Lebo M Sues Comedian for $27M Over Lion King Chant Joke

South African composer Lebohang Morake, known professionally as Lebo M, filed a lawsuit this month in federal court in Los Angeles against Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi, accusing him of defamation and damaging his reputation through a viral joke about the Zulu chant in the opening of "Circle of Life" from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. The suit seeks $27 million in damages, alleging Jonasi's comments misrepresented the lyrics and harmed Morake's professional ties with Disney.

The dispute centers on the chant "Nantsingonyama bagithi Baba," which Disney translates as "All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king." Morake, who composed and performed the Zulu vocals for the song under the direction of Hans Zimmer, maintains the phrase uses "ingonyama," meaning lion, as a royal metaphor rooted in South African tradition. According to the lawsuit, Jonasi presented a literal interpretation during a February episode of the One54 Africa podcast, claiming the line means "Look, there's a lion. Oh my God." Podcast hosts reacted with laughter, and Jonasi affirmed, "That's exactly what it means."

Morake's complaint, filed on March 16, argues that Jonasi...