Flier for “The Zulu Nation 5th Anniversary" designed by Eddie Ed: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A flier for the “The Zulu Nation 5th Anniversary and Disco Tribute to James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone,” designed by Eddie Ed. The flier is in portrait orientation and printed on yellow paper with black text and graphics and two black-and-yellow photographs. The body of the flier is framed within a thin black line. Inside the frame, printed in top half of the flier, is reproduced handwritten text in varying sizes and fonts that includes the production information, event title, dates, times, venue locations, and entrance fees.

The production information and event title reads: [Nubian Productions Presents THE ZULU Nation 5th Double Night Anniversary / Disco TRibute to James Brown AND Sly ANd THE Family Stone] printed in centered text at the top. The rest of the information is printed below with the November 7th event information printed on the left, and the November 8th event information printed on the right. The information is divided by a thick wavy black and yellow outlined graphic of a river with the text [Next / NIGHT] printed over it. Event information printed on the left reads: [Fri.Nov7,80 / Bronx River Center / 1619 E.174th St. / 9:00p.m. Until?! / INFLATion / DONAtion / $1.00 WITH/FLYER / BEFOE[sic] 12:00 / $5.00 ALL NITE WITHOUT / FLYER / FREE RECORDS!]. Event information printed on the right reads: [T·Connection / 3510 WHITE PLAINS RD. OFF GUN HILL RD. / Sat. Nov. 8,80 / 9:00p.m. Until? / INFLATion / DONAtion / $2.00 WITH FLYER / B/4 12:00 / $5.00 / ALL NITE / WITHOUT FLYER].

The acts are printed below: [Featuring [downward pointing arrow graphic] / D.J. Afrika Bambaataa / The MaSTER of / RECORDS / D.J. JAZZY·JAY / D.J. RED ALERT / Soul Sonic Force M.C.’s / Mr. Biggs, Pow Wow, Lisa Lee, Ice Ice, Globe / Cosmic Force M.C.’s / Chubby Chub, Ice Ice, Ikey “C.” / Along with the Mighty ZULU Nation Groups: / GESTAPO CREW, – – -0-0- CB CREW, Portchester ZULU’S / WARRIORS, D.C. ZULU QUEENS, SHAKA ZULU’S, LUZU CREW / Solo Sound ZULU’s, MANHATTAN ZULU NATION, ZULU Kings / Mayberry Crew, ZULU Queens, ZULU Warlords, ZULU StONES / Zulu tribe of Brooklyn, CB Crew / THE RUSSIAN FRONt, Uptown ZULU’s / Master ZULU’s, Statin[sic] Island ZULU’s / FLY / [F]IVE ZULU QUEENS, T·NECK ZULU’S / Mac Dynasty CREW, ZULU CRUSADORS[sic] / So Come Out In Unity / + Peace]. To the left of [SOUL SONIC FORCE] is a graphic of a crown with the text [COLD / CRUSH / BROTHERS / POOR / EDDIE / ED] printed over and below the crown graphic.

In the bottom left corner is a photograph of James Brown singing into a microphone. He is depicted from the thighs up, wearing a satin shirt and pants and an oversized paneled cap. Printed in superimposed yellow text over the center of the photograph is [“Papa Don’t / Take No / Mess” / James Brown]. In the bottom right corner is a photograph of Sly Stone. Stone is depicted from the chest up, singing into a microphone, and pointing with his proper left arm extended in front of him. He is depicted in profile, facing the left edge of the image, and wearing a white shirt. Between the two photographs is additional text and graphics: [TOTAL / BUG / OUT!] on the left, [EDDIE / ED] printed over a graphic of a circle with striped wings at the center, and [SO DAMN / SWEET!] inside a small frame on the right. Printed in a vertical orientation in two boxes along the left edge is the text [MASTER WORK PRODUCTION!] and [DEDICATED TO JOEY·D.]. At the center right edge are two graphics of bunches of balloons divided by the text [FREE / RECORDS]. Printed inside two balloons in the top graphic are the words [SEX] and [FUN]. Printed in two balloons in the bottom graphic are the words [EN / JOY] and [IT].

Printed in a vertical orientation along the right edge is the text [DON’T FORGET FLYER MAN EDDIE·ED]. The back of the flier has no text or inscriptions. There are two sets of double hole punches on the left and right bottom edge of the flier.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: November 7 and 8, 1980
• Designed by: Eddie Ed, American
• Printed by: Unidentified
• Distributed by: Nubian Productions, American
• Distributed by: Master Work Productions, American
• Subject of: Universal Zulu Nation, American
• Subject of: James Brown, American, 1933 - 2006
• Subject of: Sly & the Family Stone, American, founded 1967
• Subject of: Afrika Bambaataa, American, born 1957
• Type: fliers (printed matter)
• Medium: ink on paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W: 8 7/16 × 6 1/2 in. (21.4 × 16.5 cm)
• Place used: Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Break dancing
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Disco (Music)
• Topic: DJs (Musicians)
• Topic: Graphic design
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Nightlife
• Object number: 2020.38.1.19
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.