down to social proof. You put a face to the artist and show businesses that ‘here are the artists you support’, rather than presenting them with statistics. That will help them understand the purpose of getting licensed.” 

Touring and merchandising also means artists can connect with listeners on a personal level.  “The energy is so good, and we can really feel the connection with the fans.” 

Despite these struggles, Lucas always remains grateful of the opportunities his career provides; even when times are tough, creativity is the light. 

“Back in 2019, I was recording an EP with Tiki Taane. It was after a three-year hiatus, and I was trying to snap out of a negative headspace.” 

Taane then asked him if he had any song ideas up his sleeve and he tentatively voiced an idea he had filed to the back of his mind. Taane encouraged him to record it and helped him produce it, enlisting the dulcet tones of Laughton Kora for backing vocals. 

“The Kora brothers are well-known for being able to ad lib the way they do,” Lucas says. “We got Laughton in the studio to put down the backing harmonies, and he got it done in one take! It was pretty crazy!” 

That spark of an idea turned out to be the song Back in the Day (BITD), one of Lucas’ most popular songs and a personal favourite for him.

And if BITD is a favourite of his own discography, what is his favourite from the history of Kiwi hip hop? 

“It’s got to be by DLT and Che Fu – Chains. Such a great song with widespread acclaim, that explores nuclear testing in the Pacific. People often get so hypnotised by the beat, that they forget it is a really political song.” 

When he’s not campaigning to support Kiwi artists, Lucas is busy touring the country. He’s currently with Boomtown for their EP release tour, with his final stop in his hometown of Ōtautahi, Christchurch, on October 12. He’ll continue to tour over the summer and is featuring in the lineup for Northern Bass 2024/2025. Get your tickets and catch him live! 

For businesses playing music on premises, they can apply for a licence through OneMusic, which ensures that the Copyright Law of 1994 is upheld, and artists get paid fairly. Find out more here.