As seen in music videos, TV’s ‘Black Comedy’ and ‘The Weekly with Charlie Pickering’, Adam Briggs is a funny man. He tells a good yarn in the process, highlighting truths about misrepresentations of the struggles endured by Indigenous Australians.
His rapping style is fluid and forthright, entertaining and enlightening. He’s a true wordsmith with plenty to rap about. I asked him where he got his knack for rhythmic storytelling. “I was a big consumer of entertainment in general. I love music obviously and movies as well. Where I grew up [Shepparton], there wasn’t really a whole lot to do. So, as much as you could, you just stayed in the house and outta trouble, watching stuff.”
Crafting his style of communication started at home. The Yorta Yorta man says, “I think blackfellas, the way we shared our history, I was surrounded by animated characters and storytellers. Everyone had their own style and punch lines, their own view. It wasn’t boring, I’ll tell you that,” he laughs.
Briggs recording hits include ‘Sheplife’, ‘Bad Apples’, ‘The Wrong Brother’ and ‘Reclaim Australia’ (with A.B. Original partner Trials). His collaborations range from Dr. G. Yunupingu, Dan Sultan and Hilltop Hoods to Paul Kelly and Thelma Plum.
The video for 2019’s ‘Life Is Incredible’ was an ARIA nominee. “Making videos is equally fun and stressful at the same time. It can be its own entity and furthers the story along. Take a song like ‘Life Is incredible’. It’s very sarcastic and satirical. It really makes sense once the video is attached to it and drives it home,” says Briggs. The work of Briggs and Co. creatively represents Indigenous – and all – Australia. “It’s one avenue, one way. Everyone has to be doing their part in their sector, how much they work, what they’re accountable for and expectations of themselves to deliver outcomes…through whatever medium.”
The 12th Closing The Gap report shows only two of seven targets have been met. Briggs says, “They failed on a number of levels and avenues to close it. The dialogue the government has with blackfellas is often one-way, so it doesn’t really surprise me at all. If those were financial outcomes they’d be drawn and quartered. If you worked at a company and missed your KPIs for the last 10 years, you probably wouldn’t have lasted there.”
For his WOMADelaide performance, Briggs says, “We’ve been trialling different stuff to really have something spectacular. We’re working on our guests and making things pop! Every show I try to do something memorable, to deliver a moment.”
The band includes Lindsay McDougall (Frenzal Rhomb) on guitar with Briggs also hinting at “some collaborations on the stage”.
He looks forward to catching other acts at the festival like choral group Spinifex Gum and First Nations artists from across the globe. “There are parallels to our stories and similarities with a lot of lived experiences that we share. We get to connect on a different level quite quickly.”
But right now, he’s also “neck-deep in recording an album”.
Any further info around this is strictly under wraps. “Yeah. That’s as much as you’ll get outta me.”
Watch this space!
WOMADelaide 2020 will be held from 6-9 March in Adelaide, South Australia. Tickets can be purchased www.womadelaide.com.au
Written by Chris Lambie
