A.B. Original

A.B. Original
Origin	South Australia, Australia
Genres	Australian hip hop political hip hop
Years active	2016–present
Labels	Golden Era Bad Apples
Members	Briggs Trials

A.B. Original is an Australian hip hop duo made up of Indigenous Australian rappers Briggs and record producer Trials. A.B. Original stands for Always Black, Original. Both members are Indigenous Australians; Briggs is a Yorta Yorta man and Trials is Ngarrindjeri.[1] Their music is overtly political and has been described as "angry, polemical, brutally frank and meant to inspire a response, good or bad".[2]

History

In the early 2000s, Briggs and Trials met at a Funkoars gig at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne.[3]

In 2015, they were asked to play Triple J's Beat the Drum festival, which led to A.B. Original solidifying as a duo in 2016.[4] The pair travelled to Los Angeles, the source of their musical childhood inspirations. They worked with DJ Pooh (Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, Ice Cube) at Snoop Dogg's in-house studio; DJ Mustard (Big Sean, Rihanna, Wiz Khalifa); and did a stint at Encore Studios, where Dr. Dre made 2001. 1980s Compton rapper King T, appeared on their G-Funk heavy track “The Feast”.[5]

Music

A.B. Original's single "January 26" (featuring Dan Sultan), released in August 2016, which comments on the use of that date for Australia Day.[6] This was followed up by an album entitled Reclaim Australia in November.[1] The provocatively titled[2][7] album features many guests including Thelma Plum, G. Yunupingu and Archie Roach.[7] The album's themes addresses Black deaths in custody; “Invasion Day”; racial profiling; life spent weathering systemic racism; and the low life expectancy of Aboriginal Australians.[5] The group approached the album with the attitude that it would be their only record.[4] Trials explained in an interview: "Briggs and I were going to do one big career ending, burning the... joint down record and that was it. We figured if we're going to have one shot."[8]

At the 2017 AIR independent Music Awards, the duo won five awards; Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year, Best Independent Hip Hop Album, Best Independent Single, Best Independent Artist and Best Independent Album or EP.[9] At the APRA Music Awards of 2018 the duo won Songwriter of the Year.[10]

In August 2022, A.B. Original returned with "King Billy Cokebottle" their first new music in four years.[11] The song's title refers to the stage name of a 1970s comedian, called Louis Beers, who toured Australia with his blackface act.[12]

In October 2023, A.B. Original released "Yes" in support of the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.[13]

Band members

• Briggs
• Trials

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		AUS [14]
Reclaim Australia	Release date: 25 November 2016 Label: Golden Era Formats: Digital download, CD	10

Singles

List of singles, with certifications

Title	Year	Certifications	Album
"2 Black 2 Strong"[15]	2016		Reclaim Australia
"Dead in a Minute" (featuring Caiti Baker)[16]
"Firing Squad" (featuring Hau)[17]
"Take Me Home" (featuring Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu)[18]
"January 26" (featuring Dan Sultan)[19]		ARIA: Gold[20]
"Dumb Things" (featuring Paul Kelly)[21]	2017		Like a Version
"Blaccout"[22]	2018		non-album single
"King Billy Cokebottle"[11]	2022		TBA
"Yes" (with DJ Total Eclipse and Marlon)[13]	2023		TBA

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2017[23]	themselves	Independent Artist of the Year	Won
		Breakthrough Independent Artist	Won
	Reclaim Australia	Best Independent Album	Won
		Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album	Won
	"January 26" (with Dan Sultan)	Best Independent Single/EP	Won
2019[24]	"Blaccout"	Best Independent Single/EP	Nominated

APRA Music Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result	Ref.
2018	themselves	Songwriter of the Year	Won	[10]
2019	"Blaccout" (Adam Briggs / Daniel Rankine)	Song of the Year	Shortlisted	[25]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2017[26]	Reclaim Australia	Album of the Year	Nominated
		Best Group	Nominated
		Best Urban Album	Won
		Best Independent Release	Won
		Breakthrough Artist	Nominated
	Daniel Rankine for Reclaim Australia	Producer of the Year	Nominated

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The commenced in 2005.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2016[27]	Reclaim Australia	Australian Music Prize	Won

J Award

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2017[28]	Reclaim Australia	Australian Album of the Year	Won
	"Report to the Mist"	Australian Video of the Year	Nominated

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2005.[29][30]

