The importance of A.B. Original’s 2016 album cannot be overstated. Even for landmark albums, it stands out. With Reclaim Australia, Briggs and Trials used the full force of hip-hop to set the standard for hard-hitting, constructive dialogue on First Nations struggles and stories. It holds nothing back, slamming systemic racism, police brutality and deaths in custody, drug addiction, the media and fake apologies. It is unapologetically, rightly aggressive and enraged. And it’s funny as hell, each track rife with back-and-forth riffing and clever pop culture references—but that comedy is used as a weapon, not a respite, deployed to get the point across rather than soften the blow. Briggs—Yorta Yorta rapper, writer and actor Adam Briggs— and Trials—Ngarrindjeri producer and rapper Daniel Rankine—had already forged impressive careers in Australia’s hip-hop underground, but joining forces proved them even greater than the sum of their parts. Rivalling the anger and articulation of classic Public Enemy and the from-the-streets storytelling of N.W.A, the pair rage against the baked-in prejudice of Australian culture while offering a prismatic representation of Indigenous creativity and resistance, with help from a large roster of guest stars. In a heartfelt spoken-word introduction to the album, legendary singer-songwriter Archie Roach name-checks his heritage and past political protests, comparing the album to the marches for land rights in the 1970s and 1980s. “It brings back that time when we did pump our fists in the air, because you had to be in their face,” he reflects on the track. Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson features on “Call Em Out”, drawing parallels between the historical systemic racism and police violence faced by African Americans and Indigenous Australians. Elsewhere, Thelma Plum calls out the undue scrutiny and judgement she experiences daily on “I C U”, while the late Yolngu songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu contributed his moving vocals to the closing “Take Me Home”. “January 26” featuring Dan Sultan, argues for changing Australia Day to a date that doesn’t glorify the violence of colonisation. The anthemic and brilliant protest song was the album’s biggest hit, and its impact—starting conversations, sticking up a middle finger to apathy and ignorance, and effecting tangible change, playing a key role in triple j moving their iconic Hottest 100 countdown to a different day from the following year—exemplified the power of Reclaim Australia. The album title itself is a statement, repurposing the name of a far-right protest group known for its extremist views, ultra-nationalism and Islamophobia. Atop mighty beats and exceptional production, Reclaim Australia packs unflinching defiance and relentless rage into 40 remarkable minutes. Eye-opening and empowering, this is essential listening for the world at large.