A.B. Original, the protest band we both need and deserve, have nabbed the highest local debut on the ARIA Albums Chart this week. The duo, which is made up of prominent Aussie emcees Briggs and Trials, recently unveiled their incendiary debut album, Reclaim Australia, and it’s currently sitting at Number 10 on the Aussie charts.
It’s also sitting squarely inside the top five on the Australian Artist Albums chart at Number 4, making it the highest debut there too. Meanwhile, Reclaim Australia, has already received widespread praise as a vital powerhouse of a debut album and one of the most important Australian records of the year.
Taking to their official Facebook page, A.B. Original celebrated their Top 10 debut, thanking fans for their support. “Thank you to everyone who has supported the album and movement,” they wrote. Meanwhile, Briggs has taken to his personal Twitter account to show his appreciation to fans who bought the album, which includes the fiery single ‘January 26’.
Speaking recently to triple j, the two emcees behind the project revealed they have pulled a King Gizz and are almost done with the sophomore release. “We’re almost done with the second one,” Trials confirmed to the national youth broadcaster.
Trials was responding to a question about whether this project will be a one-off a la Temple of the Dog, or if we can expect more releases in the future. “Can’t stop, won’t stop,” Briggs told the station.
During the interview, the duo also discussed their recent cover of Paul Kelly ‘Dumb Things’ for Like A Version. The widely talked-about and almost universally praised cover had many triple j listeners calling it one of if not the best LAV cover of the year.
“These are the people you grow up listening to, who have done great things,” Briggs said of Kelly. “I know how instrumental Paul was in Uncle Archie’s music and getting that out as well, which opened up a lot of doors for Indigenous artists.”
“We wouldn’t have these kind of platforms without people putting in that good work, for Arch and with Arch, to start those stories.” Likewise, Kelly explained that there are many similarities between the Shepparton emcee and himself. “We tell stories,” he told Matt and Alex.
Reclaim Australia is out now via Briggs’s own Bad Apples Music. Writing for Tone Deaf, Kieron Byatt hailed the album as the latest instalment in hip-hop’s proud history as providing a voice to the disenfranchised.
“The message is raw, it’s undeniable, and its context is unprecedented,” he wrote. “It’s something that Australia has been missing. This is if Run The Jewels made It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back with M.O.P writing every hook. However, one thing above all can’t be understated: this is really good rap music.”