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2017	themselves	Best Band	Nominated
		Best Live Act	Nominated
		Best Aboriginal Act	Won
	Reclaim Australia	Best Album	Won
		Best Hip Hop Album	Won
	"January 26"	Best Song	Nominated

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2016	themselves	New Talent of the Year	Nominated
	"Dead in a Minute"	Song of the Year	Nominated
	"2 Black 2 Strong"		Nominated
2017	themselves	Artist of the Year	Nominated
	Reclaim Australia	Album of the Year	Nominated
	"January 26" (with Dan Sultan)	Song of the Year	Won
		Film Clip of the Year	Won
2018	themselves	Artist of the Year	Nominated
2023[31]	"King Billy Cokebottle"	Film Clip of the Year	Nominated

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result	Ref.
2016	A.B. Original	Live Hip Hop Act of the Year	Nominated	[32]
2017	Themselves	Live Hip Hop Act of the Year	Won	[33][34]
		Best Live Act of the Year - People's Choice	Nominated
2018	A.B. Original	Live Hip Hop Act of the Year	Nominated	[35][36]

South Australian Music Awards

The South Australian Music Awards (previously known as the Fowler's Live Music Awards) are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They commenced in 2012.[37]

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result (wins only)
2016	A.B. Original	Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist	Won
2017	A.B. Original	Best Group	Won
		Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist	Won
		Most Popular Hip Hop Artist	Won
	"January 26" (featuring Dan Sultan)	Best Song	Won
		Best Video	Won
2018	A.B. Original	Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist	Won

References

1. Byron, Tim (25 November 2016), "A.B. Original: 'We wrote the hardest shit we could write, and it's being supported'", The Sydney Morning Herald
2. Zuel, Bernard (27 November 2016), "A.B. Original album Reclaim Australia is a necessary shock to the system", The Canberra Times
3. Byron, Tim (24 November 2016). "A.B. Original: 'We wrote the hardest shit we could write, and it's being supported'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
4. Grant, Karla. "Adam Briggs: How a Kid from Shepparton made it Big". NITV. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
5. Patel, Sachin (8 December 2016). "A.B. Original Take the Power Back". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
6. Pat McGrath and Andy Burns, (26 January 2017), Band A.B. Original on their song January 26, 7.30, ABC Television Retrieved 4 July 2017
7. Butler, Josh (16 November 2016), "'It's Shit Being A Black Man In Australia' -- A.B. Original Talk Racism, Reclaim Australia And Rap", HuffPost
8. McGahey, Freya (27 June 2017). "Burning the fucking joint down: we chat to A.B. Original for Happy Mag Issue #5". Happy Mag. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
9. "2017 AIR independent Music Awards". AIR. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
10. "Songwriter of the Year". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
11. "A.B. Original return with first new song in four years, "King Billy Cokebottle"". NME. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
12. Butler, Dan. "New A.B. Original track takes aim at 'Australian larrakinism'". NITV. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
13. "VIDEO: A.B. Original Release New Single 'Yes' – 'No Voice, No Choice'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
14. "australian-charts.com - A.B. Original - Reclaim Australia". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
15. "2 Black 2 Strong single". iTunes Australia. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
16. "Dead in a Minute single". iTunes Australia. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
17. "Firing Squad single". iTunes Australia. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
18. "Take Me Home single". iTunes Australia. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
19. "January 26 single". iTunes Australia. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
20. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
21. "Dumb Things (Like a Version) single". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
22. "Blaccout single". iTunes Australia. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
23. "History Wins". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
24. "2019 AIR Awards Nominees". 28 March 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
25. "APRA Reveals 2019 Song of the Year Shortlist". Music Feeds. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
26. "Search A.B. Original at ARIA Awards". ARIA Awards. 11 August 2020.
27. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/ab-original-win-the-australian-music-prize-with-a-timely-angry-protest-album-20170309-guuolt.html Sydney Morning Herald, 9 March 2017
28. "The J Award 2017". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
29. "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
30. "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
31. Mary Varvaris (12 July 2023). "Budjerah & Wildfire Manwurrk Lead NIMA Finalist Nominations". The Music. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
32. "Nominees 2016". NLMA. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
33. "NLMA reveal 2017 Nominees". NLMA. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
34. "Winners 2017". NLMA. December 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
35. "NLMA announce 2018 nominees and Live legend". NLMA. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
36. "Winners of the 2018 NLMA". NLMA. December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
37. "Past Winners". South Australian Music Awards. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2021.