When Nigerian photographer and visual historian Bolaji Alonge first began documenting the world around Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, he could not have foreseen where those images would ultimately land.
Alonge’s work was selected for the record jacket of the newly reimagined Fela Kuti / Zombie (1977) Denim Tears Edition, featuring new artwork by designer Tremaine Emory and released via Partisan Records in collaboration with the Fela Kuti Estate.
Fifty years after Zombie was first released, Emory’s reimagining of the album creates a new chapter in the physical archive of the record. Through Denim Tears, he has reinterpreted the visual language of Zombie, bringing together Lemi Ghariokwu’s iconic original design and contemporary images of the New Afrika Shrine by the photographer.
The result is a new physical expression of an album whose visual and cultural history continues to evolve — connecting Fela’s original world in Lagos with a new generation of design, fashion and contemporary visual culture.
The commemorative release is limited to 1,000 vinyl copies, available exclusively through Turntable Lab and Dover Street Market, alongside 300 T-shirts featuring the new visual interpretation.
For me, it is another reminder that photographs can continue to make history long after they are taken. An image made in Lagos has now become part of the physical archive of one of Africa’s most important records.
For Alonge, having his photography housed within such a seminal release carries immense weight. “I have spent many years photographing Lagos, Nigerian culture, and the people who have shaped our history,” Alonge says. “So to see my photographs become part of a special edition celebrating Zombie is something I’m genuinely proud of.”
Alonge’s archive reflects years of immersion in Afrobeat culture, documenting the Kuti family, former band members of Fela and the vibrant community surrounding the New Afrika Shrine. Through his Eyes of a Lagos Boy project, Alonge has remained dedicated to preserving the shifting urban landscape and cultural heritage of Lagos. That focus on history makes his inclusion in the Zombie release particularly resonant.
First released in late 1976 and issued internationally in 1977, Zombie served as Fela’s scathing critique of Nigeria’s military regime, using the title track to mock soldiers blindly following orders. The political fallout was immediate and violent. As Femi Kuti once recalled, it was the album that brought “Armageddon” upon the family—shortly after its release, state military forces raided and razed Fela’s communal compound, the Kalakuta Republic, burning it to the ground.
Decades after those defining events, the album’s cultural impact continues to span generations worldwide. Now, Alonge’s photographs sit alongside Tremaine Emory’s reimagined visuals to form a new chapter in the physical archive of the record.
“Photography is about documenting history,” says Alonge. “Sometimes you take a photograph and you don’t know where or how its journey will go. This one has ended up as part of the story of Zombie. That is huge for me.”
From Lagos to the world, the story endures—this time, spinning on vinyl.
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