Ōtautahi rapper Big Sima, aka Lucas Fahey, gave up on music back in 2016 after feeling like no one was listening but then materialised again in 2019 to release an EP titled ‘Underground King’. He seems to have decided that people are listening after all and is back in 2022 with a full album, forthrightly titled ‘Stereotypes of a Polynesian Misunderstood’.

Track one, Misunderstood, has an intentionally autotuned intro that slips into more natural-sounding angry pointed vocals on top of a heavy synth backdrop. The rhythm of the rap  leaves space to focus on the lyrics which touch on mistrust and being misunderstood, giving the aura that this song is about so much more than what is fit in its 3.42 seconds.

Eight of these 10 tracks are collaborations, making for a diverse collection of songs and styles. The line up features many well-known Kiwi creatives including Tiki Taane & Seka, Summer Thieves and Bkidd.

Dietrich Soakai brings his spoken word roots with him into Stereotypical Interlude, talking about self-discovery, stereotypes, and misrepresentation. Incorporating such a poetic style into the middle of a musical album really does portray the feeling of an interlude, a resting place musically between one song and the next with softer synth sounds and gently plucked guitar.

The depth within the lyrics in songs such as Trauma and Living Proof unveil a sub genre of conscious hip hop, challenging a cultural consensus and commenting on social issues such as sexual orientation. It seems clear that Sima is speaking about things he has experienced or witnessed people around him go through. There is an intention within this album, one of uncovering truths and feelings felt within NZ’s Polynesian community for a long time.

The lasting message is full of hope that the future can pan out differently from the past. Lyrics from Living Proof summarise this message thoughtfully, “Healing all that trauma means that we don’t gotta pass it on… you can be the future no matter what the past presents.”